MATTHEW STAFFORD has not enjoyed the best preparation to the huge wild card game against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Stafford family are one of thousands of families that have been forced to evacuate the Los Angeles area due to devastating wild fires that have now killed at least 16 people.
Stafford and the rest of the Los Angeles Rams have seen their NFL playoff game against the Vikings moved to Arizona to escape the blaze.
And it has now been revealed that two of the star quarterback’s daughters had been hospitalized.
It’s not exactly clear why they were taken to hospital.
Stafford and wife Kelly, who married in 2015, have four children – seven-year-old twins Sawyer and Chandler, Hunter (aged six) and Tyler (aged four).
Kelly posted an image of two of the kids in a hospital bed to her Instagram Story.
She wrote: “Last night was long.
“Back in beds and sleeping, everyone except Hunter. Feels like she drank a Celsius.”
She later added: “Before that tho, they were all smiles getting to go with daddy on his work trip.”
While she didn’t reveal any further details about reason, Kelly previously revealed that she and others in the family had been ill.
The blogger, who has almost 450,000 Instagram followers, told her Morning After podcast listeners on January 7: “I can’t think straight, I currently believe I have the flu.
“Two of my daughters have the flu.”
She then revealed she “wasn’t able to move” during the Rams’ January 5 game against the Seattle Seahawks.
“I passed out on a little bench in the suite,” added Kelly.
“We had all of our friends in town and I was a real downer. Body aches are serious.”
Star QB Stafford will lead the Rams in the wild card round on Monday night.
Speaking about the situation in LA, he said: “We play for the people in this community, the people that support us.
Resources for the Los Angeles wildfires
As wildfires continue to grow in and around Los Angeles cities, residents can reach out for help with resources and aid offered by organizations throughout the area.
To keep track of the live fire movements, residents can download the Watch Duty app or use its website.
You can register for emergency notifications through Alert LA County.
A comprehensive list of resources is available here.
Available shelters for evacuating residents include:
- Calvary Community Church
- Ritchie Valens Recreation Center
- Pan Pacific Recreational Center
- Westwood Recreation Center
- Pasadena Civic Auditorium
- Pomona Fairplex
- Stoner Recreation Center
Available animal shelters include:
- Agoura Animal Care Center
- Baldwin Park Animal Care Center
- Carson Animal Care Center
- Downey Animal Care Center
- Lancaster Animal Care Center
- Palmdale Animal Care Center
- Pomona Fairplex
- Industry Hills Expo
- Antelope Valley Fair
Free meals are being distributed to evacuees at restaurants and kitchens including:
- World Central Kitchen
- Danny Boy’s Pizza
- Dudley Market in Covina
- Sora Craft Kitchen
- Telefèric Barcelona
- Love Hour Los Angeles
- Detroit Pizza Depot
Sources:
“And this week will be another example of that.”
Rams head coach Sean McVay added that the team is is “built” to deal with the horrible adversity of the situation.
“I think all the things that we’ve been through this year, this group is built for this,” said McVay.
“We’re looking forward to going and competing on Monday.”
Asked what he said to the players and how he prepared them, he added: “A lot of the things just sometimes organically occur.
“I think it was just something that you feel. I think the things that always resonate are when they’re authentic.
“I always try to speak in terms of what’s applicable for that situation and it is. I think our guys understood that.
“I think they agreed with what my thoughts were. Every thought is collective.
“I do believe that in spite of how unfortunate a lot of these different things are, this group is built to be able to handle different forms of adversity and overcome, which they’ve done.
“We’re looking forward to doing that this week.”
