I’m not sure of the direction of this column. Still, I felt compelled to write about the incredible donations both Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift made to the shooting victims in the senseless violence that ended the Chiefs Super Bowl celebration. The famous couple continues to show their love and support for Kansas City.
For eleven seasons, Tight End Travis Kelce has endeared himself to the Chief’s Kingdom in a way not many athletes can. His infectious personality, unique sense of humor, and talent on the field have made him one of KC’s favorite personalities and athletes.
Last Sunday, he won his third Super Bowl, breaking records along the path, and his passion for the game was on clear display Sunday. Further, if you break down the game’s biggest plays, the touchdown passes to Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Mecole Hardman, Kelce was the decoy on both routes.
Taylor Swift was watching the Super Bowl from a suite in Allegiant Stadium, and she’s been a permanent fixture at Chiefs games since late September, where she watched her boyfriend play the Chicago Bears publicly for the first time.
Shortly after that appearance at Arrowhead, we discovered that Swift and Kelce significantly contributed to The Harvesters. This local Kansas City charity delivers food for those in short supply. It was reported the contributions between the superstars totaled $300,000 dollars.
On Friday, shortly after Swift finished her first Australia concert in front of 90,000 people, she donated $100,000 dollars to the family of the shooting victim and Kansas City native Elizabeth Lopez-Galvin. She left behind two young children, both injured but expected to make a full recovery. To that end, Swift’s gesture was incredible.
Later in the day, Travis Kelce and his foundation, Eighty-Seven and Running, matched that donation to help the victims of Wednesday’s shootings.
They weren’t the only Chiefs players to contribute; Patrick Mahomes and his Wife Brittany made a $50,000 donation to the newly formed #KCStrong Fund in Kansas City. They, along with Kelce, also visited some of the children who were wounded in the violence on Thursday.
Kansas City is unique; it has a massive heart and a passionate sports fan base. When tragedy strikes, they bond and do what is necessary to help. I can’t tell you of the millions of dollars famous athletes in our hometown give that is done without fanfare and the press.
I’ve seen it firsthand, and the Kansas City Chiefs organization, which donated $200,000 to the KC Strong fund, has done so much as an organization within the working men and women that make up the football team, both past and present.
Yet some are attacking Swift and Kelce because they have their agendas and doubt their sincerity. To those people, I suggest getting off social media and finding a life outside of your hate and jealousy.
The romance between this global couple is real. The Swifties have adopted Travis Kelce, and the entire Chiefs Kingdom has adopted Taylor Swift. Over the last several months, she spent a lengthy time in Kansas City over the holidays before returning to her international tour in early February.
Though New York is her home, Kansas City has become a place where she can enjoy her life with Travis unhindered by the media frenzy in New York. In our city, we tend to leave sports personalities to themselves when they are in public.
Still, I do marvel at how Swift handles herself in public. From all accounts, she’s a very private person who has lived in the shadow of the paparazzi that follows her every move. Yet, she’s not shying away from the public eye since she began dating Travis over the Summer.
I have no idea if this relationship goes the distance, but from a feel-good perspective, I hope they make it long-term. I hope her adopted city becomes more permanent after her Era’s Tour ends in December of this year, and the couple continue to enjoy their life together.
