Hunter Kelly was four months old when doctors diagnosed him with Krabbe disease, a rare genetic disorder that attacks the nervous system. They told former Buffalo Bills QB Jim Kelly and his wife, Jill, to expect only a few years with him. Hunter passed away in 2005, but the Kellys continue to honor and remember him.
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Jim Kelly shared a heartwarming throwback to November 18, 2001, when his No. 12 jersey was retired by the Bills. He shared photos of that special day on his Instagram, which captured him, his wife, their two daughters, and Hunter Kelly. Jill couldn’t help but note the rarity of the day in their lives.
“The only time we were there as a family. 😭❤️” Jill commented.
“It was the one and only time my son Hunter was able to be on the field,” Jim Kelly wrote in the caption. “[And] having him there to share such an incredible moment is something I will cherish forever.”
Hunter held a special place in the Kelly household. Born in 1997, he shared his birthday with his father: February 14. Unfortunately, he got to spend a very short time with Hunter, who died aged eight years old. By medical standards, Hunter had defied the norms, as doctors did not predict that long a life expectancy for someone with Krabbe disease.
However, young Hunter was restricted to a special wheelchair, required a breathing tube, and needed constant care. But according to the Bills’ official website, Hunter was able to lift his arms and head and communicate through facial expressions. He could also reportedly understand stories read to him, and was able to engage with bowling in some capacity.
This August marked Hunter’s 21st death anniversary. Jim Kelly shared an emotional message on the occasion.
“No matter how many years go by, not a day passes that I don’t think about you, Hunter,” Kelly wrote on Instagram. “There isn’t a day I don’t wish you were still here with us, buddy! I know I’ll see you again someday. Until then, we’ll keep honoring your life, your legacy, and the hope your story continues to bring to so many families. Love you forever, buddy❤️ Daddy misses you more than a million footballs!”
Jim and Jill also started the Hunter’s Hope Foundation in his honor in 1997. Jim, who led the Bills to four straight AFC titles in the early 1990s, has long said his son became his inspiration after he stepped away from football following the 1996 season.
“He’ll never be able to do what daddy did,” Kelly said in the past. “But he’s going to do greater things. He’s going to make a difference in kids’ lives. He already has.”
More than twenty years have passed, and the Kellys still find ways to keep Hunter close. This August, Jim was celebrated with a football field in his name, and it also carried Hunter’s initials on the ground.
“Having Hunter’s initials on the field makes it even more special,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “No one has impacted and changed lives quite like my son Hunter, and having a piece of him forever on this field means everything to me.”
Last month, the Kellys supported Congressman Nick Langworthy, who has presented the Surge to Save Newborns Act. It would send federal money to states so they can carry out newborn screenings more efficiently.
For Jim and Jill, the issue is deeply personal, because they learned the hard way what a late diagnosis means.
“When our son Hunter was diagnosed with Krabbe disease, we learned firsthand how devastating it is to receive a diagnosis after the window for disease-altering treatment has already closed,” he said.
Hunter’s time with his family was short, but it has not ended there. A day on a football field in 2001 remains the memory Jill holds onto, and the effort that grew from his illness is now pushing for earlier testing so more families get answers while treatment is still possible.