Patricia Southall is a former wife of an American prominent Dallas Cowboys running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. She is a founder and spokesperson of Treasure You and is also the ex-wife of comedian Martin Lawrence.
Talking about her former husband’s venture, Emmit Smith teamed up with a NASCAR driver in 2021 to form a NASCAR Xfinity Series team called Jesse Iwuji Motorsports, which competed full-time in 2022.
The whole family is a pack of talented people always shining in the world.
Patricia and Smith’s son E.J. Smith was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list before the 2022 season.
In like manner, Southall is a former beauty pageant contestant, a loving mother, spokesperson, presenter, and a gorgeous and kind-hearted person.
Does anyone know when we can call the perfect ending in a relationship? Sometimes, some stories fall apart when everyone thinks it has come to an ideal place.
However, those stories brew a deeper place and give everyone a reason to get everything going.
On such a note, today, we will discuss Emmitt Smith and his ex-wife, Patricia Southall. As we venture into their relationship today, let us learn about their life together. Emmitt Smith and Patricia together were a ball of sunshine.
Before we get into the depth of Patricia Southall, we have collected a quick dose of facts about her below.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Patricia “Pat” Annette Smith |
| Date Of Birth | December 17, 1970 |
| Birth Place | Chesapeake, Virginia, United States |
| Nick Name | Pat |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Age | 54 Years Old |
| Height | 1.65 m / 5 ft 4 in / 165 cm |
| Weight | 50 kg / 110 lb |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Grey |
| Build | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | Henry Southall |
| Mother’s Name | Mildred Southall |
| Siblings | A Sister, Pam Southall |
| Education |
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| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Partner |
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| Kids |
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| Profession | Model, Spokesperson |
| Affiliations |
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| Emmitt Smith Merch | Emmitt Smith’s Jersey, Autographed Items |
| Net Worth | $500k |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Last Update | July 2025 |
Early Life
Patricia Southall, aka Pat, was born on December 17, 1970, to her parents Mildred Southall and Henry Southall, and is 54 years old as of 2025.
She was born in Chesapeake, Virginia, under the sun sign of Sagittarius. Southall has a twin sister named Pam Southall, and they all grew up following Christianity.
As for her educational background, Pat attended Western Branch High School and received a college degree in Journalism from James Madison University.
While studying at JMU, she was involved in many activities on campus, SGA president, Student Governor Association, and Miss Madison, and was a Delta Sigma Theta Sorority member.
During school, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and her mother passed away because of it. She and her sister Pat took care of their father.
According to Pat, one of her fondest memory with her family would be working together.
Back in the day, she and her sister, Pam, used to work on their family’s farm as they helped their father to cut grass and bag peanuts.
Professional Life
Pat got a job at Douglas Wilder’s Media Office in 1992 and is the former Richmond, Virginia, Mayor. That same year she met comedy actor Martin Lawrence, her former husband, who was working in Richmond.
Similarly, Pat Southall always dreamt of becoming a beauty queen. Also, all of her family members used to sit together to watch pageant shows.
She won the 1993 Miss Virginia beauty pageant becoming 1st African-American to represent Virginia at the Miss USA Pageant.
However, she did not win the pageant but stood first runner-up and was selected Miss Congeniality.
She became a successful model, spokesperson, and also activist by profession. Initially, Patricia commenced her modeling career in 1993.
After stepping out of the pageant, Southall began her acting career with roles in The Wayans Brothers Show, Beverly Hills 90210, and Sunset Beach.
Patricia is also the founder and spokesperson of the non-profit organization Treasure You. It is a women’s support group that encourages and supports women to follow their desired line of passion.
With the Treasure You foundation, Patricia has conducted several countrywide programs.
These programs offer scholarships and assistance to women to join the company and gain the chance to learn and grow from the experience.
Likewise, she has also been a part of other shows like Beverly Hills, Halfway Point, and The Wayans. Like a package of talent, she is also a writer and has written a book named ‘Second Chance.’
Net Worth
Patricia Southall has an estimated net worth of $500k as of 2025. It is possible that Pat might have much more than the estimated sum in her pocket.
She has gained the most through her acting career; likewise, Patricia has done numerous charity work.
Additionally, she also makes a lot as the CEO of Pat Smith Enterprises. It is a brand of motivational speaking and activism.
