• Clarke Byard is married to Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III. • The couple lives in Tennessee, but moves to Chicago for about six months each year. • Their daughter is enrolled in two different schools.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Clarke Byard, cofounder of The Byard Family Legacy Fund. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Kevin was the new kid when we met in 10th grade. I was busy dancing; he was busy joining the football team. Eventually, our circles overlapped, and we started dating.

By 11th grade, however, I dumped him. He wanted to do football camps all summer instead of hanging out with me. But by senior year, we got back together, and the rest is history. We've been together for over 15 years and have been married since 2018.

Kevin played

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