Jim Kelly's son Hunter passes away.

jksmith269

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I know this doesnt' really belong here but I'm sure every fan followin FB knows about Jim's son Hunter and his illness. I'd like to send my prayers to the Kelly's and their family. I dont' think there can be any pain more sever than losing a child.

Hunter Kelly, 8, dies of Krabbe DiseaseAssociated Press


BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Hunter Kelly, whose battle with a fatal nervous system disease inspired his Hall of Fame 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 won an unprecedented four straight AFC titles as the Bills' quarterback 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.
 

LaTunaNostra

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A tragedy..the one positive here is what the Kelly Foundation may be able to do for others suffering this disease. This boy did not live in vain.
 

Yeagermeister

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LaTunaNostra said:
A tragedy..the one positive here is what the Kelly Foundation may be able to do for others suffering this disease. This boy did not live in vain.
Good point
 

Eddie

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I don't have children ... but I have a baby girl due in less than 4 weeks. We've been preparing our home for her visit for a long time now.

I can't imagine the sorrow a parent feels in lamenting the loss of a child. But I can imagine my pain if I were to lose this baby girl who's due to visit in 4 weeks.

I'm sorry for the Kelly family and I wish them all the best ...
 

Mkyle

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R.I.P.

To sad...but, as they say, "Things must happen for a reason..."
 

Chief

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Puts Spears' knee injury in perspective.

I can't imagine how painful it would be to lose your 8-year-old child.
 

Yeagermeister

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Eddie said:
I don't have children ... but I have a baby girl due in less than 4 weeks. We've been preparing our home for her visit for a long time now.

I can't imagine the sorrow a parent feels in lamenting the loss of a child. But I can imagine my pain if I were to lose this baby girl who's due to visit in 4 weeks.

I'm sorry for the Kelly family and I wish them all the best ...
Congrats to you and your wife
 

RonBurgandy31

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Thats really sad, up here in upstate ny they have alot of charity golf tournies for his son its ashame this happened.
 

Chief

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It's interesting that several famous quarterbacks have sons that are battling diseases and each family has been very active in raising money and awareness to combat the diseases.

Aside from Jim Kelly's son, Boomer Esiason's son, Gunnar, has cystic fibrosis and the sons of Dan Marino (Michael) and Doug Flutie (Doug Jr.) both are austistic.

And Don Meredith had a child that was mentally disabled.
 

Yeagermeister

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Chief said:
It's interesting that several famous quarterbacks have sons that are battling diseases and each family has been very active in raising money and awareness to combat the diseases.

Aside from Jim Kelly's son, Boomer Esiason's son, Gunnar, has cystic fibrosis and the sons of Dan Marino (Michael) and Doug Flutie (Doug Jr.) both are austistic.

And Don Meredith had a child that was mentally disabled.
We probably hear about them because of who they are but it is very interesting.
 

Dye

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that is probably the worse thing a person has to endure - attending his/her child's funderal.

my heart goes out to jim and his family.
 

LaTunaNostra

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Chief, I had the same initial thoughts as you.

Puts the Spears injury in perspective, the incredible, unnatural loss of a child dying before the parents leave the earth, and the list of QBs who have started charitable foundations because they have kids suffering from a disease.

Jim Harbaugh is another..it isn't a terminal illlness, but a serious birth defect - cleft palate. He has a boy born with one and set up a Foundation.

There is another former QB out there as well..can't think of who it is now..
 

mmurray21

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The kid was a real fighter. It always choked me up when Jim would say that doctors told him he wouldn't live a year and that hunter was HIS hero
 

ABQCOWBOY

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Well, this is the kind of news that you just hate to hear. I know this thing has been going on for some time. Never really was a Kelly fan but really never had much against him either. Still, you pull for this whole family in situations like this.

I'm sure this has been a pretty good struggle from day one. Hopefully, this signals easier and better times for this family in the long run. In the short term, this can't be easy. Solis you take from this is that this little boy is in a better place.

Hate to hear this.
 

Kangaroo

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Chief said:
It's interesting that several famous quarterbacks have sons that are battling diseases and each family has been very active in raising money and awareness to combat the diseases.

Aside from Jim Kelly's son, Boomer Esiason's son, Gunnar, has cystic fibrosis and the sons of Dan Marino (Michael) and Doug Flutie (Doug Jr.) both are austistic.

And Don Meredith had a child that was mentally disabled.

My prayers to Jim and his family.

I am well aware of autism;my daughter was diagnosed with it last year.
 
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