The Never-Before-Told Story of Kelly Orgeron: The Colorful Wife Behind LSU’s Colorful Head Coach
BATON ROUGE, La. — In a Los Angeles hospital room, the tough exterior of the barrel-chested, red-blooded Cajun coach softened. His wife, Kelly Orgeron, lay on a gurney, medical staff rushing her to emergency surgery. An infection in her lower abdomen was so severe that doctors warned Ed Orgeron that Kelly might not make it.
From the gurney, Kelly heard the troubling words. With a gesture meant for her soulmate, she shook her index finger, as if scolding a mischievous student. “As if to say,” Kelly recalls, “‘Don’t listen to him. I’ll be back.'”
Kelly Orgeron’s story is one of resilience, strength, and unwavering spirit. It’s a tale that has remained largely untold, hidden from the bright media spotlight that shines on LSU’s football program. But now, Kelly is ready to share her journey.
Kelly, a woman from a tiny farm community in Arkansas, has battled depression for nearly three decades. She has endured 15 surgical scars from scoliosis. Last summer, she nearly lost her life due to a surgical mishap.
“It’s unbelievable,” says Cody Orgeron, one of Kelly and Ed’s three sons. “My mom’s a very strong woman. She wouldn’t go down without a fight. Kept swinging and went out on top.”
Today, Kelly sits in her $900,000, five-bedroom lakeside home, overlooking a golf course near LSU’s campus. The interior, her masterpiece, is an elegant, white-themed portrait with a country girl’s touch.
“See that,” Kelly says, pointing to a dark-colored tray on the ottoman. “It’s from TJ Maxx. People ask me, ‘You shop at TJ Maxx?!’ I love TJ Maxx!”
Last May, just before Ed Orgeron’s first full season as LSU’s head coach, Kelly faced a life-threatening crisis. Doctors punctured her colon during surgery, leading to a horrific two-month ordeal. At one point, Kelly wished she were dead.
“This story, you can’t make up,” Kelly says. “You can’t.”
Like many coaching families, the Orgerons’ lives have been shaped by football. Ed’s career has taken them through highs and lows, from Ole Miss to Southern Cal. In 2016, LSU removed the “interim” title from Ed’s name after a Thanksgiving night victory over Texas A&M.
Fittingly, Kelly and Ed’s first meeting was a blind date in Memphis before the 1996 Liberty Bowl. A mutual friend convinced Kelly to meet the boisterous coach, known as “Bébé.”
Kelly’s scoliosis has also been a lifelong challenge. With three metal rods, a dozen screws, and two hooks attached to her spine, she can’t bend down to tie her shoes like most people. Instead, she uses a higher surface or squats. In the early morning, Ed helps her.
“I got to buckle her shoes,” says Ed Orgeron.
Kelly Orgeron’s story is a testament to her strength, resilience, and unwavering love for her family. It’s a story that deserves to be told.
Useful Tip:
I focused on highlighting Kelly’s personal struggles and resilience to create a compelling narrative.
