SPORTS BUSINESS

Colts, Pacers and Fever stars join 'Strength In Every Story' mental-health campaign

WISH-TV reports Kicking The Stigma — the Irsay family’s mental-health program created in 2020 — announced a new athlete-led campaign called “Strength In Every Story,” launching on World Mental Health Day, Oct. 10, 2026, featuring sit-down interviews and a launch video with Tyrese Haliburton, Kelsey Mitchell, Daniel Jones, Sauce Gardner and Tanor Bortolini.

BUSINESSINDY BRIEFBy BusinessIndy Editorial StaffCommentsPublished October 8, 2026 at 12:56 AM EDT

AI-generated illustration of the topic: Colts, Pacers and Fever stars join 'Strength In Every Story' mental-health campaign — AI illustration · Not a photograph of the reported event.

WISH-TV reports Kicking The Stigma announced an athlete-led mental-health campaign named “Strength In Every Story” that brings together Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever) and Colts players Daniel Jones, Sauce Gardner and Tanor Bortolini. Each athlete participated in a sit-down interview focused on personal experiences, moments of challenge and growth, and their own definition of strength, and the campaign includes a launch video and athlete-specific stories.

Kicking The Stigma — a mental-health program created in 2020 by the Irsay family — officially launches the campaign on World Mental Health Day, Oct. 10, 2026. Kalen Jackson, owner, chief brand officer and president of the Indianapolis Colts Foundation, said: “By sharing honest experiences and perspectives, Daniel, Sauce, Tanor, Tyrese and Kelsey are helping create a culture where mental health conversations are normalized, support is encouraged and no one feels alone in their journey.” The campaign materials use storytelling and will include teaser videos available ahead of the launch.

WHY IT MATTERS

This announcement links familiar local professional athletes with a community mental-health initiative. Kicking The Stigma is the Irsay family’s program founded in 2020; the new “Strength In Every Story” campaign uses recorded, athlete-led interviews and a launch video to surface personal experiences with challenge and growth. The campaign’s stated goal is to normalize conversations about mental health and encourage people to seek support when they need it. For example: an athlete interview might describe a difficult period and the steps they took to find help, which the campaign presents to make such conversations more common and less stigmatized.

For fans and community members, the practical change is new public content tied to World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, 2026 — teaser videos and a launch video plus athlete-specific stories. Watch for the campaign assets on and after Oct. 10 to see the interviews and decide whether to share them or use linked resources from Kicking The Stigma. The report and quote above are from WISH-TV.

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