‘Not Every Day You Get a Letter From Tom Hanks’: Actor Stuns NFL Legend’s Daughter With This Note

The daughter of NFL legend Ken Stabler revealed this weekend a warm letter that Tom Hanks sent her following the death of her father.

Stabler died of cancer at 69 in July. His daughter, Kendra Stabler Moyes, knew that Hanks was a big fan and sent the actor a piece of memorabilia.

Hanks returned the favor by writing a heartfelt note back to her — on a typewriter.

Here's the transcription:

Dear Kendra and Alexa,

Beyond the heroics on the field, and, say, a Super Bowl victory, why a young fan takes to any one football player is a mystery. A personal attraction.

In Oakland, the capitol of Raider Nation, the years I was a kid there we had everyone from the Black Panthers, the Hell’s Angels, the Zodiac Killer, and Charley O. Finley. And, we had the Raiders …

Your father, with his left-handedness and those two bad knees, displayed a permanent smile of bemusement that said — win or lose — “ain’t this fun?” I really did see in him the honor to be be found in playing the game, of using one’s God given talent, of taking pleasure in the effort.

That Ken Stabler came from the likes of Alabama yet played right there in my home town helped me understand the variety found in the USA. Using a pair of pliars to change the channel on my busted up kids TV (it had a few knobs missing) I would tune in San Diego to see your Dad play, or Shea Stadium to see him take on the Jets — learning that if you were good enough you could do your thing wherever you wanted.

I’m honored to wear the fine bit of Stablerwear you sent along and will continue to offer up to anyone who comes my way, and maybe just asks how I ended up where I am, that you just have to throw deep, baby …

Tom Hanks

Moyes called Hanks a "stud" for the letter and said it was "so cool of him to reach out."

This story has been updated.

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