Charlena Waller has been by her son, Darren Waller‘s side, since day one. She was the first person to know something was wrong with her baby when he started falling into drugs. When Darren was drafted in the 2015 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens, he was a drug addict. He finally became clean with the help of his family, especially his mom, who was always there to pick him up.
When the player returned to practice after rehab, Charlena was the first person he called to tell that he was actually enjoying playing. Let’s learn more about their mother-son relationship in this article.
Darren Waller’s Mother, Charlena Waller, Is A Real Estate Appraiser
Charlena, nicknamed Char, celebrates her birthday every December 31. She is the daughter of Pastor Charlie Smith. Her dad is the 52nd President of the Mt. Olives United Missionary Baptist Church. She was born and raised in Adelphi, Maryland.
She is a real estate appraiser by profession.
Besides, Char is the vice president of The Darren Waller Foundation which was founded in 2020 by her son. The foundation’s objective is to equip youth to avoid and overcome drug and alcohol addiction.
Charlena Waller Is Married To A Famous Jazz Pianist’s Grandson
Char has been married to Dorian Waller for over 40 years. It seems like they tied the knot in the early 1980s. Her husband is the grandson of the famous Jazz Pianist Fats Waller. They haven’t shared many details about their marriage, but it is confirmed that they are still together.
The married couple first moved to Landover, Maryland, where they had their children. The family then moved to Colorado Springs and Marietta before settling in Acworth, Georgia. They provided a stable environment for their kids.
Char Is A Mother Of Two Children
Apart from her football player son, Darren, she also has a beautiful daughter named Deanna Waller.
Darren was born on September 13, 1992. He played college football for the Georgia Institute of Technology until later got drafted in the league by the Baltimore Ravens in 2015. Besides playing football, he produces music like his great-grandfather, Fats. He is married to professional basketball player, Kelsey Plum.
Talking about her daughter, Deanna is 13 months older than Darren. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2014. She is working at Medtronic and the University of Arkansas. She is living in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with her husband, Terry Prentice.
Deanna is also the Secretary/Treasurer, and her hubby, Terry, is the Vice President of The Darren Waller Foundation.
Charlena Waller Knew Her Son, Was Falling Into Drugs
One can see it as a mother’s intuition, as Charlena was aware that Darren was in a bad place when he would share his desperation and anxiety. She has seen her family members fall into the habit of drugs. So, she and her husband warned him, but he didn’t listen.
They even tried to get their kid to help, but he resisted. Darren started drinking alcohol and taking pills in his teenage years. His addiction only increased during his college days. Even when he won games, everyone was happy except him. Char shared,
I knew he was trying his best to be happy. In his mind, he figured if he smiled and tried to act like everything was OK, it would be. But there was a bit more to it than that.
The NFL player finally decided to change his pattern when he overdosed on pills while sitting in his parked jeep. He spent over a month in a substance abuse rehabilitation program.
Darren Returned To His Parents After Rehab
After becoming clean, Darren Waller went back to his father and mother. Charlena said it was like a light had switched on. He also attended recovery meetings and was working at Sprouts Farmer Market, where he had to stack produce for which he would get $11 per hour.
In addition, Charlene’s son even worked on his music at that time. As music was part of their family legacy, the Waller couple was proud of him.
The player avoided drugs and alcohol after his rehab. When he was finally playing in the league, he called his mom and said,” You know what, Mom? I’m actually enjoying practice now.” Char finally relaxed after hearing that her son was happy as it had been years since she heard that.
