Matthew Stafford has been taking a lot of heat ever since footage emerged of him watching photographer Kelly Smiley fall of the stage at the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl parade on Wednesday.
Video of the incident shows Kelly standing on the stage when she suddenly slips off the edge and falls several feet to the ground below. Stafford, meanwhile, could be seen turning and walking away after watching Kelly fall, while his wife checks to see if the photographer is okay.
A GoFundMe was created in an effort to help Kelly pay for the medical bills, as she remains in the hospital with a fractured spine.
It looks like the GoFundMe won’t be needed anymore, however, as it has been announced that Stafford is stepping up to cover not only the medical bills, but also the cost of Kelly’s camera.
Via NFL.com:
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“We have been in communication with Kelly Smiley since yesterday’s incident and we are sorry for what happened,” the Rams and Staffords said in a Thursday statement. “As we told Kelly, we will be covering all her hospital bills and replacing her cameras. We wish her a speedy recovery.”
Good on Stafford for making things right. And who knows? Maybe this good karma will help him get back to the Super Bowl once again next year. If so, hopefully Kelly Smiley is fully recovered and back in action by then.