Jelly Roll Gives Emotional Tribute To ‘Real Heroes’ At Invictus Games

Jelly Roll delivered an emotional tribute Sunday to the military service personnel and veterans participating in the 2025 Invictus Games.

Founded by Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games is a recurring multi-sport event that brings together sick and injured military service members from around the world. Jelly Roll performed at the Closing Ceremony for this year's event at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

"I am honored to stand in front of some of the greatest and strongest people across the entire world tonight. My name is Jason 'Jelly Roll' DeFord," the country music star said as he took the mic.

He began by performing his hit ballad "I Am Not Okay," a song about pain, suffering and struggles with mental health — subjects to which many veterans can relate.

Finally, before performing his song "Liar," Jelly Roll gave a heartfelt speech thanking the "real heroes" in the building.

"First of all, I would just like to thank everybody with the Invictus Games for having me here tonight and letting me bring my form of therapeutic music here tonight to serve those who have served us across the world," Jelly Roll said.

"But I want to be clear right now about what’s happening on this stage. I am an overweight man with a microphone. The real heroes are the athletes and the families that are in this building right now, and I want you to know, whenever you go home after these 11 days of adrenaline, and you finally sit down and in a few months from now, when the world finally comes back around, I want you to know this: If you ever hear that voice in your head saying you can’t be anything but great, it’s the voice of a liar!"

Jelly Roll performed at the Closing Ceremony of the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver.

(Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invictus Games Foundation via Getty Images)

More than 500 athletes from 23 countries traveled to British Columbia to compete in this year's Invictus Games. In addition to the core sports of indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball, winter sports made their debut at this year's event, including alpine skiing and snowboarding, Nordic skiing and biathlon, skeleton, and wheelchair curling.

Next, the Invictus Games will head to Birmingham, United Kingdom, in 2027.