For Jim Kelly, years after leaving behind his on-field challenges, he’s now fighting a personal battle alongside his family. Recently, the Buffalo Bills legend reached out to his community with a familiar request. His infant grandson, known as “Little Bean” on the internet, has an important health update as Kelly seeks prayers.

“Please pray for my grandson! Thank you!” Kelly wrote on his Instagram story, resharing his daughter’s heartfelt plea. 

This update came shortly after Jim’s oldest daughter, Erin Kelly-Bean, shared a glimpse of normalcy that felt like a hard-won victory. In her Instagram story, she posted a photo of baby Beau sitting in his high chair, his mouth stained blue, evidence of his very first encounter with blueberries. According to his mother, they were “sooo yummy!!”

Along with the photo, she revealed that Little Bean had a critical medical test scheduled for the following day, asking her followers to “please pray” for a positive outcome.

The road has been rocky for Beau Hunter Bean since the moment he arrived. Shortly after his birth, the Hall of Fame quarterback shared that his grandson was struggling with “unexpected medical complications.” Baby Beau spent more than a month (38 days) fighting for his life in a pediatric cardiac care unit.  The celebrations around Kelly becoming a grandfather were replaced by long hospital nights, constant monitoring, and quiet prayers. For a Hall of Famer who had already endured cancer and countless setbacks, this was a different kind of test.

By mid-July, there was a glimmer of hope. 

“Little Bean’s procedure is complete—and everything went well,” Kelly informed his fans. 

For as long as Hunter stayed in the hospital, the Kelly family spent day and night at the Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Jim and his wife, Jill, shared the emotional rollercoaster of those five weeks on social media, describing those 38 grueling days as “desperate prayer” and “wondering and worrying.”

When Beau was finally cleared to go home on August 17, the family celebrated it as a miracle. The Bills legend was so moved by the care his grandson received that he later returned to Golisano Children’s Hospital to personally thank the staff. 

Jim Kelly’s grandson is named after his late son

Little Bean’s addition to the Kelly family carries a weight far beyond a typical birth. He is named after Jim’s only son, Hunter Kelly, who passed away in 2005. 

Hunter was born on his father’s birthday, February 14, in 1997. Though he appeared healthy at first, he was soon diagnosed with Krabbe leukodystrophy, a rare and fatal nervous system disorder. Doctors predicted Hunter wouldn’t survive past his second birthday. 

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But he defied all odds and lived for eight years. He was the inspiration for the “Hunter’s Hope” foundation, which has since raised millions for neurological research.

The connection between the late Hunter and his new nephew became even more touching during Baby Beau’s hospital stay. For a month, Little Bean had to rely on oxygen support, which was weaned off on August 5, the same date the Kelly family honors as “Hunter’s Heaven Day.

Having survived his own public battle with oral cancer and the loss of his son, Jim is no stranger to resilience. Now, as his grandson faces further testing, the Kelly family continues to lean on their faith and the “Bills Mafia” community that has stood by them for decades.