Billy And Steph Don't Tell The Bride Still Together, Articles D

He then vowed to once again become WWE Champion. Due to a previous marriage before marrying Ata, Rocky had two other children before he moved to Canada. Is Riley Keough Singing in Daisy Jones & The Six? [336], In 2016, Johnson started his YouTube channel. We can spot this mamas boy miles away. Maybe Ill see him down the road and thank him then. It wasnt weird at all when she fell in love with a wrestler from a family like hers. [236], The Rock made a surprise appearance at the official Xbox unveiling during Bill Gates's keynote speech at the ongoing Computer Electronics Show in 2001. Together with his wife Lia Maivia the Grand Chief had built the Polynesian Pacific Pro Wrestling (PPW) and partnered with Rocky within the independent wrestling scene. [39][40] Through his maternal grandfather Maivia, Johnson is a non-blood relative to the Anoa'i wrestling family. [216] At the event, he would cut a promo with Becky Lynch before they were interrupted by King Corbin. At King of the Ring, the Rock defeated Dan Severn in the semi-final match and lost to rival Ken Shamrock in the final. She is just three years old. The 46-year-old Rampage star shared a touching story. The WWE Hall of Famer died last week at the age of 75, and now, Dwayne has revealed that he passed. [334] Johnson also released an alarm clock app as part of "Project Rock" that received more than one million downloads in its first week of release. [343] He also had a speaking role at the 2000 Republican National Convention that same year. A year later, he joined The Nation of Domination, eventually taking over its leadership and calling himself The Rock. : Miami (2007), and Southland Tales (2006). The Rock w/ Mr. McMahon", "The Rock defeats Triple H to become new WWE Champion", "The Rock's fourth WWE Championship reign", "The Rock vs. Consequently, Dwayne has no childhood friends. [228] That year, Rock was also listed in the Forbes Celebrity 100 and People Magazine's 25 Most Intriguing People. His mother, Ata, is Samoan and the adopted daughter of pro wrestler Peter Maivia, while his father Rocky, born Wayde Douglas Bowles was a Black Nova Scotian and a member of the first black tag team champions, with Tony Atlas, in WWE history. Results January 30, 2003", "WWE Ruthless Aggression Review: Hollywood Rock TJR Wrestling", "Ranking Every Steve Austin vs The Rock Match At Wrestlemania (Worst To Best)", "Be a part of the 2008 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony", "John Cena's Fruity Pebbles, Cookie Puss and Other Unflattering WWE Nicknames", "Raw: Finally, The Rock has returned to WWE", "The Rock costs Cena retained the championship at WrestleMania XXVII", "Caldwell's WWE Raw results 4/4: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live Raw The Rock & Austin live, fall-out from WrestleMania 27, Sin Cara debut", "The Rock to appear in Survivor Series tag team match", "WWE Survivor Series: The Rock and John Cena vs. He first made a big splash as the Scorpion King, a supernatural bad guy, in 2001's The Mummy Returns. Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known by his ring name The. Ata and Dwayne Johnson and . Lauren is the daughter of Sib Hashian who worked as a drummer for the rock band Boston. Dwayne Johnson said he is counting his blessings after his mother survived a car accident. [127] On the December 18 episode of Raw, the Rock won the WWF Tag Team Championship with The Undertaker, defeating Edge and Christian, before losing it back to them the next night at a SmackDown! He played a cocky famous American football player in The Game Plan (2007) and Agent 23 in Get Smart (2008). The show stars Johnson and other actors playing younger versions of the actor. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list and remained on the list for several weeks. Who Is His Spouse or Partner? Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time,[6][7] he was integral to the development and success of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) during the Attitude Era, an industry boom period in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That makes him a descendant of the African-Americans who left the United States along with the British after the end of the American Revolution, having chosen to side with their captors. Had my first crush (see what you could've had Eve??!) Dwayne Johnson is back to save the world in the new trailer for New Line Cinema's "Rampage." "Rampage" is based on the 1980s video game and will feature three monsters who are wreaking . With his movies racking up profits in excess of $10 billion so far, Dwayne is currently one of the highest-grossing actors Hollywood boasts of. After he and Cena exchanged insults, The Miz and Alex Riley appeared and attacked the Rock; he fended off Miz and Riley, only for Cena to blindside him with an Attitude Adjustment. After 30 years of marriage, the couple divorced in 2003. He shares his story, and the story of his late father, in order to provide a different perspective to others who may be going through difficult times with the family. She was born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia and comes from a family of prolific Samoan wrestlers. [308][289], On November 14, 2019, he announced a December 2021 release date for the standalone Black Adam film. [131] On the next night's Raw Is War, during a steel cage title rematch, Triple H attacked the Rock, allying with McMahon and Austin and helping Austin retain the championship. The Rock later saved Cena from an assault by Big Show, only to be laid out by CM Punk. [178] The following night on Raw, the Rock and Cena agreed to a match at WrestleMania XXVIII the next year. [82] His popularity caused him to be booked in a feud with fellow Nation members Mark Henry and D'Lo Brown, turning babyface in the process. Cool Mothers Day story.. early am flight and Im sittin across from my mom when out of the blue she looks around the plane, then looks at me and says Son, I cant believe the life I have.. grandma and grandpa would be so proud. Rocky is a Black Nova Scotian but at the age of 16, he moved to Toronto to fulfill his dreams of wrestling. [64] On February 13, 1997, he won the Intercontinental Championship from Hunter Hearst Helmsley on Monday Night Raw. [360] They first met in 2006 while Johnson was filming The Game Plan. Did you ever imagine that Yokozuna was Dwayne Johnsons maternal uncle? His father was born in 1944, and he passed away in 2020. Johnson's father, "Soulman" Rocky Johnson . As an actor, he is one of the highest-paid, highest-grossing actors in the industry right now. Freedom High School football coach Jody Cwik, however, saw athletic potential in Johnson, and recruited him to join Freedom's football team, where he played defensive tackle. Here's what we know about them in real life. As the series time hops through his life, viewers will see actors Adrian Groulx (age 10), Bradley Constant (age 15), and Uli Latukefu (age 18-20) playing younger versions of the star. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, the father of three daughters, has recently taken the internet by storm when he announced the launch of a new line of shoes called PR5 from his collaborative brand 'Project Rock' on March 2, 2023. Dwayne Johnson is all about giving back to his parents. His films have grossed over $3.5 billion in North America and over $10.5 billion worldwide,[8] making him one of the world's highest-grossing and highest-paid actors. With Rocky often on the road for work, Ata was the constant parental figure and support system in her sons life. [139], As part of the WWF's battle against The Alliance, the Rock wrestled in a "winner takes all" five-on-five elimination tag team match at Survivor Series where the losing team's company would be dissolved in storyline. Thus, in 1964, he legally changed his name to Rocky Johnson and that explains why the full name of The Rock is Dwayne Douglas Johnson. [299] Jungle Cruise was released on July 30, 2021. So who are Dwayne Johnsons parents? When he tried to do a post-show speech for the crowd, the fans at Nassau Coliseum still booed him. She remains one of the pioneer female wrestling promoters worldwide. The adorable little toddler was born on 16 December 2015. [177], On April 3, at WrestleMania XXVII, the Rock opened the show by cutting a promo. Still, Dwayne had maintained a close relationship with his dad until the former wrestler's passing in 2020. In reality, WCW was purchased by Vince McMahon and the WWF, and ECW had gone out of business in early 2001. Ever wondered how, as a black man, The Rock was able to overcome the color barrier in the US to achieve so much in various fields? Rocky had two children from a previous marriage before he married Ata and moved to Canada; his son Curtis Bowles and daughter Wanda Bowles, who are both Dwaynes half-siblings. Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock,[3] is an American actor and former professional wrestler. The next night, on Raw is War, the Rock debuted a new Intercontinental Championship design and would later overthrow Faarooq as leader of the Nation of Domination to spark a feud between the two. Known as the. The Rock then resumed his feud with Triple H, as the two had a two out of three falls match at Fully Loaded: In Your House for the Intercontinental title, which the Rock retained in controversial fashion. : PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned) Like the school's football team, its track and field and wrestling teams competed in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (EPC), a high school athletic conference known for being among the nation's best. 5 y He is of Black Nova Scotian and Samoan ethnicity. End of that, bs. In 2018 Dwayne made a generous gesture by purchasing a home for his mother as an unforgettable Christmas present. In 2016 he voiced Maui in the Disney animated film Moana (2016). They moved to Honolulu permanently while Rocky continued to travel for his profession. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! Johnson also has a daughter, Simone Alexandra, from his first marriage. [93] The two faced off again, at St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House on February 14, 1999, in a Last Man Standing match which ended in a draw, meaning Mankind retained the title. [185], Leading up to WrestleMania, the Rock and Cena had several verbal confrontations on Raw. He was 75 at the time. The following year he played his first leading role as the titular character in the sword and sorcery action fantasy film The Scorpion King (2002). Hollywood Life, Latest Hollywood Celebrity & Entertainment News. Heres everything you should know about them. The match was billed as "icon versus icon", with both men representing the top tier of two generations of wrestling; ultimately the Rock pinned Hogan at WrestleMania X8. Dwayne Johnson's parents both came from wrestling backgrounds Rocky Johnson moved to Toronto from Nova Scotia at the age of 16 in order to pursue his own ambitions as a wrestler which ultimately led him to meet Ata Johnson. [115][116], Due to his image at the time, a Magic: The Gathering deck archetype was named after him. [172] Johnson's next appearance was through a pre-taped promo on October 2, 2009, during the Decade of SmackDown. Dwayne Johnson's Parents are Rocky and Ata Johnson. When he speaks of this incident it is clear that he has immense love for his mother and is grateful they both survived. [167] In 2004, The Rock aided Mick Foley in his feud against Evolution,[3][2][168] leading to a reunion of the Rock 'n' Sock Connection. The Anoai family of Samoa is notable for producing many famous wrestlers. It was known as the WWF Undisputed Championship during his seventh reign and as the WWE Championship during his eighth. Below, learn about the real-life Johnson family. [222], In 1999, Johnson appeared on That '70s Show as his father Rocky Johnson. In real life, Dwayne has two siblings: a brother, Curtis Bowles, and a sister, Wanda Bowles. His father was the Canadian professional wrestler Wayde Douglas Bowles (Known professionally as Rocky Johnson). A member of the famous Samoan wrestling family of the Anoas, Peters professional days ranged from the early 1960s through the 70s. At a crossroads, Johnson ultimately decided to follow in his father and grandfathers footsteps as the first third-generation wrestler in WWE history. #BringIt", "TNT Orders Reality Series 'Wake Up Call' from Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson", "Dwayne Johnson to Star in Film Adaptation of 'Rampage' Video Game", "Dwayne Johnson Officially Boards Jumanji Remake", "The Rock Interview: Dwayne Johnson Talks Daughters, Divorce & Family | Fatherly", "Dwayne @TheRock Johnson tells @joshuahorowitz what to expect from his new @FastFurious spin-off @HobbsAndShaw and whether or not we'll see him in #Fast9", "Sony Dates 'Jumanji' Sequel For December 2019 CinemaCon", "Dwayne Johnson Guiding 'Jungle Cruise' Pic For Disney", "Jaume Collet-Serra To Direct Dwayne Johnson In 'Jungle Cruise': No 'Suicide Squad 2', "Emily Blunt Boards Disney's 'Jungle Cruise' with Dwayne Johnson", "Disney's Jungle Cruise Movie Casts Emily Blunt's Brother", "Disney's Jungle Cruise Casts Edgar Ramrez As Its Villain", "Disney's Jungle Cruise Casts Jesse Plemons As Another Villain", "The Rock's Jungle