New York, November 16, 2006 – We almost didn’t believe it, but the very morning after the big Dancing With the Stars finale, the champion, Emmitt Smith, and runner up Mario Lopez, along with their dancing partners Cheryl Burke and Karina Smirnoff, were in Manhattan to kick off World Children’s Day at McDonald’s. The dancers were visibly exhausted after the emotional final showdown, followed by flying all night. But of course, all were excited, and so were the kids at the Ronald McDonald House in New York, where the stars spent time visiting, drawing and autographing photos for their small fans.

We caught up with winner Emmitt Smith there, drawing with crayons and asking the hero-worshipping kids on either side of him if they could dance. The father of four told us that he was getting a second wind, and Mario Lopez, who had been drooping earlier, also seemed recharged by the delighted children.