Jimmy Graham’s biological parents didn’t have any contribution to who he has become today. Becky Vinson, a woman he met at a weekly prayer group, is whom he calls his mother.
Born and raised in difficult circumstances, Graham once said “love” wasn’t a word he heard that was much used in his household. Jimmy had no idea about his biological dad, and his biological mom had handed him over to the state.
But his life changed when he was 14 and met Becky Vinson. A single mother pursuing a nursing degree took pity on him and brought him home, where he was raised alongside a sister.
Graham contributes much of his success to Becky. The tight end has been in the NFL for 13 years and has surprisingly returned to the team that drafted him, as he signed a one-year deal with New Orleans Saints.
It won’t be easy for the 37 -year-old to find a place in the roster as he has to battle to catch a pass from Derek Carr with Tayson Hill, Jesse James, and Juwan Johnson.
Jimmy Graham Tough Childhood: Abandoned By His Parents
Jimmy Graham’s parents abandoned him at a young age. Yes, both his dad and mom.
Graham’s biological father left him soon after he was born. His biological single mother raised him and his sister in Goldsboro, North Carolina. As she didn’t have the right resources to raise him, she offered his custody to her ex-boyfriend.
But to do so, she had to give him $98 per month, which she wasn’t willing to do. So, instead, she opted to leave Jimmy in the hands of Social Services.
Jimmy, only nine at the time, didn’t understand what was happening. Scared and confused, the NFL player was brought home for a while, but after a few years, he was signed off to the state.
The Saints’ tight end was 11 and had ended up in a toxic environment where the bigger boys would physically abuse him. After nine months, his mother finally brought him home.
But even at home, the abuse didn’t stop. His mother’s new boyfriend would also physically abuse him. And one day, God sent an angel to him.
Jimmy Graham Mother, Becky Vinson
Jimmy was 14 when he first met a 25-year-old nursing student, Becky Vinson. Becky was a single mother with a daughter named Karina. She was also a Navy veteran.
The two met during a weekly prayer group that offered free food. Becky was a volunteer, and Graham caught her eye. Soon, Jimmy became part of the family, and Becky turned from mother of one to mother of two.
After being adopted by Becky, Jimmy’s life improved drastically. He started scoring As and Bs on his tests and started taking sports seriously. At first, it was basketball Jimmy was good at, and he only switched to football in his junior year.
And the rest is history. He has played for four NFL franchises and has amassed a net worth of around $12 million. But all of this wouldn’t have been possible without one woman, with Becky Vinson being the root cause of it.
People might know, but Jimmy is one adventurous man. His love for flying has been well-documented if you look at his Instagram handle.
And his love for adventure might have stemmed from his mom, Becky Vinson. Becky spends her free time traveling with friends worldwide.
She loves hiking and has called herself a mountaineer on her Instagram bio. Earlier this year, in April, with a bunch of her friends, Becky traveled to the South Asian country Nepal to hike Mt. Everest.
Becky and her friends reached Everest Base Camp, a height of 17,598 ft. After returning from Nepal, Becky traveled to Washington State and climbed Mount St. Helens.
Jimmy has featured Becky several times on his Instagram, with the mother-son duo taking many flights together.
In one of his Instagram posts, in the caption, Jimmy reflected on their journey from a scummy trailer with no heat to sitting on mountain tops at 28,000 feet.
