With Veteran’s Day less than a week away on November 11, 2021, the NFL’s Salute to Service month is fully underway.
During November of every season, the Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of the league honor the nation’s servicemen and women by showing their gratitude for the sacrifices made by our military community.
According to smorganroth of South Florida Tribune, “this effort has raised more than $51 million for military and veteran support organizations – the NFL’s Salute to Service Partners – which include the Bob Woodruff Foundation, Pat Tillman Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), United Service Organizations (USO) and Wounded Warrior Project®” since 2011.
For one Chiefs star, this week holds a special meaning — running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
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CEH Credits Parents With Football Mindset
Edwards-Helaire was raised by two parents who served in the armed forces, his mother Tonge Helaire and his step-father Shannon Helaire. Recently, the star ball carrier teamed up with USAA and The Players’ Tribune to share his story and tribute the troops.
“Being at home with my military mom and military dad, I guess that’s kind of where my competitive nature comes from. Just having that upbringing [of] knowing when times got hard, nothing can break you,” CEH began.
His mother Tonge joined the United States Army in 1996 while Shannon joined the United Stated Marine Corps in 1989. The couple met each other at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center, working as drill instructors.
Later in life, Edwards-Helaire noted that his parents went from military active duty to the front lines of law enforcement and medicine, as a police officer and a nurse. “I really see it now, everything that you did working multiple jobs,” he voiced, “but ya’ll made it happen every time.”
Shannon and Tonge spoke on how they brought their military backgrounds into parenting. “I made sure to bring some of the lessons that I learned home, especially to the young men that I was raising in the house so that they could be productive citizens,” explained the ex-Marine.
Tonge added: “It taught me discipline and everything — knowing when to speak, when not to speak, pay attention to the small things — so that’s what I tried to instill in my kids and that’s what I did.”
“My dad, he was a drill instructor,” CEH said with a laugh, “he was doing the things that you would see on military movies.” He elaborated that “everything was based off structure.”
The running back credited his parents for his football career. “That’s kind of the thing about that upbringing, they kind of instilled that standard and that routine… Having that military background and just having those foundations, made me who I am today,” CEH stated appreciatively.
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‘No Excuses’ Mentality
Shannon Helaire told viewers that he always encouraged CEH, teaching him that nothing comes easily in this world. “I’m always telling him, that potential is always there and to never be down on himself. It’s a constant grind. If you want to do this, it’s no excuses, we deal with it and we move on.”
Edwards-Helaire suffered an MCL sprain in Week 5 of the 2021 season and he could use some of that fighting spirit right now as he works his way back. Head coach Andy Reid provided a recent update on the playmaker’s status during a press conference on November 5.
After spending time on the injured reserve, CEH will return for the final stretch of the season and he can’t return soon enough as this offense could use a spark. It doesn’t look like he’ll be back in time for Veteran’s Day but the RB had a final message for parents anyway.
“I just want to thank ya’ll,” he told them, “I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t be in this house, ya’ll wouldn’t have ya’ll house. Everything that you guys do is more than what the average person would go out and do. You guys protect and serve and I appreciate you for that. I love ya’ll so much, thank ya’ll again for everything.”
“I love [my children] and I just want to protect them from everything,” Tonge Helaire told viewers through tears, “I mean they [are] my world, they’ve always been everything for me. Everything I’ve ever done has been for them.”
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Chiefs Star Honors the Armed Forces With Tribute to Parents & Veterans