Robert Kraft and Myra Kraft: Celebrating the Legacy of Love in the Kraft Family

By Jason Bolton August 03, 2024 23:06

Photo by Michael Dwyer/AP/REX/Shutterstock

The Robert and Myra Kraft story together is one of extreme love, partnership, and philanthropy that will be etched in the annals of New England Patriots history forever. Their time as partners in love and life is more than a story of an exceptional union; it is also one that changed the paradigm for sports ownership, especially concerning charitable work.

Early Life and Meeting

Robert Kraft was born on June 5, 1941, in Brookline, Massachusetts, to a Jewish family that stressed the importance of education and hard work. He graduated from Columbia University and received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1983. Meanwhile, Myra Hiatt Kraft was also born in 1940 to a Jewish family with deep community service and philanthropy connections. After being impressed by Myra's charm and brains, Robert met her at a restaurant in Boston in 1963.

A Partnership Built on Love

The Krafts are a couple who epitomize respect and adoration for each other. Their love for each other was as strong and meant even more personally than that - they were partners in every sense of the word. Myra was not only Robert's wife but also his partner in voice and ideas. They grappled with the challenges of business and philanthropy together, keeping family first in all their decisions.

He always talked about Myra, often referring to her as "my best friend" or "my soulmate." Over nearly 50 years of marriage, the couple did virtually everything together, raising four sons, Jonathan, Daniel, Joshua, and Gideon Kraft, raking their fortune off a self-made business empire that included The Kraft Group and New England Patriots. Myra was the foundation of Robert's leadership, which meant a lot about integrity and compassion but always giving back.

Philanthropic Legacy

Myra Kraft was a dynamic ambassador for education, health, and social justice. She was intimately involved with multiple charitable organizations and remained so even after her death in 2011, as the Myra Kraft Giving Back Scholarship Fund was established posthumously to honor her legacy. The fund, which has garnered millions to help low-income students, embodies Myra's well-placed faith in the ability of education to change lives.

Robert has carried on Myra's legacy of giving back, keeping their commitment to community service a Kraft family standard. He's said that Myra would have wanted him to keep going, side by side with her. Since her passing, Robert has focused on several different philanthropic efforts. Still, he remains dedicated to criminal justice reform and continues his work with the Boys & Girls Clubs in Boston, where he is chairman.

The Ripple Effect on the New England Patriots

Myra had been initially skeptical of Robert's decision to buy the team in 1994 for a record $172 million, partly due to concerns about the harsh sport. Yet, as time passed, she found her place in the fabric and foundation of what helped define the Patriots by leading community efforts & promoting unselfishness throughout its roster.

The Patriots have won more Super Bowls than any team as franchise owners, capturing six NFL titles. That success certainly has a lot to do with a litany of moves on the field, but it is also due in part to the Kraft family's desire for everyone within their organization to feel like they're one big happy family. This is a sneak peek of Myra's legacy, evident from the team's community outreach programs, which prioritize volunteerism and social responsibility.

A Love for the Ages, a Legacy that Lives On

Their love story is a testament to how true love transcends personal and professional lives, gifts I have so often seen through their legacy as it affects innumerable people. For Robert to carry on his philanthropy commitment amid Myra says so much about their bond and what kind of world they were building together.

Robert and Myra Kraft created a vast legacy as partners in love, partnership, and philanthropy. Their impact is embedded within the New England Patriots franchise and its community. And their tale also serves as an example of the power that love can have to cause people to do good deeds and how, by just having a platform, one must use it for something bigger than themselves. While Robert is consistent with keeping the memory and legacy of Myra alive, their love story will continue to be a source of determination for many years.