Inside The Bills

Erin Kelly shows Chris Berman “Kelly Tough”

Posted by Anna Stolzenburg on June 15, 2014 – 10:14 pm

In an interview that aired this morning – Father’s Day – on ESPN, done by Jim Kelly’s personal friend and longtime ESPN host Chris Berman, Kelly’s daughter Erin showed she doesn’t just talk the talk on being Kelly Tough.

“It’s hard as this little girl. You see his as this big tough guy,” she said. “But we’ve kind of had to be strong for him, taking this on and encouraging him through it. It’s hard but he’s getting through it and he’s being Kelly Tough.”

She said Jim would always tell her to be Kelly Tough as a kid, but she never really saw what it meant until he was weakened by the cancer. She even insisted on shaving her head with her dad a couple of weeks ago.

“The lady came in to shave his head and I said, ‘Dad, if you want me to do it, I will do it. I will shave my head for you.'”

He insisted she shouldn’t, and of course, Erin listened.

When Berman commented on the smiles that remain on the faces of the Kelly family, Erin remarked that those smiles that show on her dad’s face when he has trouble saying any words get them all through the tough times.

“Knowing this Father’s Day that my dad has been fighting for his life the past few months, you have a whole new perspective on what life is about.”

Watch more of Berman’s interview with Erin and her new appreciation for being Kelly Tough by clicking here.

Posted in Inside the Bills