Talanoa Hufanga, the football safety for the San Francisco 49ers, has formed a tight line of defense for his team over the years and made his name over the NFL world. The young player is backed by his supportive parents, who are responsible for instilling the values of hard work in him.
Providing unwavering support to their child, Hufanga’s dad and mom have played a big role in his success. Let’s dive into some details about them.
Who Are Talanoa Hufanga’s Parents?
Talanoa was born on February 1, 2000, to Tevita Hufanga and Tanya Hufanga. The couple tied the knot three decades ago and have two children together. Talanoa’s older brother, T.J. Hufanga, was also a football linebacker playing for the Oregon State Beavers.
His mom and dad raised him and his brother to be hardworking, humble, and appreciative of what they have. The two siblings have heeded their parents’ teachings in their lives and also share a close relationship with each other.
Talanoa’s Father Tevita Hufanga Was Born In Tonga
Tevita was born and raised in the village of Pea on the island of Tongatapu, Tonga. His family were farmers who grew everything from watermelons to bananas and even yams. They also reared various animals like cows, pigs, and chickens.
Growing up in a remote area, the place lacked things like tractors and televisions. During his childhood, the man helped his parents with chores such as weeding and taking care of the animals before and after returning to school.
In 1984, his parents moved to San Diego. Initially, Tevita accompanied them, but the culture shock made him choose to stay with his uncles in Tonga. It was only in 1989 that he joined his parents in California.
Talanoa’s father was enrolled in some classes at the community college, especially to learn English. Eventually, he began to focus on work.
Tevita works at Hewlett-Packard
When Tevita started working in San Diego, a friend helped him get a job at a construction company, where he did hard labor. Later, he got a job at Hewlett-Packard and still works in the material handling and production control department there.
In addition, the HP employee is a football coach at Santiam Christian High School in Adair Village, Oregon. He is also a co-host of the radio program, Toko Football Focus on Vake Talifolau. The program is about academics related to the football recruiting process and leadership, while the hosts speak Tongan.
Talanoa’s Mother Tanya Hufanga Is From Oregon
Tanya, born Tanya M Lane, is the child of William Bilbee Lane and Georgia Merton. She hails from Albany, Oregon. Her father was the founder and director of Linn-Benton Bank in Albany. Alongside this, the man was also the president and owner of the Creditors Collection Services in the same city.
The Lane couple had six children, including Tanya. She has three sisters, Angie, Janara, and Kyre, as well as two brothers, Jason and Bilbee. Being raised in a loving environment, the beautiful woman grew up to be family-oriented.
Tanya is into craft-making
She is an independent consultant at the paper crafting company, Close To My Heart. The company focuses on honing one’s creativity and welcomes people from all age groups.
Moreover, she also conducts classes on scrapbooking and cardmaking, and her site offers a wide variety of them.
How Did Tevita And Tanya Meet?
When Tevita started working in a construction company in San Diego, he met his wife for the first time there. They started dating and got married in the early months of 1990.
After their marriage, Tanya took her husband to her hometown in Oregon. The state reminded Tevita of his home, and the wedded pair decided to settle there.
Later, they purchased a farm in Corvallis, Oregon, and still live there. The pair grow many vegetables found in the South Pacific, such as squash, watermelon, and cucumber. Some of the produced items are consumed by the family, and the rest are either sold to the local market or donated to the food banks.
Talanoa Shares A Loving Bond With His Parents
Talanoa was an energetic child and climbed up on everything possible. The 49ers star learned how to stand up and walk at an early age. Once he learned to run, he never slackened.
For such a rowdy child, farm life turned out to be a good thing. He did several laps with his father before getting tired. His parents taught him and his brother the meaning of hard work and humility at an early age. The footballer has immense respect for his mom and dad for the life they lived and said,
“My dad grew up on an island where he grew up with dirt floors. When you make that transition and I get to see where he grew up and see what it was like, you’re grateful for these opportunities and how we can live our life and how I can better our lifestyle as well. That’s what drives me. My mom has been there and been my backbone as well, so I have such a great family support system.”
In addition, Talanoa has also been to his father’s hometown and worked in the fields with his cousins. Tevita had always planned to take his children to the island so that they could know their roots.
The whole family has always been supportive of his career choice and encouraged him to do what he wanted. Tevita, especially, is his son’s biggest cheerer, and his Facebook account is full of things related to sports.
Furthermore, Talanoa’s dad has a YouTube channel where he posts videos of the athlete. He also launched a training camp to teach the fundamentals of defensive and offensive football to middle schoolers as the head coach.
Related: Who Is Talanoa Hufanga Dating in 2024?
The Family Are Devout Christians
When Tanya became a new mother, she went on a women’s bible retreat alongside her best friend. It increased her faith in God; since then, religion has become an important part of the Hufanga family’s life.
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The beautiful lady has raised her children with the same beliefs. Talanoa also has immense faith in his religion. He once said,
“Without faith, there wouldn’t be football for me in this life. God has given me so much and he continues to bless me with opportunities at each part of my life.”