The official warned Andre Patterson. Don't take it personally, she said. The baby is afraid of men.
In the late '90s a series of miscarriages had persuaded Patterson and his wife to adopt. Patterson, then as now the Vikings' defensive line coach, signed with a local agency.
"They were having trouble placing children of color," Patterson said. "We always felt we had a lot to give as a couple, so we went through process and were told it might take a couple of years. We got a call two weeks later."
The Pattersons went to meet the baby girl.