Kelly Stafford, four years after being treated for a rare brain tumor, can now look forward to the anniversary of the difficult ordeal.
Back in 2019, the mom-of-four – who is married to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford – was diagnosed with acoustic neuroma, a rare non-cancerous brain tumor, pressure from which can cause hearing loss and imbalance.
Now, on the fourth year anniversary of her surgery to treat it, she is looking back on the time with appreciation.
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Kelly took to Instagram April 17 to commemorate how far she has come, sharing a close-up photo of herself in the hospital, wearing a hospital gown and oxygen tubes as she rested on a hospital bed.
"April 17, 2019. A date that, four years later, I look forward to," she first wrote in her caption, adding: "It's the yearly reminder that I only get one life on this earth and to just enjoy it. And if ever something challenging or tough comes my way, to rely on the strength God gave me and the ones I love."
Kelly reminded her followers: "Because in the end, it's how you respond to those moments that builds character."
© InstagramShe concluded: "So thank you April 17 for helping mold the woman, wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend and everything else that I am today," alongside a brain emoji and the hashtag "anwarrior."
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Fans then commended and celebrated the star in the comments section under the post, writing: "Fire strengthens metal," and: "God bless you and hope everything is well," as well as: "You are so strong Kelly! Such an inspiration," plus another fan added: "Sometimes we go through the darkest valleys to learn the greatest lessons."
Kelly previously shared details of her terrifying health battle in an essay she penned for ESPN back in October 2019. She revealed that shortly after the birth of the couple's third child, their daughter Hunter, she began experiencing symptoms like dizziness and almost dropped her daughter during a bad spell.
After being given a prescription for vertigo that failed to help, a subsequent MRI revealed she had a tumor sitting on her cranial nerves.
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