Josh Allen’s annual 117-hole golf tournament helps boost his children’s hospital fund to $17 million; after becoming a father, he tells parents he finally understands their pain | NFL News
Josh Allen tells the story of how fatherhood changed him in deeply personal ways. After welcoming daughter Harper with his wife Hailee Steinfeld Earlier this year, the Buffalo Bills quarterback said he now has a different understanding of parents in crisis, especially those facing pain, fear and uncertainty when their children are hospitalized.Allen shared these sentiments during the annual 117 Holes for Charity event, a grueling one-day golf fundraiser to help support the Patricia Allen Foundation at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Buffalo. The campaign recently helped the fund reach a major milestone: $17 million in donations.
A word from the heart
In a video shared on his “Like a Farmer” podcast, Allen became emotional while talking to family and supporters at a golf event. “Having my daughter…I look at your parents differently,” he said, pausing. “Because I can now imagine myself in situations that I couldn’t imagine before.”That seemed to be the part that hit him hardest. Allen said he can now imagine what it would be like to hold a son or daughter and try to take away every bit of pain they felt. He said that for someone who had never experienced parenthood, the feeling completely changed his perspective.He also told his family that they also inspired him and that the Patricia Allen Foundation was created not only to support children but also to help parents and families through extremely difficult times.
Why the fund is so important to him
The Patricia Allen Fund has become one of the most rewarding parts of Allen’s life off the court. The foundation, developed with his input to support the critical care team at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, says 100 percent of donations go directly to caring for children and families in Western New York.The fund dates back to a wave of fan support in 2020, when Bills fans began donating in $17 increments in honor of Allen’s jersey number and his late grandmother, Patricia Allen. Those donations quickly grew into a larger effort and eventually helped create the fund that now bears her name.For Allen, the connection is personal. It’s not just a charity he supports because he plays football in Buffalo. It’s about family, grief, community and the long-standing connection between quarterback and city.
FILE – Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen and his fiancé Hailee Steinfeld pose on the red carpet at the NFL Honors before the Super Bowl 59 game in New Orleans on February 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
The toughest golf marathon around
The “Charity 117 Holes” event is no ordinary golf event. It’s an all-day marathon in which Allen and others race 6.5 rounds from sunrise to dusk to raise money for the Patricia Allen Fund. The event is held annually starting in 2021 at Crag Burn Golf Club in East Aurora, New York.This year’s event helped the fund pass the $17 million milestone, making Allen’s emotional words even more powerful. He wasn’t just talking about fatherhood in the abstract. He spoke before a room full of people whose lives have been impacted by childhood health issues and the support systems built around them.
Life looks different now
Allen, who was named the NFL’s 2024 MVP and is entering his ninth season with the Bills, recently told People magazine that becoming a father has also changed his daily life. He says he loves being a dad, but admits his sleep schedule is definitely not what it used to be.This honesty makes his charitable words sound more valid. Fatherhood not only changed his perspective on families in need, but also on poor families. It changed the rhythm of his own life, from sleep to preparation to priorities.He also said he’s excited about the Bills’ new $2 billion Highmark Stadium and hopes fans will love it. The team will begin the preseason there on August 15 against the Carolina Panthers before opening the regular season on the road against the Houston Texans on September 13.
Why fans contact him
Part of the reason Allen’s words resonate so deeply is that they feel so real. He didn’t deliver a polished PR speech. As a new father and someone who has supported families at Golisano Children’s Hospital for many years, he was visibly moved.The combination of celebrity, sincerity and community loyalty makes his philanthropic work stand out. Fans have long donated to causes in his honor, but now they’re also seeing a more personal side of the quarterback, one shaped by Harper’s arrival and a new understanding of his parents’ experiences.
not just football
Allen is best known for his play on the field, but this moment is about something bigger than football. It’s about empathy, family, and how becoming a parent changes the strongest of people.The event itself may involve 117 holes of golf, but the core message is much simpler: Families need support when their children get sick, and those who have experienced pain deserve to be seen. Allen said his new experience as a father made him understand this in a way he never had before.
