![Patrick and Brittany Mahomes Brought the 1st Smile to Young Parade Shooting Victims](/https/www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/feature-Patrick-and-Brittany-Mahomes-Brought-the-1st-Smile-to-Young-Parade-Shooting-Victims.jpg?w=1000&quality=55&strip=all)
Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany Mahomes, made two of the Super Bowl parade shooting victims’ day when they walked into the hospital room.
“In a time where they are traumatized, saddened, and worried, having a surprise appearance from Patrick and Brittany Mahomes brought the first smile to their faces since tragedy struck,” parents Mario and Erika Reyes told People on Saturday, February 17. “Even though they will be wearing casts for several months, they are excited to show loved ones that Patrick signed their cast.”
Patrick and Brittany, both 28, visited Mario and Erika’s daughters, Madi, 10, and Melia, 8, on Thursday, February 15, at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, where they were being treated for gunshot wounds in their legs. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and his wife posed for photos at the kids’ bedside during the visit.
“We want to thank the Mahomes Family for being so kind, caring, and loving to our little ones and ask that the community please keep them in their prayers as they navigate life moving forward,” Mario and Erika added to People.
Mario, Erika and their kids are “avid Chiefs fans,” who all attended the Wednesday, February 14, rally in downtown Kansas City after the NFL team won Super Bowl LVIII several days earlier. At the end of the victory parade, shots were fired.
Local police officers confirmed that one attendee, local DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan, died and more than 20 others were injured. KC law enforcement took three suspects, two of whom are minors, into custody. The two juveniles were charged in connection to the shooting on Thursday. An investigation is ongoing.
Patrick was among the first Chiefs athletes to speak out, condemning the tragedy and sending his condolences and recovery hopes to the victims.
“Praying for Kansas City … 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽,” he wrote on X on Wednesday.
Twelve of the victims were taken to Children’s Mercy for treatment, all of whom are expected to make full recoveries. (As of Saturday, all patients had been discharged.)
“The Chiefs players have been extremely supportive, as well as the Chiefs organization. They have reached out to us and we’re managing that accordingly,” Lisa Augustine, the senior manager of media relations at Children’s Mercy, said during a Thursday press conference. “We want to make sure that we’re focusing on our patients, and our kids and families first and our staff, and then we will have them help with that.”
The Chiefs also partnered with United Way of Greater Kansas City to create KCStrong, an emergency response fund to support the victims, their families and first responders as well as provide violence prevention and mental health services. The NFL organization, the Hunt Family Foundation and the NFL have already donated $200,000.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, for his part, donated $100,000 to the Reyes family’s GoFundMe through his Eighty-Seven and Running nonprofit.