This couple crossed the finish line at the Eagles Autism Challenge — and into an engagement
The ninth annual Eagles Autism Challenge brought a surprise proposal, the Kelce family, and more during Saturday’s event, which had 40,000 donors who raised $16 million for autism research.
Chelsea Trewella got more silverware than she expected after finishing the 5K race at the ninth annual Eagles Autism Challenge on Saturday morning.
Trewella, 35, had beaten Andrew Sulkowski, her boyfriend of about two years. But before she could pick up her medal inside the concourse at Lincoln Financial Field, Sulkowski surprised her with a proposal.
The Eagles social media team helped coordinate it, pulling Chelsea and Andrew aside for a video interview about the challenge.
While the couple had their backs turned to the video board that faces the Pepsi Plaza, a message popped up.
“Chelsea, will you be my forever Eagles fan?” it read.
Trewella said yes, drawing an applause from the crowd of people returning from the FreedomPay 5K Run and Wawa Hoagie 10 Mile Bike Ride.
Sulkowski, 37, said he crafted the plan to propose to Trewella at the Eagles Autism Challenge three months ago.
He said his plan was to do it at the 50-yard line on the turf inside the Linc, where the finish line was when the couple ran it together last year. The natural grass surface installed for this summer’s FIFA World Cup meant the finish line was relocated to parking lot K and finishers were kept off the field, but the Eagles still helped with the proposal.
Sulkowski, a Cinnaminson native, said he and Trewella bonded over their shared love of the Eagles early in their relationship, which made the Linc an ideal venue for him to pop the question.
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“This event means something to us because it is the Eagles and it’s a great foundation,” Sulkowski said. “We love it. We enjoy it. The fact that the Eagles are part of [our proposal], it just means something special.”
Trewella, who lives with Sulkowski in Merchantville, said she had “absolutely no idea” Sulkowski was planning to propose on Saturday.
“He pulled off a hell of a surprise,” Trewella said.
She said she noticed a little bit of nervousness from her new fiancée before the run started but never expected it had to do with a proposal.
“I thought he was just excited about the run,” Trewella said. “I didn’t know he was nervous about this at all. I just assumed it was pre-race jitters.”
In addition to their shared love of the Eagles, Sulkowski and Trewella share a love of fitness. It was the third time Trewella has run the 5K and the second time she’s done it alongside Sulkowski.
“We love doing this,” Trewella said. “It’s for a good cause, and then it also groups two of our biggest passions together. This has always been fun. I can’t believe he pulled this off. This is unreal.”
Hungry dogs pedal faster
The Eagles Autism Challenge, an annual event for the Eagles Autism Foundation since 2018, started with a 10K bike ride at 8 a.m. A gaggle of Eagles players, including Jalen Hurts, Brandon Graham, and Cam Jurgens, led the pack of bikers as they started their ride on Pattison Avenue.
Jeffrey Lurie and Nick Sirianni were at the front of the first corral for the start of the 5K run 30 minutes later.
Lurie said in an address to attendees after the event that this year’s Challenge had garnered nearly 40,000 donors who raised a collective $16 million for autism research. This year’s event set a new fundraising record for the organization, which has contributed more than $50 million to autism research and care since 2018.
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“The autism community around the world, it’s enormous and unknown and unspoken for,” Lurie said ahead of the 5K. “That’s why we started this, to really boost the level of research and intensity around the world. That’s what’s happening. … It drives the rest of the world to realize how important this is.”
Lurie said the challenge is focused on creating a fun and welcoming environment for people with autism and their families. Alongside the two races, there was a sensory walk.
“One of the things that really makes it fun is, so many families bring their autistic relatives, and they’re part of a normal community,” Lurie said. “Getting to do incredible events and be part of something, as opposed to the tradition with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, [which] they get pushed to the side. This honors who they are, and so they feel a part of it.”
Outside of the annual challenge, the Eagles are making an effort to make game days at the Linc more accessible for those with autism. The sensory room inside the stadium was renovated in 2023, and the organization unveiled new sensory-friendly bathrooms in the lower suite level on Thursday.
Keeping up with the Kelces
Hailley Donnelly walked last year’s 5K eight months pregnant and got Kylie Kelce, Jason Kelce, and Jake Elliott to sign her T-shirt along the curve of her baby bump.
This year, Donnelly was back with her daughter, Tatum, who got to meet Kylie for herself. Kylie signed Tatum’s midnight green Eagles dress and picked her up to say hello before the 5K.
“I just love how she advocates for moms all over the world and what she does for the mom community as well as for the autism community,” Donnelly said. “I told her she’s like my Super Bowl. I love her so much.”
Donnelly, who’s from Aston, said it was her second time participating in the Eagles Autism Challenge. Donnelly works in an autistic support classroom in the Unionville-Chadds Ford school district.
“I love the autism community and what it stands for and representing for the autism community,” Donnelly said.
