FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA)— A local business owner and therapist who received grant money from longtime Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay’s “Kick the Stigma” foundation is now reflecting on their relationship after the team announced his death Wednesday.
**B****ACKGROUND:** [**Jim Irsay, longtime owner of the Indianapolis Colts, has died**](https://www.21alivenews.com/2025/05/22/jim-irsay-longtime-owner-indianapolis-colts-has-died/)
Aaron Lane, the co-founder of Courageous Healing, says it all began when he was on a mental health panel in Indianapolis.
“During that panel, I was actually in a conversation sitting next to Kalen Jackson (Irsay’s daughter),” said Lane. “We were kind of talking about our approach to mental health and the unique things that we’re doing here in Fort Wayne to address some of the barriers, like access, funding, different things like that. And she was interested.”
The Colts and Irsay began their Kicking the Stigma campaign in 2020. It’s meant to bring awareness to mental health issues and remove the shame often associated.
Courageous Healing was one of 24 mental health organizations that received a share of $1.4 million in grant money.
Allowing Kick the Stigma to spread outside of Indianapolis.
> “This is actually an opportunity for us to come alongside the Colts and for them to come alongside Courageous Healing and do unique things. How do we address mental health in new ways when it comes to athletes as well as underserved communities? So, we began having those conversations with Kalen and her team, and they thought this was a great opportunity for them to branch out of Indianapolis and a great opportunity for Courageous Healing to get our name in Indianapolis.”
He says while he didn’t get to spend a ton of time with Irsay, he will always admire his passion and willingness to give back.
“For me, he was a man who not only talked about being a philanthropist, but he put his money where his mouth is. So, he was actually doing the work with boots on the ground alongside the money he was putting into the community,” said Lane. “I just loved everything about his passion, his commitment to excellence, and his commitment to actually doing the work.”
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