Tragic Details Of Kelly Stafford

As much as her life might seem like a dreamy fairytale, former University of Georgia cheerleader Kelly Stafford has certainly had some ups and downs. Since marrying Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford back in 2015, she and her husband have been lucky enough to navigate raising four daughters together and present a life that looks almost perfect. However, one of the untold truths about Kelly is that she has sometimes struggled to juggle parenting and putting on a happy face. Some of Matthew's fans can't seem to stand Kelly, making it even more difficult for her to power through the demanding schedule of supporting a famous husband and traveling together as a unit.

There have been some health issues within the Stafford family as of 2025, including the time the kids were infected with the flu in January, but they all still boarded a plane together to travel for one of Matthew's games. According to People, Kelly admitted she felt guilty for bringing her sick kids on a trip with the rest of the Rams. However, it's a testament to her commitment to traveling as a family unit. It's this dedication to family that's helped Kelly get through some of the tragic developments in her life. From an intense health scare to opening up about the struggles of dealing with postpartum depression, here are a few of the difficult details of Kelly Stafford's life.

In an interview with Kaitlyn Bristowe on her "Off the Vine" podcast, Kelly Stafford opened up about a truly difficult time in her life. Whereas the mother of four is incredibly proud of her family and definitely knew she always wanted to have kids, the journey to happy and healthy parenthood was riddled with roadblocks. First, Stafford admitted to giving up her career in nursing to become a full-time mom. She was initially drawn to the career while cheerleading — finding inspiration in every nurse who helped her after an injury. But after having her first daughter while still in training, she decided to fully commit to a life of momhood. "Shout out to the nurses who are making it because that's amazing," she said to Bristowe.

But the path to perfect motherhood is a tricky one — if it exists at all. One of the less talked about bits of childbirth is what happens afterward; it can be a radical change to get back in the swing of things, on top of taking care of a newborn. Stafford admits she "really struggled" after having her third child, but most of that pain was due to her trying to hold onto a perfect-looking life and not wanting to give fans a new reason to dislike her. After admitting that "talking to somebody is the first step" while discussing her postpartum depression, Stafford went on to say, "[It's] okay to mourn what you lost when you have a child. ... I think women think that they have to be so happy that they had a baby." A great reminder that anyone experiencing the jolt of postpartum depression shouldn't feel guilty about the big feelings that come with it. However, that wasn't the only struggle Stafford has faced since having children.

While still living in Detroit back in 2019, Kelly Stafford was in the process of teaching her daughters some cheerleading skills when she noticed the simple move of performing a front roll was making her dizzy and disoriented, she recalled on "Off the Vine." She decided to power through, disregarding her symptoms as they turned into full-blown vertigo. However, when she was too weak to carry one of her daughters, her husband convinced her to see a doctor. Kelly and Matthew Stafford might have some red flags in their marriage, but his attention to his wife and kids is certainly not one of them.

It wasn't until Kelly and Matthew relocated to California (so Matthew could swap the Lions for the Rams) that she was able to get a clear diagnosis. When she was told she had a noncancerous brain tumor, her response was fitting. "I blacked out. I don't think I spoke," Kelly recalled. "I remember sitting down with [Matthew] in the waiting room and just losing it. Just thinking about our girls and the unknown," the mom of four said in an interview with Local 4 Detroit. Luckily, she was in good hands. After a complicated surgery, Kelly emerged tumor-free with no major side effects. In April of 2024, she was able to celebrate her five-year anniversary of recovery with a sweet video on Instagram. Here's hoping for many more years of good health for the wife and mother.