Posted on 8/5/2005, 4:55:44 PM by Borges
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Hunter Kelly, whose battle with a fatal nervous system disease inspired his Hall of Fame quarterback father Jim Kelly's charitable works, died Friday morning. He was 8.
"Our prayers go to the family and kids," Jim Kelly's brother, Dan, told The Associated Press.
Born in 1997, Hunter Kelly was given no more than three years to live after being diagnosed with Krabbe Disease, an inherited degenerative disorder of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The disease hinders development of the myelin sheath, a fatty covering that protects the brain's nerve fibers.
In honor of their son, Jim Kelly and his wife, Jill, established the Hunter's Hope Foundation in 1997, which has raised more than $6 million and awarded more than $3.8 million to leukodystrophy and other neurological disease-related research.
The disease has no known cure.
Jim Kelly, who led the Bills to an unprecedented four AFC titles in the early 1990s, had credited his son for serving as his inspiration after he retired from football following the 1996 season.
"He'll never be able to do what daddy did," Kelly said last year. "But he's going to do greater things. He's going to make a difference in kids' lives. He already has."
Kelly and his son happened to share the same birthday, Valentine's Day.
The Kelly family was preparing to issue a press release later in the day, Dan Kelly said.
Oops sorry about the title gaffe. Mods please fix?
Sad.
Prayers and thoughts to the Kelly's.
This is very sad news, I know his parents were very devoted to him.
Jim Kelly is a good man. Never hear of him acting like a punk. Really wish that he could've won a Super Bowl, instead of that overhyped boob, Troy Aikman.
I hope a prayer is said this weekend at the HOF ceremonies in Canton, OH.
ping
Heartbreaker.
I think the Kelly family needs prayer coverage.
Very sad.
What is it w/ NFL QB's and their sons?
From: http://www.autisminfo.com/Quarterbacks.htm
Look around the league and grab a wad of Kleenex. The poem of joy and woe has come to life. Former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly has a 5-year-old son, Hunter, who is trying to recover from his pneumonia and collapsed lung but who won't ever recover from his Krabbe Leukodystrophy, a rare genetic disorder that leads to the deterioration of myelin and the central nervous system.
Former Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino has a 13-year-old son, Michael, with autism that does not allow him to hear the cheers his father once received.
Chargers quarterback Doug Flutie has a 10-year-old son, Dougie, with a more severe case of autism.
Colts quarterback Mark Rypien lost his 3-year-old son, Andrew, in August 1998, to a malignant brain tumor that made his child scream in pain before he died.
Former Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason has a 10-year-old son, Gunnar, with cystic fibrosis that leaves the child's lung walls clogged with mucus.
Upon realizing this collection of tarnished golden lives, Boomer's wife, Cheryl, dubbed it "the quarterback's curse."
So sad,
Prayers going out for the Kelly family.
Do you have a link to this story?
Mark Rypien is a GREAT guy. Heckuva golfer too.
So very sad. He was truly blessed to have such great parents.
I think steroids is playing a major role in the cause of so many athletes' children having medical problems.
"What is it w/ NFL QB's and their sons?"
Maybe daddy used steroids, which screwed up his DNA and passed on bad genes????
See above.. Re: Steroids.
It's not just Quarterbacks.. Other NFL players as well.
No dispute I lived in DC when he was the Redskins QB, this is about all the families losing their little boys and I know it happens every day, but I am sad.
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