Blake Shelton Shares Personal Gift That ‘Might Top Them All’
Over the course of Blake Shelton's long career in country music, he's received countless awards, accolades and recognitions. Many of these gifts are special to him; however, recently he received something that might have blown them all out of the water.
NASCAR diver Jimmie Johnson — a friend of Shelton's — presented him with a commemorative military NASCAR helmet featuring his father, Dick Shelton.
"I have been blessed in my lifetime to have received some incredible gifts and awards and things that will always mean a lot to me," the singer shares on Instagram. "But on a personal level this just might top them all. Thank you @jimmiejohnson. It is an honor and a privilege to call you my friend."
Johnson was quick to respond in the comments with, "Thanks my friend, the honor and privilege was all mine."
The helmet was designed by Shelton and Johnson for the Indy 500, which took place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend in 2022. The country singer also served as the Grand Marshal for the event.
In honor of those lost serving this nation, the two created a "Helmet of Heroes" which featured both of their veteran family members. Shelton's father served in the honor guard in Korea just after the Korean War. His brother, Richie, was also in the Army. Both of Johnson's grandfathers served: His maternal grandfather was an aircraft carrier safety captain during the Korean War, while his paternal grandfather fought in World War II.
Shelton's father and brother are both gone now. His father died at the age of 71 in 2012, and his brother died in a car crash in 1990. It's because of this that the helmet and the Indy 500 weekend as a whole were so precious to the "Come Back as a Country Boy" singer.
Over the weekend, both Shelton and his wife, Gwen Stefani, were a part of the entertainment for the Hy-Vee INDYCAR races at Iowa Speedway. Each took their turn headlining the event, with the Oklahoma native closing out the festivities on Sunday (July 24).