The football wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has made a name for himself in the National Football League (NFL). With his unwavering dedication and devotion to football, he has emerged as one of the best contemporary wide receivers. Fortunately for him, his parents, Marcellus Scantling, and Tahisia Scantling, have been by his side as his pillars of support since day one.
Whether it is celebrating victories or going through defeats, his mother and father are always there. Without further ado, let’s learn about their life and professions.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s Parents Have Been Together For Over Three Decades
Valdes’ parents Tahisia and Marcellus have been together since August 1994. However, the pair exchanged marital vows only in March 2022. Tahisia never misses to share the milestone with her Facebook followers. The love story that began in the 1990s has passed the test of time and has not weathered over the years.
Marcellus Is The Athlete’s Stepdad
While multiple outlets have reported Marcellus as Marquez’s father, it is only somewhat true. As a matter of fact, he is the player’s stepfather. Furthermore, Valdes is the last name of Marquez’s birth dad. Unfortunately, the details of his biological father remain elusive.
However, Marcellus has done a lot more than any father would. And as a tribute to his step-dad, the football star took his last name.
His Life And Career
Born on December 17, 1973, Mr. Scantling is a man of diverse talents. The 50-year-old is a senior electronic engineer. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Engineering from Tampa College. Not only that, he also has a business degree from the University of Phoenix.
In addition, the NFL star’s stepfather has worked at the Kennedy Space Center. The program he was involved in was responsible for upgrading the space shuttle from analog to digital. He also worked as an engineer in a hospital in St. Petersburg.
Mr. Scantling’s diverse career does not end there. He is an on-and-off football coach who coaches kids “in his spare time.” As of the early 2023 reports, he was the assistant coach at Lakewood High School.
Marcellus has done a lot for his stepson’s life and career.
Marquez’s Mother Bloomed Like A Rose Despite The Thorns in Her Life
Tahisia was born on September 2, 1973. The 50-year-old was raised on 13th Avenue and Melrose Street. Initially, her childhood was not easy.
Earning her bachelor’s degree from St. Petersburg College, Tahisia has a Master’s degree in Administration from the University of West Florida. The wide receiver’s mom also studied Real Estate Broker/Realtor at Bob Houge School of Real Estate.
She has successfully carved a career in real estate. Mrs. Scantling established Right Turn Realty in 2019, where she is a real estate specialist. The wide receiver’s mom has worked in the financial industry for over 20 years. She has actively involved herself in aiding people coming from similar backgrounds as her to succeed.
Furthermore, she has also helped small businesses work with the government, municipalities, and large corporations as an independent business consultant at Crossroad Consulting, an enterprise she founded.
She Had To Halt Her Studies Because Of Her Pregnancy
Tahisia became pregnant with Marquez in high school and had to drop out because of that. However, the realtor knew she wanted to get her education. So, when the athlete was old enough, she returned to get her high school diploma.
Marquez Is Not The Only Child of Tahisia
Tahisia gave birth to only one child with the NFL star’s unidentified father, but she has two other kids with her current husband. Their older one is Autuan Butler and the youngest is Marcellus Scantling Jr. Both of them are reportedly football players. Hopefully, they will also become as popular as their brother, Marquez.
The Athlete Gave His Mother Her Dream Car On Her Birthday
On his mom’s 47th birthday, the football star gifted Tahisia her dream car. He posted her whole reaction on X, formerly Twitter, and thanked his mother for always being by his side and believing in him when no one did.
I can’t express the words for how much my mom means to me. No amount of money could ever make up for what she’s done for me. She has helped me accomplish my dreams from day 1. When nobody believed in me, so today on her birthday, I got her the car of her dreams. 💙 love you Ma. pic.twitter.com/wmlBLIkqs4
— Marquez V-S (@MVS__11) September 3, 2020
Similarly, following a practice, Marquez stated how much he loved the video. He never gets tired of watching the clip, and his mother’s reaction always makes him smile. Since Tahisia had never asked her child for anything, the gift meant so much for both of them. He also added,
She’s always been the type to give to me. Whatever I needed she made it happen, has never asked me for a dollar or anything. So, just being able to do something nice for her for a change is huge to me.
The mother-son duo is very close to one another.
Philanthropy Of The Scantling Family
The “giving back” tradition has been going on in the Scantling family for quite some time now. It can be traced back to as far as Marcellus’ grandmother, Eva Ruffin, “known for giving money to strangers in the street.”
Mr. and Mrs. Scantling have ensured their children continue the family tradition. Ever since their sons were young, they sent them to several volunteering events like Habitat for Humanity, the American Heart Association’s annual Heart Walk, and numerous activities through Metropolitan Ministries.
Even now, the athlete and his parents distribute a lot of necessary items to homeless people. Marquez also garners donations through his social media to aid their efforts.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s Parents’ Pride In Him Knows No Bound
Marcellus and Tahisia Scantling frequently seen in the media, are very supportive of their son. They have candidly expressed their pride in him and his achievements.
Tahisia and Marcellus have described the NFL star as a “wonderful kid growing up” who did not give them trouble. His determination in football was seen from an early age, and he worked hard to hone his skills.
His parents instilled a love for God in him and taught him to respect people. The Kansas City Chiefs star always gave his 100 percent to everything.
In addition, the Scantling sweethearts also focused on communication, which, according to them, has built and maintained a good relationship between the family members.
Even now, the football star is backed by his folks. They share his achievements on their social media accounts and speak very fondly of them. Presently, his parents live in St. Petersburg, Florida.