The Hayden Hurst Family Foundation aims to raise awareness of mental health issues in children and adolescents by funding mental health services and programs through donations and fundraising events.
Hurst attended The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, where he played football and baseball for the Bulldogs’ athletic teams.
Drafted out of the Bolles School in 2012 by the Major League Baseball team the Pittsburgh Pirates, Hayden struggled with pitch control in the minor leagues, Ultimately spiraling into depression and alcohol and drug abuse.
Therapy and family support enabled Hayden to eventually pursue his passion – football. He left the Pirates and baseball and attended the University of South Carolina in the summer of 2015.
After joining the South Carolina Football Team in 2015, Hayden found that he hadn’t outrun his depression. In 2015, he made an attempt at his life. While in the hospital he vowed he would never return to the state he found himself in.
With the help of family, friends, and his team, Hayden emerged stronger than ever. While in South Carolina, he broke numerous records and earned the nickname “Garnet Thor.”
In 2018, Hayden was selected in the first-round of the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. He immediately asked his parents to retire to help him run a foundation for suicide prevention.
After two great seasons in Baltimore, Hayden was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. He currently plays as a tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League.
The Hayden Hurst Family Foundation, Inc. (“HHFF”) is a Florida nonprofit corporation recognized by IRS with federal tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (EIN #83-1847805).
Currently, the foundation is working with schools in Atlanta, Baltimore and South Carolina to implement social and emotional training while providing mental health resources for students and teachers.