Travis Kelce knows what it feels like to come out of Cleveland Heights and become one of the best in his sport. He also knows what it feels like to have his family cheering from the stands during his Super Bowl runs with the Kansas City Chiefs.

So when he learned that Laila Edwards, the Cleveland Heights alum and the U.S. women’s hockey star, had a family raising funds to cover travel and lodging for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Kelce didn’t hesitate to step in and help. And in a recent interview, Edwards revealed that Kelce contributed $10K to the fundraiser, while clearing the air on Kelce’s brother, Jason.

“It was actually Travis who had donated, and I think Jason [Kelce] is a wonderful guy, I just feel like I needed to clear the air,” Edwards said. “And he reached out to someone, he was like, ‘Yeah, and if that doesn’t cover it, let me know, I’ll cover the rest.’ He was really adamant about that. And he even messaged me, he was like, ‘I’m gonna do my best to make the Olympics, and I really hope I can meet you,’ but apparently something came up with Taylor.”

The revelation came more than a month after Team USA secured Gold in Milan. For a broader context, Edwards’ parents, Robert Edwards and Charone Gray-Edwards, had launched a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $50,000 to attend the Games.

Kelce’s $10K contribution gave it a major push, and his willingness to cover the remaining amount if needed added even more momentum. As that happened, the family raised over $59,000, enough to make the trip and be there in person.

“Oh my goodness. I was going to find words to describe the gratitude and appreciation. But I haven’t yet,” Edwards’ mother said.

For Edwards, that support carries significant weight, considering she has been away from her home most of her life. She left home at 13 to join Bishop Kearney Selects Academy in Rochester, then moved on to Wisconsin, where she’s finishing her senior season with the top-ranked Badgers.

Now, she’s emerging as one of the faces of the program, and that showed in Milan. Team USA went unbeaten in the group stage, beat Italy 6-0 in the quarterfinals with Edwards contributing a goal and an assist, then dominated Czechia 6-1 in the semifinal before setting up a final against Canada.

In the gold medal game, the U.S. edged Canada 2-1 in overtime. Edwards finished the tournament with two goals and six assists in seven games, trailing only Megan Keller and Caroline Harvey in team scoring. And through it all, her family was there in Milan, watching it happen in person, with part of the credit going to Travis Kelce.

And after the gold win, Edwards’ father sent a message to the Kelce brothers.

Laila Edwards’ father sent an emotional message to Jason and Travis Kelce

Laila Edwards’ father, Robert Edwards, shared an anecdote from Milan when he spotted Jason Kelce and approached him. At first, the Philadelphia Eagles legend assumed Robert was just another fan. But once Robert mentioned he was Laila’s father, Jason congratulated him and said he was proud of her achievement.

That moment summed up a lot for Robert. It was one of the reasons he felt genuinely humbled by the Kelce brothers’ support, not just the financial help, but the way they carried themselves throughout. Their contribution played a key role in helping his family travel to Italy and be there to support Laila.

“We’re very pleased and overwhelmed and humbled by their support and by their interest,” Robert said. “We follow them as people, and we love them and everything they stand for. And we’re hoping that they can feel the same way about us and Laila.”

In many ways, this was another example of how Travis Kelce and Jason continue to show up for people from their hometown, especially those connected to Cleveland Heights. And after Edwards and Team USA secured gold, Travis made sure to give her credit.

“Tip of the cap to you, Laila. That was awesome to see you go and get it, I’ll tell you what, man. She has a f—ing shot! She was very, very good throughout the Olympics. After talking to her, you realize she’s from Cleveland Heights, man.”

Laila’s run itself was historic. She became the first Black woman to win Olympic gold with the U.S. women’s hockey team, adding to her gold at the 2025 World Championship and silver in 2024. So the praise from Kelce didn’t feel like hype; it felt earned.