It's been an emotional week for Colts center Ryan Kelly and his family as they mourn the death of his daughter, Mary Kate.
Kelly posted about the tragedy Monday on his Instagram account.
"Nothing made me happier than being your Dad," Kelly wrote on Instagram. "You gave your Mom and I that gift. You were simply a miracle and always will be. I’m sorry you never got to open those sweet eyes and see us or take your first steps but you have angel wings now. You left this world too soon but we know God had a bigger purpose for you. Your mom and I find comfort knowing you’re being loved on by your great grandparents.
"Thank you for watching over us and your future siblings. I’ll forever wonder who you’d be today. Until we meet again my sweet girl, I love you."
Kelly's wife, Emma, also posted on Instagram about the tragedy. She said she was 19 weeks along in her pregnancy, or one week from the halfway mark, when they found out that Mary Kate's heart had stopped working. They discovered the news last Wednesday but had to go through the delivery anyway.
"I was so angry at first that I had to deliver her, only for it to become the biggest blessing out of this nightmare," Emma Kelly said on Instagram. "It gave Ryan and the opportunity to hold our little Saint, Mary Kate, before officially saying goodbye to her.
"These 19 weeks with her opened our hearts & souls more than we ever imagined possible & I’m forever grateful we had some time, earth-side, with the little girl who made us mom and dad. She was tiny, perfect and incredibly loved from everyone who knew she existed. I don’t think we’ll ever understand why God decided to call her home when he did but our faith is unshaken. He knows better than we & she was needed back home, in Heaven."
Kelly missed the Colts' 27-17 win over the New England Patriots on Saturday after Mary Kate's death. Danny Pinter stepped into his role, and the Colts were able to pull out the win with a 67-yard Jonathan Taylor run in the final minutes.
But their hearts were with their center all night. A win over the Patriots is always big, but coach Frank Reich said the team muted the celebration afterward due to the news.
“We can all just show him the love and care that he has for this game," Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II said. "We can show that same love and care for him off the field. ... It just shows that life hits everybody hard at some point along the road. We’re here thinking about Ryan and his family as they go through this tough time.”
Contact Nate Atkins at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.
