Super Bowl Champ Derick Hall Turns 1% Survival Chances Into NICU Advocacy

“When your baby is in the NICU, every moment is filled with uncertainty, and you learn to cling to progress, to hope, and to every small victory,” Stacy recalled of the grueling months spent praying her son would defy the odds. Her unwavering strength and motherly love insulated Derick, providing the foundation for the man, athlete, and Champion he would become.

Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl champion, Derick Hall as a child

Derick Hall One Percent Foundation

A Legacy of Resilience

Hall’s early months in the NICU instilled a resilience that translates on and off the field. His fighting spirit coupled with his refusal to yield when the odds are against him has been the throughline of his life.

But Derick and Stacy aren’t content with simply surviving; they are actively working to reshape the narrative surrounding premature infants and to uplift the families currently sitting vigil beside NICU incubators. Through the Derick Hall One Percent Foundation, the mother-son duo is pouring resources back into the community. The nonprofit focuses on supporting NICU families and empowering youth through programs centered on wellness, opportunity, and community impact.

premature baby in NICU a part of the Huggies’s natural fighter campaign.

Huggies

The "Natural Born Fighters" Campaign

To amplify the mission of the Derick Hall One Percent Foundation the mother-son duo has partnered with Huggies for the "Natural Born Fighters" campaign. Through this partnership, Derick and Stacey seek to shift the public perception of NICU babies. They are moving away from the narrative that premature babies are merely fragile, and instead recognizing the immense strength and resilience they possess from their very first breath.

“This campaign is personal to me because being a Natural Born Fighter is part of my story,” Derick shared. “Being able to use my platform... means everything to me, and I’m honored to help shine a light on the strength, resilience, and incredible potential of these tiny warriors.”

The core of the initiative remains deeply personal to Stacey and Derick and Huggies is bringing national visibility to these stories and providing specialized care through their micro and nano preemie diapers. They have also pledged to donate $1 (up to $250,000) to the Derick Hall One Percent Foundation for every social share of the campaign using the tag @niculittlefighters.

For a community that continues to face systemic hurdles in maternal and infant health, stories like Derick Hall’s are a testament to the power of advocacy, maternal strength, and an unbreakable human spirit. He isn’t just a champion on the field; he is living proof that the greatest fights are often won before we even learn how to stand.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com