MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum had one of the biggest games of his career Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium, with a pair of interceptions that helped the Vikings upset the favored San Francisco 49ers in front of a national prime-time audience.
However, there was a key member of the audience missing from the stands: Bynum's wife, Lalaine, who remains in the Philippines where the couple was married last spring.
Bynum, a California native of Filipino descent, lives in the Philippines in the offseason; he wears both a U.S. and Philippines flag on the back of his helmet and provides charitable support to people in the Philippines. During a postgame interview with NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Bynum said his wife has been unable to join him due to difficulties securing a visa to come to the United States.
"If anybody out there can help with the visa process, I'd greatly appreciate it," Bynum said.
Bynum posted the interview on social media Tuesday morning, adding that his wife has been unable to join him for two football seasons, having been twice denied a tourist visa and unable to get a spousal visa granted.
Bynum's appeal quickly went viral, with more than one million views on X by Tuesday afternoon.
On Wednesday, Bynum thanked everyone who shared his family's story.
"That's really the biggest thing, one of the biggest things I'm grateful for, just people passing it around to see who can help," Bynum said. "I'm just being patient but super grateful for everybody willing to help."
Bynum said he's heard from the offices of U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith who are looking into ways to expedite the visa.
The NFL Player's Association also responded to Bynum's post on Tuesday, but the NFLPA did not publicly detail how it plans to help.
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