Jerome Bettis, who starred at Detroit MacKenzie before Notre Dame and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will keynote one Fort Wayne’s largest charity dinners.
The 52nd Annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana “Gourmet Dinner” is scheduled for May 13 in Fort Wayne. First held in 1974, the Gourmet Dinner attracts 1,000 attendees annually.
Bettis, 53, grew up on Detroit’s West Side and was a standout running back and linebacker for MacKenzie H.S. before attending Notre Dame from 1990-92.
Bettis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall in 2015. Other Detroit natives in the Hall include offensive lineman Joe DeLamielleure (inducted 2007), former head coach George Allen (inducted 2002) and BuffaloBills owner Ralph Wilson, Jr. (inducted 2009).
Detroit native, tight end Antonio Gates will be inducted in 2025.Bettis played for the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams from 1993-96 and for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1996-2005.
He currently lives in Atlanta with his wife, Tameka, and their two children. Bettis son, Jerome Bettis, Jr., is freshman wide receiver for Notre Dame.
The 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Presented by Novartis, including the Hall of Fame Game kicking off the NFL Season, is July 31-Aug. 3 in Canton. The Hall currently has 382 members.
Founded in 1972, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana mentors youth from 12 counties in Indiana and southern Michigan.