Cruise Involvement Will Go Beyond The Movie", "Dwayne Johnson's 'Jungle Cruise' Moves To Summer 2020", "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Kicks Off 'Hardcore' Eight-Month Workout Program", "Netflix Takes 'Red Notice'; Ryan Reynolds Joins Dwayne Johnson & Gal Gadot In Rawson Marshall Thurber-Directed Global Heist Film", "How Much Does Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Make for One Movie? [46], Johnson attended Montclaire Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina before moving to Hamden, Connecticut, where he attended Shepherd Glen Elementary School and then Hamden Middle School. In 2003 his marriage to Rocky Johnson ended and we think theyve both been flying solo since then. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Later projects include the HBO series Ballers and leading roles in The Fast and the Furious and Jumanji franchises and the voice as demigod Maui in Moana. Before the age of 17, he was arrested multiple times for fighting, theft, and check fraud and was suspended two weeks for fighting. Dwayne is the son of Rocky Johnson (born Wayde Douglas) and Ata Johnson (born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia). (At the time, he was still playing football competitively with the NFL.). Fortunately, however, they eventually found stability when settling down in Miami where Dwayne attended college and played football until suffering an injury that caused him to take a break from sports and focus on his studies instead. In addition to this great honor he is the first non-Samoan to be appointed Grand Chief. The Rock's WCW Championship was renamed the unbranded "World Championship" following the Alliance's loss. While in the WWE, Johnson, who has a Black father and a Samoan mother, was a member of the Nation of Domination (N.O.D. In an attempt at a "false finish", Big Show intended to throw the Rock over the top rope in a running powerslam-like position, before the Rock countered the move on the ring apron, sending Big Show to the floor before re-entering the ring as the winner. [13] In 1996, Johnson's father Rocky, a longtime professional wrestler, assisted in helping him secure a contract with the WWF. Quick Facts Age: 74 Years, 74 Year Old Females Family: Spouse/Ex-: Rocky Johnson (m. 1978 - div. He returned in 2001 during the WCW/ECW invasion where he joined a team of WWE wrestlers at The Scorpion King (2002), a prequel to The Mummy Returns (2001).Dwayne has a daughter, Simone Alexandra Johnson, born in 2001, with his ex-wife Dany Garcia, and daughters, Jasmine, born in 2015, and Tiana Gia, born in 2018, with his wife, singer and songwriter Lauren Hashian. Johnson wrestled for the WWF for eight years prior to pursuing an acting career. [246], The Rock has been listed as one of the all-time greatest professional wrestlers[15][6][7] as well as one of the top draws in wrestling history. [51][52][30], By his senior year at Freedom High School, Johnson had only played two years of high school football but the fact that he had excelled on a team in an elite high school athletic division known nationally for producing a long list of professional and Olympic-level athletes, including future NFL stars Andre Reed, Saquon Barkley, Kyzir White, and others, drew the attention of NCAA Division I collegiate programs. Where are we going to live? [256][257] His return in 2001 did a 7.1 rating which was the highest rated segment of the entire year. and won them back from them on the September 20, 1999, episode of Raw is War. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Jasmine, in December 2015. 's 20 Top Entertainers. My mother and cousin @linafanene were hit hard by a drunk driver this week they survived. The Rock was born as Dwayne Douglas Johnson on May 2, 1972. During a lengthy promo, he addressed the fans and started a feud with John Cena. [74] The next night on Raw Is War, Austin was ordered by Mr. McMahon to defend the title in a rematch, but forfeited it to the Rock instead, handing him the title belt before hitting him with the Stone Cold Stunner. Dwayne Johnson. YouTube screengrab Source: YouTube Johnson didn't go straight to wrestling. [53][30] Despite playing four years there, Johnson found himself behind elite players on the depth chart, including future NFL star and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Warren Sapp, and appeared mostly in backup roles. [292], In 2021, Johnson co-starred with Emily Blunt in The Walt Disney