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In Glamour's 2024 Women of the Year: The Moms issue, Donna Kelce, 71, opened up about raising her sons—retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, 36, and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, 34—before their rise to fame.
"I was a commercial banker, working in various states and pushing to get ahead. I worked really hard and was a major breadwinner," Donna said. "It's important for kids to see that a woman can achieve anything, but I also stood still in some ways."
Donna revealed that despite knowing her marriage to Ed Kelce wasn't working, they stayed together for the sake of their children. "We had a friendly relationship, so we were able to make things feel as normal as possible for the kids. But for several years, I stayed put until I could move on by myself," she explained.
Donna shared these reflections as part of a group interview that also included Tina Knowles, Maggie Baird, and Mandy Teefey, moms of famous children like Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, and Selena Gomez.
Reflecting on motherhood, Donna admitted, "Being a mom is the hardest thing I've ever done. It's easier to go to work, but raising children, with limited resources, is the most daunting task."
Now that her sons are grown, Donna is finding time for herself. This Christmas, she'll appear in Hallmark's Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, set in Kansas City, and will also make a cameo in Christmas on Call, a film about first responders in Philadelphia during the holiday season.
Staying supportive of her sons, Donna recently attended the New York premiere of FX's Grotesquerie to support Travis' role in the series. Speaking to PEOPLE at the event on September 23, she addressed the pressure athletes face and the criticism they endure, a sentiment shared with Travis' girlfriend Taylor Swift, who has famously called out the haters.
"There's so much happening behind the scenes that people don't see, whether they're athletes or in the public eye," Donna said.
