"When this Zoom call ends, you'll probably hear me scream from Chicago."

Bears superfan Kymie Walker hopped on a Zoom call with members of the Bears marketing team earlier this month to provide the club feedback on their London game activations from this past season.

A diehard Bears fan since 1986 and England native, Walker was thrilled about the simple opportunity of giving her perspective on things like the team pub, the merch collabs and more from that week. That same unwavering loyalty and undeniable passion for the Bears is what earned her an honor that she never saw coming: 2024 International Fan of the Year.

While sharing the roots of her fandom via Zoom, Walker was interrupted by a familiar face — Staley Da Bear — whom she'd previously met at Bears events like their 2011 London game or the 2023 Manchester watch party. Staley held up a handwritten sign that read "Kymie … 2024 International Fan of the Year."

"No… No! You've got to be kidding me," Walker said in shock. "I don't know what to say. Oh my gosh, I can't breathe. … When this Zoom call ends, you'll probably hear me scream from Chicago. Oh my, good grief. That's amazing."

As part of the honor, Walker will take a trip to Chicago this spring to visit Halas Hall for the first time before heading to Green Bay to represent the Bears at the 2025 NFL Draft.

The recognition serves as a full circle moment for Walker — a well-known Bears fan in the UK for her ability to galvanize other international diehards who have developed a passion for American football. Like many of her peers, Walker's fandom stems from one coincidental moment in her childhood growing up just outside of London.

As a nine-year-old in 1986, Walker was over at her godfather's house when he had an American football game on the TV. The Super Bowl XX-winning Bears happened to be playing at that time. While he didn't know much about the sport himself, her godfather told Walker what he knew.

"The Bears were the very first team I ever saw, Walker recalled. "He was telling me stories about Walter Payton and the Fridge. I sat with him to watch that game and I completely fell in love with it. It was unlike anything I'd really seen before."

Not long after that day, Walker was outside her house playing in the street with her friends when she noticed a guy on the corner carrying shoulder pads and a helmet. She now recognized that equipment and as a naturally curious kid, walked straight up to him.

"I sort of chatted to him, because as a kid — and I still do — I talked to everybody," Walker added. "I asked him a few questions and there was a team called the Silverbacks that he played for. He told me a little bit about it and then his friend came and picked him up. That moment just added to it all, really. It made it more magical because not only had I seen it on TV, but there's real people that play the sport. I've followed the Bears ever since."

Not only has Walker followed the Bears, she's become one of the club's biggest supporters across the pond. She was present at almost every activation the Bears set up in London for their international game last October — including attending all three nights at the team's designated pub — Greenwood Sports Pub — in central London. While the Bears have enhanced their international presence through Mini Monsters clinics and player visits the last few years, the pub nights allowed all UK fans to experience a taste of the Chicago sports bar atmosphere.

Walker took the train two hours each way to attend the pub each night and meet Bears legends like Anthony Adams, Charles Tillman and more, adding that the pub experience was "brilliant."

The Bears' 2011 London game against the Buccaneers marked the first time Walker saw the Bears play in person, marking "the best weekend of [her] life." She proudly recalls being that fan who greeted the team at the airport upon their arrival and attending any Bears event that week.

In 2019 when the Bears returned to the UK, Walker organized a large fan event for the "Beardown UK" fan club in London, which brought together Bears fans from around the country — many of whom she's still friends with now.

"During the season, many Sundays are spent messaging in a WhatsApp group with myself and other fans from across England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, or on social media with other fans from around the world, chatting about the game," Walker said, "although nothing beats watching the game with fellow fans in person."

While Walker now lives two hours away from London, she often still organizes little meetups for her and her fellow Bears fans to watch games at pubs in the city — always calling ahead to make sure they'll have a stream to watch the game. In 2023, Walker traveled six hours to the Bears' watch party in Manchester.

There's simply no NFL or Bears event Walker won't attend. And she'll always show up head-to-toe in her navy and orange.

"I'm always in my Bears gear — I've got a Bear outfit I wear to certain events as well," Walker shared. "It's just nice to meet up with other fans — not just Bears fans — but NFL fans in general. If people are undecided, I obviously make them Bears fans straight away. They don't have a choice. It's just about getting involved in anything I can."

One of Walker's favorite traditions as a Bears fan is watching the NFL Draft. Several years ago, she convinced her friend who ran a pub in London to get a late license so her and 20-30 other Bears fans could host a draft party. They'd all meet up and watch the first round of the draft.

For Walker, those "little moments" of bringing Bears fans together and celebrating the team they weren't born into, but instead chose, is a passion that never wavers. What started as a pure love of the sport turned into a lifestyle.

And it's earned her an in-person spot at the draft this year — where a late license or a two-hour train ride to a small London pub isn't necessary. She'll witness the Bears make all of their 2025 picks right in front of her face, surrounded by other NFL diehards who share her same energy.

"I'm just a passionate person," Walker said. "I'm one of those people where once I pick a team, that's it, that's my team for life. I can't swap and change. I'm quite loyal. You pick your team and that's it, isn't it? It's your ride or die."

To stay up to date with the Bears' international efforts, follow along at chicagobears.com/international/ and on Instagram @uk_chicagobears.