The parents of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick have finally broken their silence in support of their son’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem in protest of America’s institutionalized racism, police brutality and police killings.
In a statement to ESPN’s The Undefeated on Friday, Teresa and Rick Kaepernick explained their initial astonishment when Colin began his protest in August.
“When Colin first ‘took a knee,’ his family was as surprised as anyone,” Kaepernick’s parents said. “We did not understand why he was doing this and were overwhelmed with the public reaction and hate.”
Both Teresa and Rick gave their approval of Colin’s decision:
“Colin is carrying a heavy load and following a difficult path that he truly believes in. He is putting his entire future and possibly his life on the line for those beliefs. As his parents, it pains us to read articles and tweets saying that his family does not support him; this could not be further from the truth. We want people to know that we are very proud of our son and admire his strength and courage in kneeling for the rights of others.”
Colin was adopted by Teresa and Rick Kaepernick when he was five weeks old, after he was given away by his biological mother.
