11 22 19 Vol. 41 No. 16

THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 41, NO. 16 | NOVEMBER 22, 2019

100 for 100 Centenarian helps Chiefs celebrate 100 years of the NFL By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

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ONNER SPRINGS — Melba Mills thought she’d never see a Kansas City Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium. After all, the opportunity had not yet come up — and she was now 100 years old. Yet, there she was, on the field before the home opener, shaking the hand of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and accepting the football he practiced with before the game. “When I was out on the field and he came up to me, he said, ‘I hear this is your big day. I got something for you,’” said Melba. “And then he handed me that football. I think they had to carry me off the field,” she added, elated. The Chiefs chose Melba as their featured 100-year-old fan during this 100th season of the National Football League.

The NFL produced a video about Melba, which has been viewed on social media around one million times. You can find it on the Chiefs Facebook page. In the same week, the Chiefs treated her to a private tour of Arrowhead and hosted her and her family at the Sept. 22 game against the Baltimore Ravens. A lifelong Bonner Springs resident and member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Shawnee, Melba’s humor, wisdom and faith have impacted her family and friends — and now the Chiefs Kingdom — for an entire century.

An unexpected conversion “My Catholic faith is everything,” said Melba, who will turn 101 on Dec. 7. But Melba didn’t grow up Catholic, and >> See “100-YEAR-OLD” on page 6

LEAVEN PHOTOS BY MOIRA CULLINGS

Melba Mills displays a football autographed by Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and her number 100 jersey, both gifts from the Kansas City Chiefs.