NFL legends make emotional trip to Israel in push for hostages' release

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Former NFL stars travel to Israel to make emotional pitch for release of hostages

Former NFL stars Nick Lowery and Tony Richardson recently went to the Holy Land to press the case of Israeli and American hostages held for more than a year by Hamas. (Allie Rubenstein)

UPDATE: Naama Levy was released early Saturday morning after 477 days in captivity.

A pair of NFL legends and former Kansas City Chiefs teammates recently traveled to Israel to press the case for Israeli and American hostages held captive by Hamas.

Nick Lowery, one of the league's all-time greatest placekickers, and former star fullback Tony Richardson returned from the five-day trip, sponsored by Athletes for Israel, earlier this month. Weeks later, a diplomatic breakthrough resulted in the release of three hostages and the promise of more to come. Lowery, the Chiefs' all-time leading scorer and, like Richardson, a member of the team's Hall of Fame, told Fox News Digital that making a difference off the field is more important than what he achieved in his illustrious gridiron career.

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"What is a Hall of Famer?" said Lowery, who played college football at Dartmouth and went on to earn a graduate degree from Harvard. "There’s one on the field, and then there’s your contribution to your community. In the end, that’s your legacy."

Amit Levy holds up a picture of his sister, Naama, in front of the U.S. Capitol at the March to Bring Them Home on Dec. 8. 2024. (Leigh Vogel for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

The 68-year-old Lowery's focus these days is on combating antisemitism and racism, and advocating for the release of Hamas hostages, such as Naama Levy, 20. Levy was abducted from the Nahal Oz base, less than a kilometer from Gaza, where she was stationed as a surveillance soldier on October 7, 2023. The Times of Israel reported that 15 surveillance soldiers were killed that day, and six were taken hostage.

Footage released by Hamas shows a terrorist dragging Levy by her hair into a Jeep. Her hands were bound, her ankles cut, her face bleeding and her sweatpants were blood-stained.
Lowery stated in a video posted to social media, "Naama can’t speak. But we, athletes of the world, must speak for her now."

Lowery is part of the #SportSpeaksUp campaign, led by Eric Rubin, CEO of Project Max, a movement dedicated to fighting racism, antisemitism and intolerance through sports. The campaign is supported by Athletes for Israel, a nonprofit organization that brings legendary sports figures to the Holy Land.

Naama Levy enjoys running in triathlons, like her father and grandfather.

In Israel, Lowery met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana and Israel Defense Forces soldiers. He also visited the site of the Nova music festival massacre, which he called "overwhelming." He said, "There are the pictures of these people, full of life, two thirds of them women, absolutely beautiful, full of life, and there were flowers and offerings of love and support for their memory."

Lowery was re-baptized at the Sea of Galilee and visited the Western Wall, which he said was a deeply spiritual experience.

"As a Christian, simply touching the wall, it feels like you're connecting to God," Lowery said.

Lowery and Richardson also took a tour of Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where they observed an extended dinner table with 200 seats decorated to honor each hostage. The chair for Levy was decorated with flowers.

They sat with Levy’s father, Yoni, and her brother, Amit, 22. Lowery said Yoni Levy spoke of how much his daughter loves to bring light and laughter to people, her vision to become a peacemaker, and her strong will and competitive spirit.

Amit Levy told Fox News Digital that he could tell Lowery enjoyed hearing about his sister.

"I think everyone who hears about her can feel her strength and is really inspired by her," Amit Levy said.

Levy is a fun-loving teenager who grew up in Israel and India and is close with her family, which also includes her mother, who is the doctor for the Israeli national soccer team; 16-year-old sister, Michal; and brother, Omri, 12, according to Amit Levy. He said his sister loves attending parties and laughing with friends, in addition to being "a very moral girl" with a caring nature, devoted to helping others and advocating for peace.

Levy was a diplomacy major in high school and later volunteered once a week at a kindergarten for African refugees in southern Israel for 10 months.

"She had a great connection with the children there," Amit Levy recalled.

Naama Levy volunteered at a kindergarten for African refugees in southern Israel.

Levy is an idealist who participated in the "Hands of Peace" delegation that encouraged Israeli and Palestinian youth to work together to create change, according to her brother.

"I would tell her that maybe in certain points she might be a bit na?ve, because the world sometimes isn’t such a pleasant place," he said.

He also recalled how, as an elementary school student, his sister used to awaken their parents at 5 a.m. to take her to triathlon competitions, like their father and grandfather, who continues to compete as he approaches the age of 80.

The last time her family received news about Levy was in December 2023, when newly released female hostages recounted seeing her in the tunnels beneath Gaza. "They said she was injured from grenade shrapnel still in her leg, because there were grenades thrown at her and her friends at the bomb shelter on October 7," Amit Levy said.

It has been nearly 500 days since Levy and more than 100 others were abducted. Amit Levy described how the released hostages "could feel her strength and her amazing personality from the short time they got to meet her," which gave him and his family "air to breathe." 

However, there have been no subsequent reports about her.

"I feel so honored to know these people. They’re in my heart now." - Nick Lowery, former NFL star

Levy's family members find hope by reminding themselves of how strong she is "physically and especially mentally" and that she knows her mission is to survive.

Lowery also visited the soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, where 12 Druze children and teenagers were killed, and at least 42 injured by a Hezbollah rocket on July 27, 2024. There, Lowery comforted Jwan Ibraheem, a 13-year-old boy who was crying because he blamed himself for not being able to save his friend who was killed.

Rubin described how the group went onto the field where tragedy struck and started playing soccer with the kids, and suddenly, even if just for a moment, they forgot about their sadness and grief. He said it felt like half of the town came out and "the darkness evaporated."

Lowery marveled at the resilience of the Israelis he met, characterizing their collective attitude as "no one’s going to take my light." Even right after air raids, people were surfing and having cocktails at the beach, he noted.

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Lowery said that standing up for Jewish people is in his "emotional DNA," because his grandmother documented atrocities at the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. He is dedicated to bringing Jews and Christians together, and he and Rubin expressed how they are committed to continuing to meet with these families.

"I feel so honored to know these people. They’re in my heart now," Lowery said. "Maybe football is a tough sport, but this is the most important work we've ever done.... We’re bonded for life."