Company's Jungle Cruise, as Frank Wolff and Lily Houghton, respectively. Dwayne Johnson Gives Update on Mom After Her Car Crash: She's 'Doing Good', Dwayne Johnson Celebrates His Mom's Birthday by Joining Her in a Dance: 'We Love You', Dwayne Johnson Says the Most Important Thing to Him Is 'Being a Daddy': 'My Number One Priority', WATCH: Dwayne Johnson Uses 'The Force' to Get Work Done on a Private Jet in Funny Video, Dwayne Johnson's 3 Kids: Everything to Know, Dwayne Johnson Uses Daughter Tiana as a Weight for His 'Daddy Curls' in Cute Video: Watch, Dwayne Johnson Holds Daughters in His Arms While Watching Wife Lauren Hashian Sing the National Anthem, Dwayne Johnson Says He's Grateful for Thanksgiving with Family: 'We Count Our Blessings', Kirstie Alley's Daughter Pens Tribute to Her Late Mom on Her 72nd Birthday: 'Wish You Were Here', Dwayne Johnson Surprises Daughters with Guinea Pigs on Christmas: 'I Live for These Moments', Dwayne Johnson's 2 Young Daughters Give Him a Festive Holiday Makeover: 'Dwanta Needs a Tutu', Dwayne Johnson Celebrates 'Fearless' Daughter Jasmine on Her 7th Birthday: 'Best Fishing Buddy', Dwayne Johnson Visits 7-Eleven Where He Used to Shoplift as a Kid to 'Right the Wrong', Dwayne Johnson Brings His Mother to Tears After Buying Her a House: 'Enjoy Your New Home Mom', Chris Pratt Wishes 'Sweet' Wife Katherine Schwarzenegger a Happy Birthday: 'Grateful to Have You', Dwayne Johnson and Lauren Hashian's Relationship Timeline, honor of her 72nd birthday in October 2020. [352] In 2017, he donated $25,000 to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Instagram / Dwayne Johnson Proud Papa "The world will one day hear from you too, my strong little love," Dwayne wrote in dedication to his daughter Tia for International Women's Day. Young Rock may have just ended its third season on the high note of Dwayne Johnson's breakout performance on Saturday Night Live, but there's so much more of The Rock's story that remains untold, Bradley Constant told PopCulture.com. Rocky was an American-Canadian professional wrestler, the first black Georgia Heavyweight Champion and who, together with Tony Atlas, became the first black team to win the World Tag Team . Also read . [126] The Rock wrestled a six-man Hell in a Cell match for the WWF Championship, at Armageddon, which Angle won to retain the title. [309] Production on Black Adam began filming in April 2021 with it set to release on October 21, 2022. ", Johnson did not give any specific details of the accident, but thanked first responders. The Miz and R-Truth", "Caldwell's WWE Raw Results 2/27: Ongoing "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw The Rock returns to Raw, WM28 hype", "Caldwell's WWE Raw Results 3/12: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw Rock Concert vs. Cena Rap, Taker returns", "Caldwell's WWE Raw Results 3/26: Ongoing "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw final WM28 hype, Cena-Rock & Hunter-HBK confrontation", "Caldwell's WWE WrestleMania 28 PPV Report 4/1: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live PPV Rock-Cena, Taker-Hunter, Punk-Jericho", "Caldwell's WWE Raw Results 4/2: Ongoing "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw WM28 fall-out, how will Cena respond to Rock loss?, two big title matches", "Caldwell's WWE RAW Results 7/23: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw No. The finals occurred at Survivor Series on November 15, 1998, where the Rock defeated Vince McMahon's associate, Mankind, to win his first WWF Championship. He also started consolidating his famous persona during this time, which would last until 2000. [315] Additionally, he will produce and star in a Netflix exclusive film titled John Henry & The Statesmen, as the titular folklore hero. The Rock then aligned with McMahon and the WWF. Though its hard to believe today, Johnson struggled to fit in as a teen. NBC's new sitcom, .