Football players raise funds, awareness through weightlifting

Strength and conditioning are key to every athlete’s development. Carolina football players recently turned their workouts into a show of support for the rare disease community through the annual Lift for Life event July 20 at Kenan Stadium.

The team was inspired by the strength of the former Tar Heel football chaplain Mitch Mason and late wide receiver Tylee Craft. (GoHeels)

Tar Heels took part in the bench press in the weight room, conditioning drills on the field and other workouts to raise funds and awareness at the event, an Uplifting Athletes initiative. Uplifting Athletes is a nonprofit founded in 2007 aimed at harnessing the power of sport to build a community that invests in the lives of those impacted by rare diseases.

The weight room portion of the Lift for Life event began in 2003 and grew into a nationwide initiative across university chapters, uniting student athletes, fans and donors in a shared mission of community and impact.

“It was such an awesome event. We get so much support from everyone in the program and have so many great people that want to make a difference,” said Christo Kelly, offensive lineman, team captain and head of Carolina’s Uplifting Athletes chapter.

Kelly launched a chapter of Uplifting Athletes at his previous school and continued that commitment alongside teammates since arriving in Chapel Hill. In February, he attended the 2026 Uplifting Athletes Leadership Development Conference, where Carolina’s chapter was recognized with the prestigious “Game Changers” Award, honoring the program for setting a new standard of support for the rare disease community.

Kelly mentioned the inspiration of former Tar Heel football chaplain Mitch Mason and late wide receiver Tylee Craft — both participants in the program who were diagnosed with rare diseases — as giving the Carolina chapter “a little something extra.”

“It was such an awesome event. We get so much support from everyone in the program and have so many great people that want to make a difference,” said Christo Kelly, a Carolina athlete. (GoHeels)

“For us as athletes, we have this great platform to be able to do so many great things, like doing something as little as working out,” Kelly said. “Being able to have this impact in the community and raise awareness for rare diseases is a really special thing. I’m excited for what we were able to do and what we’re going to do moving forward.”