Donna Kelce reveals she 'stood still' for years before divorcing Ed Kelce for sake of their sons
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a candid interview with Glamour, Donna Kelce opened up about the end of her marriage to Ed Kelce and the values she aimed to instill in her sons, NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce.
“I was a commercial banker for a bank in several different states. I wanted to get ahead. I worked really, really hard,” the 71-year-old revealed, noting that she played a major financial role in supporting the family.
Donna Kelce discusses challenges she faced while prioritizing her children
Donna Kelce highlighted the significance of showing her children that women can follow their dreams. “It’s important for kids to see that a woman can do whatever she wants,” she told Glamour, according to US Magazine.
She also recognized her own challenges during that time. Both Donna and Ed acknowledged their struggling marriage but chose to remain together for their children's sake.
“My husband and I knew that our marriage was not working, but we stayed together for the kids,” she explained. "Ours was a very friendly relationship. So, we could do that and make sure that their life was as normal as possible.”
She added, “But in that one respect, I did stand still for several years until I could move on on my own.”
Married in the late 1970s, Donna and Ed welcomed their sons Jason and Travis in 1987 and 1989, respectively. After 25 years together, they chose to separate following their sons' college graduations.
Donna and Ed Kelce reflect on their decision to stay together for their sons
In the 2023 documentary 'Kelce', both Donna Kelce and Ed Kelce discussed their choice to stay together for their boys.
“If we had split as we probably both would have preferred, that would have been a nightmare with the logistics, getting kids where they had to be and providing all the support,” Ed remarked in the film.
Donna added, “Trying to keep it all together when you’re being a parent is tough.”
Travis, now 34, reflected on his parents' unique situation in the documentary. He recalled, “I would go have sleepovers at other houses and the other parents are staying in the room, and my parents didn’t stay in the same room.”
He began to notice their relationship was different in middle school, reflecting, “I started making those connections when I was in middle school and I realized that they were probably gonna split. But they stayed together for me and Jason’s benefit I believe.”
Despite their separation, Donna and Ed have remained supportive in their sons' lives, often attending NFL games together.
“We try to be at one of the games,” Ed said in a February 2023 interview with the Los Angeles Times, adding, “Divide and conquer.”
