Kelly competed alongside her 22-year-old granddaughter Shannon on the show in 2010.
Jody Kelly, the oldest woman to ever compete Amazing race, died earlier this month. She was 85 years old.
In 2010, Kelly competed in the 16th season of the international travel competition alongside her granddaughter, Shannon Foster. She was 71 at the time, and Shannon was 22.
The duo advanced to the second round of eliminations on the CBS show.
Her daughter Kelly Foster confirmed her death in a Facebook post shared on September 6.
“I lost my mother yesterday. Jody Kelly was 85 years old and was so full of life, joy and learning,” Foster wrote. “She always had a smile for everyone she interacted with and loved meeting people and having new adventures. She was so active and always thinking about how to exercise for the day. She wore exercise bands if she traveled and tried to do something physical every day.”
Foster continued: “I miss you so much and can’t believe you’re gone. You are strong, loving, happy, open-minded, smart, active and brave.”
Don Anthony St. Claire from The Amazing Race has died at the age of 87
Although she did not reveal the cause of her mother’s death, according to the obituary from Austin American StatesmanKelly died “suddenly but peacefully” on September 5 while attending a Spanish language camp in Bemidji, Minnesota.
Jody Kelly (71) and her granddaughter Shannon Foster (22) competed in the 16th season of ‘The Amazing Race’ in 2010.
Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty
Don Anthony St. Claire from ‘The Amazing Race’ has died at the age of 87
Kelly and her granddaughter won the hearts of the audience during their season Amazing raceprompting PEOPLE to call Kelly the “coolest grandma alive” after she was kicked in the head by a cow while tackling a road block in one episode.
Kelly described her feat as proof that people over 70 “can do physical things”.
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Kelly’s obituary noted that the former English teacher taught at the University of Louisiana for sixteen years and later taught writing at Austin Community College.
In her seventies, she began training and competed internationally for Team USA in multiple events, including two triathlons and four aquathlons. She was first in two aquathlons, winning two gold medals.
Kelly also published multiple books ahead of her time Amazing raceand after competing on the show, she survived breast cancer in 2018 and founded StrengthMobile, a fitness company for seniors.
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Source: HIS Education