Minkah Fitzpatrick Jr. is a family man. Keeping aside his fame and fortune, the footballer always has time for his folks back home. Especially, he is always available when it comes to his parents. The man loves his father and mother from the bottom of his heart, and why wouldn’t he? After all, he’s standing tall with such an esteemed stature because of them.
So, want to learn more about the people behind Fitzpatrick alongside who they are and where they are today? Let’s find out!
Minkah Fitzpatrick’s Parents are Natives Of New Jersey
The NFL player was born to Minkah Fitzpatrick Sr. and Melissa Fitzpatrick. They hail from New Jersey. Minkah Sr., born on 30th October 1974, was formerly a truck/diesel mechanic who had a part-time job as a plumber. The footballer’s father juggled many jobs to make ends meet.
Likewise, Fitzpatrick Jr’s mother, Melissa, celebrates her birthday on 11th May every year. She was born in the year 1976, and as of 2024, she is 48 years old. It is to be further noted that she was also an athlete in college, where she ran track. Talking about her profession, Melissa used to work for Burlington department stores.
Regarding their ethnic background, the athlete’s dad is African-American, while his mother is White.
The Husband-Wife Duo Are Sweethearts Since Middle School
Fitzpatrick’s parents met back when they were middle schoolers. They encountered one another for the first time at an ice cream parlor after their eighth-grade dance. Fast forward to when they were 19, they already had two kids to take care of.
All in all, you could say that the pair hit it off soon and got married very early on in the relationship.
They Have Four More Kids Besides Minkah Jr.
As mentioned before, Melissa and her hubby got married very early in life. Following this came children. In the course of their marriage, they raised five kids, including Minkah Jr.
Destiny Fitzpatrick is their eldest daughter; she enjoys a comparatively quiet lifestyle. Their second child, Fitzpatrick Jr., was born on 17th November 1996. His mother was just twenty years old when she had her second child i.e., Minkah Jr.
View this post on Instagram
Later, they welcomed Devine Fitzpatrick and Promise Fitzpatrick. Promise graduated high school in May 2022.
Finally, they welcomed their youngest son, Justice Fitzpatrick. Moreover, the youngest one, Justice, has chosen a path just like his big brother. He is a high school football safety for his team at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Fitzpatrick Sr. Was Raised Muslim
The Steelers safety is a devoted Christian. He’s expressed how he owes his career to his faith on multiple occasions. Such a strong belief system comes from one’s roots – that’s exactly the case with Minkah Jr.
His father, who was raised Muslim, is now a devoted Christian. As a Muslim, Fitzpatrick Sr. did not consume pork which he continues in the present day as well. On the other hand, the footballer’s mother was raised Catholic.
Interestingly, the Alabama alum has tattooed his siblings’ names on his fingers in Hebrew.
Hurricane Irene In 2011 Caused A Lot Of Problems For Them
Minkah Sr. and Melissa were not well off. Back in the day, the pair lived in rental apartments. Once, the husband and wife faced severe racism and they were thrown out of their apartment because they were “an interracial family.”
After that incident, they were determined to build a house of their own, and so they did. The couple poured their blood and sweat and built a house in New Jersey where their kids grew up. But, unfortunately, Hurricane Irene caused massive destruction to it in 2011. They even had to spend several nights without electricity.
Mr. and Mrs. Fitzpatrick couldn’t even claim insurance as most companies did not cover damage from flooding/hurricanes. On top of this, Minkah’s dad had just lost his job due to which the whole family suffered from a strong financial crisis.
The situation got so bad that they couldn’t even pay Minkah Jr’s school fees. The NFL star had even thought of leaving the school (St. Peter’s Preparatory School), however, his parents made sure that he continued his studies at the same school.
Eventually, by juggling multiple jobs, the husband and wife finally restored their home.
The Steelers Safety Wasn’t Aware Of His Parents’ “Rental” Struggles
Since he was only a little boy, Fitzpatrick did not know that his parents struggled in the earlier days. Especially, he wasn’t aware of the reason behind their sudden eviction from their apartment. After coming across it, he was bewildered. During one of the interviews, he expressed,
I didn’t know that happened to my parents. That just adds onto the importance of working on our home, what it meant to them. I definitely would have worked a whole lot harder if I knew that was why.
He further appreciated his parents’ bravery and thought that they were “awesome.”
Fitzpatrick’s Mother Strongly Defends Him
Like every other mother, Minkah’s mom always defends her son. One such incident occurred back in 2019 when the former Miami Dolphins defensive back was criticized for his play as a strong safety. Omar Kelly, a reporter from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, commented on Minkah’s skills on X (formerly Twitter) saying “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but Minkah Fitzpatrick isn’t playing well.”
His tweet angered the athlete’s mother who gave Kelly a bashing answer through a re-tweet. She expressed that her son wasn’t a strong safety and was being “used to suit other people’s skill set, not his own.”
Meanwhile, Minkah Jr. also agreed to what his mother said. He said,
…it is what it is. She feels very strongly. She’s not wrong, you know what I’m saying? But the coaches have asked me to do something right now. I got to do what they ask me to do. If we have to have some discussions in the future, we’ll have those discussions.
Minkah started his career as a free safety and corner and had 80 tackles, nine passes defended, and two interceptions in his rookie season. However, he was later shifted as a strong safety.
Where Are Minkah Sr. And Melissa In 2024?
Fitzpatrick’s parents reside in their family home in New Jersey. Since they poured their blood and sweat into building and maintaining their house, it is plausible that they’re still living there. Time and again, their son also comes to visit them.