Did you know Dustin Hopkins got drafted into the NFL the same year he got engaged to the love of his life, Gabrielle Hopkins? Well, 2013 was lucky for him and we are glad that he took his chance because otherwise, we would have missed out on such perfect love.
No marriage is easy but love makes hardship bearable and that was the case with Hopkins’s relationship. They had a fair share of struggles in their life but they never gave up. Let’s learn more about their relationship in this article.
Dustin Hopkins and Gabrielle Hopkins Are Married For Almost A Decade
The Cleveland Browns placekicker Dustin Hopkins married his long-time girlfriend, Gabrielle Hopkins in 2014. The married couple have a son, Wake Steele Hopkins, together. The three of them are living together in Nashville, Tennessee but the player has to travel back and forth for his games. Keep reading to find out about their life in depth.
Dustin And Gabrielle Had A Perfect Wedding – Their Marriage Details
The husband and wife tied the knot on July 4, 2014, after four years of dating. On their big day, the bride wore an A-line Warrers white gown with an illusion neckline and the groom matched her with his suit. Their wedding was filled with love and laughter.
As the believers of Jesus, they held a foot-washing ceremony with their families after the ceremony, just as Jesus washed his disciples’ feet to symbolize putting others before oneself. The couple shared that their most memorable moment was after the exit when they hopped into their getaway car, they felt overwhelmed by this surreal moment that both ended up smiling.
The newly wedded couple spent a week in Punta Cana for their honeymoon. Soon after their vacation, Dustin had to leave for his training camp. Within a month of their marriage, they had to spend some time apart due to his prior commitments.
College Sweethearts To Lifetime Lovers
Dustin and Gabby met as freshmen at Florida State University in the fall of 2009. He played football at Florida State University while his future wife was on the girls’ dance team. These two hit it off instantly and Dustin took his chance and asked her out after a game at the Doak Campbell Stadium.
Soon after, Gabrielle started posting pictures with her lover from their dates. The partners had to be in a long-distance relationship when Dustin had to move for his football career and that was the year they knew they were meant to be.
Dustin Proposed To Gabby Right Before Her Graduation In 2013
Hopkins realized that she was the one for him, so right before the graduation, he got down on his knees on the same 50-yard line of Doak stadium where he asked her to be his girlfriend. Well, Gabby didn’t have to think before saying yes and took to Instagram to share the news. Both of their families were present at the moment and it was an emotional experience as she couldn’t stop crying.
Interestingly, they got engaged the same year Dustin got drafted into the NFL. Dustin shared that he along with her friends plotted a fake fundraiser for her to dress up for the proposal and he told her that he would miss her graduation for a match at Buffalo. He even drove at night to ask for her parent’s permission. Within six months of their engagement, they took the big step.
They Are Parents Of A Baby Boy
The Hopkins duo became parents on March 14, 2017, welcoming a son, Wake Steele Hopkins. Gabby revealed her pregnancy to the world in 2016, and after the announcement, the soon-to-be mother started sharing pictures with her baby bump. In a podcast, she shared how she struggled with her pregnancy and had postpartum anxiety and depression.
Their son is now six years old and their favorite human being ever. Besides having a son, they also adopted a dog, Weasley in 2021 after they lost their first dog, Beefy.
Their Son Has Autism Spectrum Disorder
Wake was diagnosed with ASD when he was only 18 months old. When they heard about the diagnosis, all of them broke down in tears but they chose to fight. Gabrielle felt helpless and wrote,
To all the parents out there don’t take your children’s voices for granted. I would give anything to know what’s bothering him or his favorite color or food.
She has used her social media platforms to raise awareness of Autism and has shown love for her son.
Dustins’s Wife Is A Lifestyle Photographer
Talking about Gabrielle’s education, she completed her bachelor’s degree in Retail Merchandising and Product Development from Florida State University. She started working as a sales associate for Cole Couture Boutique leading sales and Visual Merchandise from 2011 to 2013. After that, the young lady joined Watters as a Merchandising/ PR Intern.
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Besides that, Mrs. Hopkins was always enthusiastic about dance as she was a dance instructor at some point in time. She also joined a dance group in college and was a cheerleader for the football team. Gabby is also an Educator at Lululemon Atletica apart from being a photographer.
Gabrielle’s Father Has Pancreatic Cancer
Gabby aka Gabrielle Renee Hopkins is the daughter of Paul and Michelle Barett who have been married for 37 years. She grew up with her two sisters, Ali Limb, and Meghan Medeiros. Both of them are married and have kids of their own. Her father, a luxury home specialist was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2023. He is on a chemo journey and Gabby took to her Instagram to pray for his strength and healing.
