When every beep and breath-check feels like a victory and every minute stretches into an eternity, that’s when you know you’re in the fight of your life. 2002 Hall of Famer Jim Kelly poured out his heart in an Instagram caption on August 13, revealing that his newborn grandson, affectionately nicknamed “Little Bean,” was born with unexpected complications and whisked straight onto a ventilator. The fight does not always end on the turf where legends are forged. In some of the toughest clashes, families find themselves in sterile hospital rooms, pacing through sleepless nights and leaning on every ounce of faith they can muster.

In mid-July, Kelly said that his daughter Erin and son-in-law Parker were going through a whirlwind of doctor appointments and changes in treatment protocols, all with the goal of keeping their spirits high for baby Beau Hunter Bean. From suspended medication regimens to fraught waiting-room vigils, the family’s openness drew thousands into their circle of faith, fear, and solidarity.

Now onto the Jim Kelly family’s newest chapter. After 38 long days at the pediatric cardiac care center, Jim Kelly’s grandson, Beau, safely returned home. Jim’s wife, Jill, posted a heartwarming and brief, but powerful message on Instagram story saying, “I still can’t believe Beau is HOME!!” and then continuing, “Glory to GOD! Thank you all so much!” This exciting news was accompanied by a plethora of love and gratitude. It evoked a feeling of familiarity for many families. Especially for those who have been on similar rollercoasters watching their newborns battle for health.

Jim Kelly’s family knows all too well about medical trials and tribulations. Baby Beau’s entrance into the world came with unexpected health complications. That sent the family into a space of uncertainty and a step of faith. Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly has been transparent about the family’s journey. He acknowledged the medical team had to “pause any changes” to Beau’s treatment. This is so that they can give him the time to sleep and grow stronger before conferring. With Beau’s heart requiring more healing, the Kelly family is simply grateful and ecstatic to have Beau home now.

And now, it is already a huge win for the family, which increases with every new day. For the family, Beau’s recovery is already a true blessing. Jim Kelly and his family are growing stronger with each new day as they move beyond the pain of the past, and through it all, he has never lost his hope.

Jim Kelly’s tribute to his son Hunter

This is not the first time Jim and Jill Kelly are in the midst of a tragedy. They lost their only son, Hunter, at just eight years old to Krabbe leukodystrophy, a rare genetic condition. Two decades later, their family marked Hunter’s heavenly birthday while holding onto hope for their grandson. The beautiful irony here is that on August 5, on “Hunter’s Heaven Day,” when the Little Bean came off oxygen, Jim Kelly wrote, “Words are simply not enough to express how my heart is today… Hunter, I cannot wait for the day that we can be together in heaven. But I have a lot of loving to do right here at Home. I MISS YOU HB.”

Jill Kelly shared in Jim’s thoughts when she stated how it is “20 years without Hunter…” and added, “not a day goes by that I do not think about Hunter, not a day goes by that I do not miss him, not a day goes by that I do not wish he was here.” By presenting the tangled narratives of historic loss and contemporary success, Jim Kelly and Jill Kelly demonstrate how several ongoing medical challenges, whether it be a rare genetic disorder or complications of being born newborn, create a family narrative across generations. Moreover, on August 8, Jim returned to Instagram with what he called a divine play, reposting Jill’s story with words that felt like moving the chains in crunch time. “We have an amazing UPDATE to share… one that only God could orchestrate,” he began.

Jim Kelly made clear that none of this was a coincidence. “The timing is not a coincidence. It’s a reminder that God knows. He is working. And He’s always on time.” His words turned toward gratitude for the medical team, giving credit to their skill as more than human. Moreover, he closed his message with words soaked in belief: “Without Jesus, we couldn’t walk through this. The pain is too deep, the road too hard. But He is carrying us. It’s not our strength, it’s His. It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” The Kelly family found the light at the end of the tunnel.