Kelce Brothers' Generous Donation Enables Family to Witness Historic Olympic Victory
Team USA hockey superstar Laila Edwards celebrated her Olympic gold medal triumph alongside her family on Thursday, a moment made possible by a substantial helping hand from NFL legends Travis and Jason Kelce. The Kelce brothers, alongside Jason's wife Kylie, were present in the stands in Milan to witness the United States secure a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory against arch-rivals Canada, with Edwards contributing a crucial assist for her team's first goal.
A Groundbreaking Athlete and Community Support
The 21-year-old Edwards holds the distinction of being the first Black female hockey player to represent the United States at the Olympic Games. However, her family's ability to attend this historic event was only secured following an outpouring of community support through a GoFundMe campaign. The most significant contribution, a remarkable $10,000 donation, came from the Kelce brothers, who share Edwards' hometown of Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
This fundraising effort successfully enabled ten family members, including Edwards' 91-year-old grandmother Ernestine Gray, and four close friends to travel from the United States to Italy. Additional supporters made their own arrangements to journey to Milan Cortina for Edwards' golden Olympic debut. Prior to the final match against Canada, Edwards expressed that having her family present in Italy for the Games "means everything to me." She elaborated, "They helped me get here and make this team and achieve my dream, so it means a lot."
The Fundraising Success and Family Journey
The Edwards family, comprising her parents and four siblings, initiated the fundraising page with an initial goal of $50,000. The campaign has since far exceeded expectations, receiving nearly 650 donations and accumulating $61,815, with contributions continuing to arrive this week. While the top donation of $10,000 was initially anonymous, Edwards later confirmed it originated from the Kelce brothers.
Among the family members who traveled to Italy were Edwards' parents, aunt, cousin, older brother, and her elderly grandmother. Ernestine Gray, 91, shared her experience with The Associated Press, stating, "As she comes [on to the ice], she's looking around. I say: 'I won't do anything to distract her.' Then she did see me and I wave to her and then she waved back."
A Supportive Relationship and Bright Future
The Kelce brothers have been ardent supporters of Edwards since 2023, when she became the first Black player to earn a spot on the US senior women's national team. The NFL stars publicly praised her on their highly popular podcast, New Heights. Edwards recalled her reaction to their comments, saying, "I thought, 'I'll just message them, thanking them, they'll never see it.' And then Travis and I had a full conversation over DM, and that was super cool... he was a really down-to-earth, humble guy who was super supportive and had really good things to say." She added that they recently congratulated her again for making the Olympic team.
This generosity from the Kelces and other Cleveland Heights residents exemplifies the tight-knit nature of the community, as noted by Edwards' parents, despite their daughter moving away at a young age. Edwards is widely regarded as the future face of women's hockey, and on Thursday she solidified that status by becoming an Olympic champion.
Overcoming Financial Hurdles and a Promising Career Path
When Edwards informed her family a month before the Olympics that she had been selected for the team, her parents were uncertain about financing the entire family's journey. They could manage costs for two individuals, but accommodating the full family roster—all of whom have consistently supported her career—proved financially prohibitive. Furthermore, they had avoided booking early flights or securing cheaper hotel rates to prevent potentially jinxing her selection.
"We had to start talking about how to get money," her mother, Charone Gray-Edwards, explained. "Who would go? How would we afford it?" The family is accustomed to supporting Edwards from a distance; she left home at age 13 to attend the Bishop Kearney Selects Academy in Rochester, New York, before advancing to the University of Wisconsin, where she is currently playing her senior season for the top-ranked Badgers.
The general consensus within hockey circles is that Edwards will be selected within the top three picks of the Professional Women's Hockey League draft in June, alongside Wisconsin teammate Caroline Harvey and Minnesota's Abbey Murphy, marking the next chapter in her already illustrious career.