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}Young Rock, executive-produced by the Rock, captures his journey from the former wrestler's humble beginnings to his eventual run for president of the United States (a figment of the show, we promise). In 2021, Young Rock, a television series about the life of Johson, premiered. You Can Stream Every 'Rocky' Movie Right Now, 'WoF' Fans Say This Is the 'Biggest Choke' on Show, Daisy Jones & the Six Is a Rock Epic in 10 Parts, See Mariska Hargitays Emotional Tribute on IG, Poker Face Is Rian Johnson's Exciting New Show, A Timeline of Events in 'Murdaugh Murders', 'White Lotus' Star Reveals 'Iconic' Scene Was Cut, How Sam Claflin Built His '70s Rock Star Body, 'Mayor of Kingstown' Is Back for Season 2. On NBC's Young Rock, we meet two central figures in the former wrestler's life. Ata's mother, Lia Maivia, too was a wrestler and one of the first female wrestling promoters. "We go down this unpredictable road of life and we never know what's around the corner - so we do our best to treat every day for what it is - a true blessing," he wrote. The 50-year-old actor and former WWF icon shared a photo to his Instagram account Thursday, displaying a badly wrecked red car. The beautiful and dynamic Ata Johnson was born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia on October 25, 1948, in Hawaii to Dwayne's grandfather Peter Fanene Maivia and Grandmother Lia Maivia. She is a part of the famous Samoan Anoai wrestling family, as both her father and mother were wrestlers. [317][318], Johnson will co-produce and star in The King, a film about king Kamehameha Knuikea, founder and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. However, most people know him from the eight years he spent wrestling for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, currently WWE) as The Rock. [97] The next night on Raw is War he was fired from the Corporation after he was betrayed by Shane McMahon, turning him face again and starting a feud with Triple H, The Undertaker and The Corporate Ministry. As fate would have it, the Grand Chief and Rocky ended up partnering together within the independent wrestling scene. Learn all about Dwayne's parents here! London. You can feel his love for his mother when he speaks of a car accident that his mom and cousin were fortunate enough to survive in 2014. He does! Here are interesting details about Dwaynes ancestral background that certainly hold a clue to his winning attitude and streak. "She'll survive and continue to get evaluated. Dwayne Johnson, born Dwayne Douglas Johnson, is an American-Canadian actor and film producer, as well as businessman, retired professional wrestler and retired football player. The stable would then refer to themselves as simply "The Nation". He and his high school sweetheart, Dany Garcia, wed in 1997 and split up a decade later, though she continues to serve as his manager. Johnson was born into a wrestling family. In Young Rock Dwayne Johnson offers insight into his relationship with his father and how these formative years helped define him as a person. In his first television acting job, in 1999, he played his own father in an episode of That '70s Show called "That Wrestling Show". [375] On May 16, Johnson announced she had signed a contract with WWE,[376] and in May 2022 announced that her ring name would be Ava Raine, and has since been appearing on the NXT brand.[377]. The event also saw the WWF debut of the famed WCW faction New World Order, which at the time consisted of "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall. Jonathan is a celebrity and showbiz news enthusiast with a passion for Broadway and Netflix. Dwayne's father, Wayde Douglas Bowles was also known as Rocky Johnson was from Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada. This was played up in the storyline as Big Show provided additional video footage showing this fact, and claimed to be the rightful winner. 'Sweetest Baby Girl in the Whole World,' Lauren Hashian Says", "One good thing Virginia has going for it this week? It was a professional relationship that led to other things. It is set to rival other long-standing bodybuilding shows such as The Arnold Classic and Joe Weider's Mr. Known as the Soulman, Rocky was a trailblazer working for a number of promotions and traveling around the world. He opted to accept a full athletic scholarship offer from the University of Miami, whose football program was then one of the best in the nation. Soon the Rock was kicked out of the "Corporation". [81], In the latter half of 1998, The Rock saw a big uptick in fan support. Ten years into their marriage, the couple went through a divorce which was generally reported to be amicable. Dwayne's father was born Wayde Douglas Bowles in Nova . In 2014 his mother and cousin were fortunate to escape a car accident that was caused by a drunk driver being chased by the authorities. Following his graduation, he signed with the Calgary Stampeders but was cut from the team in his first season.