As reputable NFL writer Doug Kyed discloses the tragic death of his two-year-old daughter, the NFL family is in mourning. Before dying in January 2021, Hallie Kyed valiantly battled leukemia for nine months.
When she received her leukemia diagnosis in April 2023, it upended their tranquil existence. Hallie fought hard, even for her young age. Sadly, she had a relapse after a bone marrow transplant, and her condition worsened.
With her parents, Doug and Jen, holding her close, Hallie died quietly in her sleep on a calm Sunday morning. Doug’s statement that “Our lives will never be the same,” which captures the emptiness left by Hallie’s passing, struck a powerful chord with others who are grieving severely.
Doug had earlier communicated their will to hold onto hope throughout these difficult circumstances. Acute myeloid leukemia presented many challenges, but Hallie overcame them all; her resilience served as motivation. Still, in her last days, the family treasured every second spent with her in the hospital, even with the grim prognosis.
Quickly attacking the blood and bone marrow, acute myeloid leukemia frequently spreads to the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, and central nervous system. The constant nightly vigils that Doug and Jen held at Boston’s Children Hospital were a monument to their enduring love and support for Hallie.
As she wept beside Doug, Jen compared the unbearable anguish to having a “hole in her heart.” Painful questions regarding why disasters of this kind occur were raised by this unfathomable loss. The NFL community is united in their grief and sends the Kyed family their sincere sympathies.
Peace be with you, sweet Hallie.
