Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has displayed a consistently good performance in his games. Despite injuries, the athlete has not lost his passion and made his name as one of the best ones in the NFL scene. Throughout his football career, his parents, George Buckner and Marie Buckner, have been his source of motivation and support.
While there is plenty of talk about the player, let’s dive into some details about his father and mother.
DeForest Buckner’s parents have been married for over three decades
The Buckner couple, George and Marie got married on July 28, 1990, and have been together for decades now. Their love has stood the test of time, and the pair have been with each other through thick and thin.
The footballer’s parents have three children together. Apart from DeForest, they have a daughter named Shantel Buckner and a son, Kenya Aleksei Buckner. Shantel works as a medical assistant at Honolulu Pain Management Clinic in Hawaii.
How Did George and Marie Buckner Meet?
George and Maria are alumni of the same university, having attended Hawaiian Pacific University. Their first meeting was in college, where they were both on basketball scholarships and have been together ever since.
After officially tying the knot in 1990, the pair settled in Maria’s hometown, Hawaii, and currently reside in Maili on the island of Oahu. The adorable couple likes to go on dinner outings and watch shows.
Buckner’s mother Marie Buckner is a procurement analyst
Maria, born Maria Rita Toilolo in June 1966, hails from Waianae, Hawaii. She has a brother, Eddie Toilolo. As stated above, the woman attended Hawaii Pacific University.
In 1986, Maria began working as a federal employee. Later, in 1996, she joined the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as an administrative support assistant. Now, she works as a procurement analyst at contracting for USACE based in the Honolulu district.
Maria’s responsibility is to research and compare products and services from suppliers to decide on the most compatible one for the company.
Her work during the Wildfire Debris Removal Mission
While working for the Army as a contract specialist, Maria was regularly deployed to help out the public during crises. When California wildfires occurred after the state was struck by Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma in 2017, she was included in the Northern California Debris Removal Mission for 30 days. The mission included removing 1,638,089 tons of debris.
The mother of three was one of the four members of the invoice reconciliation team, and her work leaned toward budget analysis. She finished the mission with a sense of gratitude for what she still has and made lifelong connections with new people. Moreover, she also received certification for her good work.
She initially didn’t want her son to play football
When Buckner was in fifth grade, he wanted to get into football. Though his initial motivation was to follow his peers and impress girls, he found his calling in sports. However, Maria was not thrilled about this decision. Despite being tall, the athlete was quite skinny when he was young. His mom was worried that he would get hurt in the field.
It was only after DeForest showed his dedication and discipline, such as eating quite a lot of salad, that Maria relented and agreed to it. After watching him play in the league, one can only sigh in relief for what a good call it was.
Buckner got his height from his father
George Anderson Buckner was born to Flossie Buckner in Knoxville, Tennessee, in November 1961. He has an elder sister, Joan Buckner Carrington, and a brother, Steven Buckner, who has unfortunately already passed away. As a child, he was active in sports and played football and basketball with his cousins.
The man is 6 foot 7 inches tall, and his son has inherited that from him.
The tall man attended the University of Mississippi for three years, from 1981 to 1984. He played basketball for three seasons in Mississippi and one season in Hawaii as a forward. George was also the coach for his basketball teams.
After graduation, he worked as a driver at UPS in Hawaii from February 1990 and retired after getting into an accident.
DeForest Buckner’s father George Buckner had a devastating accident
In 2007, George got off early from work. Sadly, while returning on his Harley-Davidson, he got into an accident near a gas station. At an intersection, DeForest’s father got hit by a truck head-on. He was initially able to get up due to the adrenaline but collapsed a second later and was rushed to the hospital.
The athlete’s old man ended up breaking several bones in his body. The damage was quite severe, with a broken pelvis, a broken femur, broken ribs, and a punctured aorta. It was his helmet that saved his life. He was completely battered and had several major surgeries.
The man was in a medically induced coma for six months and, after waking up, was in for a long recovery. He has been in a wheelchair ever since.
Father-son’s conversation at the hospital
Upon waking up from his coma, George had a one-on-one conversation with his eldest son. Because his survival and subsequent recovery were uncertain, he told DeForest that the family was now dependent on him.
Like a movie scene, his dad told the player that he had to be ‘the man of the house’ while lying on the hospital bed. At the young age of 13, the conversation hit DeForest deeply, and he stepped up as much as he could.
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Buckner’s bond with his parents
With the values instilled in him by his parents, the footballer grew up family-oriented and has prioritized his close ones above all. He also shares a close relationship with both his parents.
Buckner has been very close with his father since childhood. George managed to find time for his children even when he was busy with his job. After his accident, the fellow tried his best to be there for his kids in any way possible.
Meanwhile, it was his mom who had to step up to the role of both the breadwinner and the primary caretaker for all the members of the family. She is a tough and resilient lady who has been through rough times, and Buckner loves and respects her.
Moreover, Buckner’s dad has dedicated his whole Twitter account to keep up with the news of his career.
My man!!!! 💪 https://t.co/3htI5qJKoZ
— George Buckner (@Georgebuckner72) December 12, 2020
Furthermore, both George and Marie are close to their daughter-in-law, Ashlyn Buckner, and grandchildren, Dominic George and Jordan Sione Buckner.