Patricia earns quite a lot, from books to several awards and titles under her name.
Personal Life
Patricia has had two relationships. Sadly, her latest relationship also came to an end.
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence
As mentioned above, Patricia met Lawrence at Douglas Wilder’s Media Office.
After dating him for some time, Patricia married on January 15th, 1995. Well, their wedding took place at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel, which gathered 600 people.
The following year, she became a mother to Jasmine Paige Lawrence on January 15.
Martin filed a divorce with Pat citing “irreconcilable differences.” Additionally, he also demanded custody of their daughter.
The couple split in September 1996 because of the scandal involving actor from the Bad Boys Film.
Despite the divorce, the duo has a wholesome friendship, and we can see them often alongside their daughter, Jasmine.
Brief Glance On Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American comedian and actor. He rose to fame in 1990, establishing himself as a leading Hollywood actor.
He is also a renowned comedian, actor, producer, writer, and former Golden Gloves boxer.
His first debut as an actor was in Maurice Warfield in What’s Happening Now!! (1987-1988).
Well, his career role first started as the role of Maurice Warfield in What’s Happening Now!! (1987–1988).
When he appeared in “Do the Right Thing,” it was a breakthrough for him. Since that day, he has never looked back.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Martin was one of the world’s highest-paid film stars.
As of 2023, he has a net worth of $110 million.
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith and Patricia Southall met during the Aruba music competition after breaking up with Martin. Not long after it, the duo started dating, which first started as a long-distance relationship.
At Smith’s 30th birthday dinner party, the couple engaged in the presence of family and friends.
On April 20, 2000, the duo married at the Dallas First Baptist Church.
As per some sources, the couple had difficulty conceiving the child. Fortunately, their first child was born on May 15, 2002, Emmitt IV, and in 2003, they welcomed their second child on October 15, a daughter named Skylar.
Likewise, their third baby, Elijah Alexander James Smith, was born on September 20, 2010.
In 2020, after living together for two-decade, the duo separated. They announced their separation through a post on Instagram.
Their Instagram statement read as follows:
“We are publicly sharing that after much contemplation and prayer, we have decided to separate. We will continue to move forward with love and compassion for one another, as co-parents and friends. And we will work together in the best interests of our children, our family, community, and businesses. As we take this journey toward the next chapter in our lives, we ask for privacy at this time.”
When the couple was married, they were into donating to various causes and non-profit organizations through Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities.
Pat and Emmitt Smith’s Charities were among the people and organizations honored at the Trumpet Awards in 2012.
Brief Glance On Emmitt James Smith
Emmitt James Smith III is an American born on May 15, 1969, a former professional NFL running back for 15 seasons who played primarily with Dallas Cowboys.
Since his high school days, Smith has led his team to numerous titles.
He, with Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin, known as The Triplets, led their teams to three Super Bowl championships during the 1990s.
He is the league’s all-time leading rusher. Smith is among only two non-kickers in NFL history to score more than 1,000 career points.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
After retirement, he signed a contract in September 2005 to work as a studio analyst on the NFL Network show, NFL Total Access.
Smith and his long-time teammates Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin were inducted into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor at halftime of the Cowboys-Redskins on September 19, 2005.
Since then, he has been quite active in other fields. Emmitt has a net worth of $25 million as of 2023.
Social Media
Patricia Southall is available on social media; check out her uploads and posts. She is on Instagram as Pat Southall (@patrsmithty) with 149k followers.
View this post on Instagram
Likewise, she is on Twitter as Pat Southall (@PatSmithTY) with 18.4k followers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Has Emmitt Smith, Pat Southall's former husband, participated in Dancing With The Stars?
Smith did not just participate in Dancing With The Stars in 2006 but won the third season with professional dancer Cheryl Burke. He was praised for “making dancing look manly,” while Cheryl was credited with coaching Smith. He returned to the show in its fifteenth season as one of the “All-Stars” contestants; however, they were voted off during the ninth week of the competition.
In which movie did Martin Lawrence, Pat Southall's former husband, begin playing a dramatic role?
Lawrence is a comedian actor; however, he has switched to dramatic movies beginning with his first dramatic role in 2022's Mindcage with Melissa Roxburgh and John Malkovich.
Is Pat Southall dating somebody?
Pat Southall is currently single. Per her social media updates, she lives a busy life, growing up with her children and managing her charities.
