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Laila Edwards GoFundMe, explained: How Kelce brothers helped send Cleveland Heights native to Olympics originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, are in full swing. One United States team looking to medal this year is the U.S. Women's Hockey team, which took home silver in the 2024 Beijing Olympics.
One of the stars of the 2026 team is Laila Edwards, who has represented the U. S. hockey team internationally since 2023. She also made history as the first-ever black woman to play for the U.S. women's team.
But Edwards' family needed some help to get them to Milan to cheer on Edwards, who plays collegiate hockey for Wisconsin. That's when the Kelce brothers, including both Travis and Jason, stepped in.
MORE 2026 OLYMPICS: Live medal tracker | Viewer's guide | Day-by-day schedule
Laila Edwards GoFundMe
Some of Edwards' family members, including her parents, Charone Gray-Edwards and Robert Edwards, were hoping to cheer on their daughter in Italy. To get some help in doing just that, the family posted a GoFundMe page online to accept donations.
Jason and Travis Kelce, who also host the popular podcast "New Heights" donated $10,000 to the Edwards' GoFundMe, which helped them exceed their $50,000 goal.
“OMG, thank you, so much for taking time out of your busy day to notice us little people and support us,” Laila’s mother, Charone, said of the donation. “Like, that was huge because the Kelces don’t know us. The only connection is Cleveland Heights. I really appreciate it.”
Now, Edwards' parents, including 10 of her relatives, as well as her 91-year-old grandmother, are in Italy cheering her on. The Edwards' family was touched by those who chipped in smaller donations, as well.
"We also look at the $10, $15, $20 donations," Laila's father, Robert, told The Athletic. "And that’s heartwarming, that’s awesome, and makes us feel really good that people wanted to put whatever money they had.” Robert Edwards told The Athletic.
Where is Laila Edwards from?
Edwards is from the same hometown as the Kelce brothers—Cleveland Heights, Ohio. She has three siblings: an older brother, Robert (Bobby), an older sister, Chayla, a younger brother, Colson, and a sister, Britney.
Edwards played youth hockey primarily in Rochester, New York, for Bishop Kearney High School, which has an elite youth hockey program.
MORE:How Laila Edwards became the first Black woman to make USA's Olympic hockey roster
Travis and Jason Kelce support Laila Edwards
The Kelce brothers' support of Edwards' Olympic dreams is nothing new. Their podcast first shouted her out in Nov. 2023, when Edwards first made history as the first-ever black female U.S. Hockey team member.
Laila has said that she keeps in touch with Travis via social media direct messages, although she has not met the Kelce brothers in person.
The Kelce brothers are big Olympics fans in general, and Jason's wife, Kylie, is currently in Milan covering the games as a digital creator for NBC. She and Jason tried their hands at curling leading up to the games:
It's unclear if Jason will be in Italy for the Olympics at all, but both he and his brother will certainly be rooting Edwards on.
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