Laila Edwards Makes Olympic History
U.S. hockey defender Laila Edwards has made history by becoming the first Black American to secure a medal in Olympic ice hockey. She achieved this remarkable feat with a gold medal win against Canada on Thursday, while her family cheered her on at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy.
Edwards, who is just 22 years old, had a strong support system in the stands, with 14 family members and friends, including her parents, grandmother, aunt, and brother. This was made possible thanks to a generous donation of $10,000 from NFL players Travis and Jason Kelce.
The Kelce brothers contributed anonymously through a GoFundMe page set up by Robert Edwards, Laila’s father, titled “Let’s send Lyla’s family to the Olympics and support her!”
Originally, Robert aimed to raise $50,000 to avoid having to choose between buying game tickets in Cleveland Heights, Ohio—the Kelsey brothers’ hometown—and covering his electric bill.
The fundraiser successfully allowed ten family members and four friends to journey from the U.S. to Italy for Laila’s Olympic debut, while others managed to arrange their travel on their own finances.
“We had a lot to discuss regarding the finances,” her mother, Sharon Gray-Edwards, mentioned. “Who could make the trip? How would they afford it?”
Initially, they could only afford to send two family members to Milan.
“She’s really going to need support, especially with the emotional rollercoaster that comes with high-level hockey,” her father pointed out. “So I thought, ‘Let’s put our pride aside and do a fundraiser.’
Since 2023, the Kelsey brothers have been fans of Edwards, particularly after she became the first Black player on the U.S. Senior Women’s National Team. They even gave her a mention on their podcast “New Heights.”
2026 Winter Olympics
Jason and his wife, Kylie, were present in the crowd for the exciting gold medal game against Canada. They had also supported the U.S. team in their earlier 5-0 victory over Sweden on Monday.
In a friendly exchange, Travis sought advice from Edwards prior to his Olympic debut. “He told me that everyone is cheering for me, including him,” she noted. “They didn’t have to reach out like that, but they did. I really appreciate it.”
In a thrilling match, Edwards assisted on the first of two goals, helping Team USA secure a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory and the coveted gold medal. This victory marked only the third time in Olympic history that the U.S. won gold in women’s hockey, with Canada as their opponent each time.
