Nick Viall had a total fanboy moment after meeting Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler in the maternity ward in Los Angeles.
“I would always see other what I presumed were dads,” Viall, 43, recalled during the Thursday, February 8, episode of his “The Viall Files” podcast about his hospital encounters after welcoming his baby girl earlier this month. “One of us would kind of say, ‘Hi. You a new dad?’”
Viall, whose daughter River Rose was born on February 2, remembered one specific hospital meeting with someone he was sure was famous.
“I met one guy in the elevator. I think I said something to him, like, ‘New dad?’ Then we’d asked each other [about the babies],” Viall said, noting that the man “looked so familiar.”
The Bachelor alum revealed, “Then last night, I got a DM [from] Walker Buehler of the L.A. Dodgers.” Viall explained to his listeners that Buehler, 29, is a “very, very good pitcher” for the Dodgers, calling him a “stud” athlete.
“That was him. He sent a DM. He’s like, ‘Was that you in the elevator at Cedars?’ I’m like, ‘Motherf–ker, yeah,’” Viall said of the moment. “That was kind of funny.”
The former reality star, who shares his baby girl with fiancée Natalie Joy, noted that he felt a bond with all the fellow dads he came across at Cedars-Sinai hospital.
Viall even messaged Buehler back letting him know that if his wife, McKenzie Buehler, wanted to reach out to Joy, 24, that would be great. “We’re definitely in the market for, like, cool parents,” Viall teased.
Walker announced his baby girl’s arrival via Instagram on Sunday, February 4, writing, “Finley Wren Buehler has arrived! 7 lbs 2 oz and healthy as can be!” He joked, “Miss America 2045 in our sights! Training starts now!!”
McKenzie, who married the pitcher in December 2021, later revealed that Finley was born on January 31.
Viall shared his birth announcement on Monday, February 5, noting that baby River was born three days prior. “[She’s] named after Natalie’s great grandmother and niece … the best part of life starts now 🦢🕊️☁️💗,” he captioned a series of Instagram photos.
“Our daughter is so beautiful,” Viall gushed during his Thursday podcast. “Every day she changes. I was like, ‘Oh, my God, you’re stunning.’”
He joked that River just has to decide which modeling agency to sign with based on her beauty. “All jokes aside, we’re just happy she’s doing great,” Viall added.