💔 Travis Kelce Reaches Out to Grieving Father After Son, 17, Is Buried Alive in Tragic Beach Accident: “You’re Not Alone”

July 10 was supposed to be a day of sun and laughter for the Boni family. Instead, it became every parent’s nightmare.
Riccardo Boni, just 17, was on vacation with his family in Montalto di Castro, Italy, when a simple moment of childhood joy — digging in the sand with his younger brothers — turned tragic. A hole he had dug suddenly collapsed, burying him alive. His father and others desperately dug with their bare hands, but by the time they reached Riccardo, it was too late.
“He didn’t even have time to scream,” his devastated father told Italian outlet Corriere Della Sera.
“Why didn’t I hear him? Why didn’t he scream? I was right there.”

The heartbreak swept across continents. And when NFL star Travis Kelce read Riccardo’s story, he was moved to tears. A big brother himself, and now a public figure often surrounded by headlines and lights, Kelce chose a quieter, more human response.
“Sometimes strength isn’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how soft your heart stays when life hits you,” Kelce wrote in a personal letter to Riccardo’s father, which he also shared on social media.
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Kelce included a framed Chiefs jersey with Riccardo’s name on the back, writing:
“This is for Riccardo. A teammate we never met, but will never forget.”
He also made a donation to a children’s trauma charity in Rome in Riccardo’s name, and offered to help fund grief counseling for the Boni family.
🕯️ “You’re Not Alone” — A Nation Mourns with a Father
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In a message that resonated with parents worldwide, Kelce added:
“To Riccardo’s dad: You did everything right. You were there. You were watching. Please don’t carry guilt. Carry his memory — that’s how you honor him. And you’re not alone in that.”
Across social media, thousands echoed Kelce’s message, turning grief into unity.
A tragedy that began in silence… ended in a chorus of love, led by a football player whose heart spoke louder than any touchdown.