Vikings show support for grieving Iowa family

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Jeff Anderson admits it was a small gesture, but the Minnesota Vikings organization tried to comfort and support a north central Iowa family dealing with hellish grief.

Kathlynn Shepard, a 15-year-old diehard Vikings' fan, was kidnapped along with another 12-year-old girl while walking home from school in Dayton on May 20. News of her abduction reached the Vikings' staff, and the team wanted to help.

"We saw it on Facebook, and we had a lot of people contact us and tell us what a big Vikings fan she was," said Anderson, the team's director of corporate communications. "We asked how we could get involved and let the family know that we were thinking of them."

The team sent an autographed jersey, and executive director of community relations Brad Madson had head coach Leslie Frazier and running back Adrian Peterson pose for a picture holding a sign to show their support.

Shepard later was found dead June 7 along the Des Moines River near Boone. Her abductor, Michael J. Klunder, 42, committed suicide on May 20 after the 12-year-old escaped and alerted authorities.

"We told them if they have a fundraiser for a cause in her name, we would be interested in participating," Anderson said.