Meet Ford and Duke, the twins of Colts centers Ryan Kelly and Emma Kelly
Colts’ Ryan Kelly and his wife Emma bring home their new sons, Ford and Duke, nearly two years after losing their first child, Mary Kate.
Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar
INDIANAPOLIS — It was winter, the middle of football season, and Ryan and Emma Kelly were just settling in at home with their twin sons, Ford and Duke. They had just gotten used to the hectic life of being parents of two children when, in a totally unexpected twist of fate, they learned they would soon have three babies.
Ryan, center for the Indianapolis Colts, and his wife Emma announced their third pregnancy last month at the ESPYs on Instagram with a post that read, “We’ve been keeping a secret.”
The Kellys’ first pregnancy ended in December 2021, when their daughter, Mary Kate, was stillborn at 19.5 weeks’ gestation. In their second pregnancy, Ford and Duke were born prematurely at 27 weeks in June 2023 and spent months in the hospital, where the Kellys prayed, “Please, God, let her live.”
“So many emotions going into our last trimester. Gratitude, mostly. After everything we’ve been through, I’m finding it very hard not to let fear flood my head and body with all the what-ifs and what has happened,” Emma posted on July 29. “I’m trying my hardest to surrender to this miracle God has chosen for us and celebrate all the little wins for most, but the big wins for us (like finally making it far enough for a prenatal session.)”
Emma then followed up with another pregnancy post earlier this month, which included family photos, including one of the boys holding a copy of the baby’s ultrasound.
“We want to make up for all the love we’ve received since announcing baby Kelly #4,” Emma wrote, “and wanted to answer some of the questions we keep getting asked.”
She further wrote that the couple did not use in vitro fertilization (IVF) for this pregnancy, as was the case with Ford and Duke.
“It was a complete shock/surprise as we had only just settled back home with the boys after months in the NICU,” she wrote.
Emma also wrote that the couple will not find out the baby’s gender and will not announce the due date for personal reasons and to protect privacy.
She also posted in honor and memory of Mary Kate: “Just a loving but important reminder, this is our FOURTH child and our third pregnancy – this is not baby number 3!” Emma ended the post. “Just because our MK isn’t physically here, she still counts for a lot.”
Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on X: @DanaBenbow. You can reach her via email: [email protected]
