Maria Tirico is the mother of the NFL play-by-play announcer on Sunday Night Football, Mike Tirico. She raised Tricio as a single parent. However challenging that might have been, Maria did all she could and shaped her son into the person he has become.
Additionally, there are a lot of questions surrounding Mike’s mom, with few answers. His heritage has also been a topic of intrigue for quite some time now. However, apart from what Tirico has told us, we do not know much.
As the woman leads a private life, the details about her remain ambiguous. Here, we have garnered all there is to know. Keep reading further.
Maria Tirico And Her Husband, Donald Tirico, Are Separated
Mike was born to Donald and Maria Tirico on December 13, 1966, in New York City. He was brought up in Queens. When he was four, that is, in 1970, his parents parted ways. Since then, the broadcaster has not had any contact with his father or his side of the family.
However, it was not like Mike did not know his dad, as Tirico had seen his pictures. They just had not been in contact.
Maria Tirico Raised Mike Tirico As A Single Mother
After Donald left with no trace, Maria had to wear both hats and raise Mike as both mother and father. He owes the credit of his life and success to his wonderful mom, who worked very hard to be there for him.
Regardless, Maria was likely not alone. Her side of the family, as Mike has mentioned about being close to them, must have helped her raise her son. His maternal grandfather played a significant role in shaping his passion for sports. Mike loved talking about sports, and his grandpa gave him his first insider’s view at Shea Stadium, where he worked.
Likewise, the Queens native has also shared the details of having dinner with his Italian side of the family. Growing up with these wonderful people, he never had to think about his father’s absence.
Did Maria Tirico Welcome Mike With Donald, Or Is There Something More?
Well, if you know Mike, you probably know he identifies as an “Italian guy.” His dark complexion has always made people wonder if he is African-American, something he initially rejected.
During the 1990s, the sportscaster disclaimed every affirmation about his black heritage, saying he had seen pictures of his whole family, all of whom were “white as the refrigerator I’m standing in front of right now.”
Due to this, there were rumors that Maria had an affair, which they have also stated as the reason why Donald left the family. However, they are just speculations and should be treated as such. Because of the growing queries, Tirico had also stated he would find the truth regarding his ancestry at some point.
In 2022, he revealed his African-American ancestry for the first time. He said,
I try not to eat the extra piece of bread. When we grew up — my dad’s African-American, not in my life, my mom’s Italian — and her family, my grandmother cooked a lot for us. (sic)
The 57-year-old might have looked up his ancestry and realized that the “white as the refrigerator” father and the family he saw in his pictures were not really of his biological father.
Moreover, since he has acknowledged his family’s African-American connection and his known father, Donald, has Italian roots, the question about his real dad remains unanswered. Maria has probably told him all the truth about his real father by now.
Furthermore, as Maria was born and raised in Queens, she may still live there or with her son and his wife, Debbie Tirico, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.