Meet Christy Porter, wife of NFL star Joey Porter. Christy and Joey are childhood sweethearts. The two met in the first grade and continued knowing each other all the way up to high school. They started dating in high school. Christy was a senior and Joey was a junior. The couple married in 1999.
Joey says, “That’s what makes everything special. It’s not somebody I don’t know what they’re here for, or just meeting somebody. I always told myself if I was an NFL player that came into this lifestyle it would be kind of hard to trust somebody to that extent. But with her, it’s good.
Coming into the league it’s tough. You’re going to meet everybody, all walks of life. Not to really have that history and to grow serious with somebody, it’s hard to put a time limit on it. For 22 years of my life I’ve known her. Going to junior high with her and high school, then she came to live with me in college, I know everything I need to know. I always knew that was going to be my wife. She’s been there for all my struggles. She knows everything about me.
There’s nothing I could do without her not knowing about it. There’s just a whole other side there would be without her in my life. Any guy that tries to tell you that he don’t need a strong woman behind him, he’s not living right. He’s not understanding how life is supposed to be lived.
If you take her away from me I’m stuck. It’s a much harder life for me without her in my life. My wife is going to be there for me win, lose or draw. The football stuff, trust me, is some of the best things to ever happen to me. But my family, my wife and kids, are definitely always first”.
The couple has four children: two daughters, Jayla and Jasmine, and two sons, Joey, Jr. and Jacob.
In 2001, their daughter Jasmine was diagnosed with autism. As a result, Christy quickly found out that there were no quality medical, therapeutic or childcare services for children with autism in their county. To resolve this problem, Christy decided to give her time in advocacy to find solutions. As a result, Christy opened a day center for special needs children and named it after their daughter Jasmine Nyree, located in downtown Bakersfield.
As founder, owner and CEO of the Jasmine Nyree Day Center, the only private special-needs day center in Kern County, Porter is enabling children with severe disabilities to thrive in a caring and nurturing environment.
Peep the video below of Christy and Joey talking about the Jasmine Nyree Day Center.
Christy Porter’s Bio:
Born in Frederick, Oklahoma and the daughter of Mrs. Patricia Griffin, Christy Porter comes from a family of six girls. A graduate of Foothill High School in Bakersfield, California, Christy took an interest in her academics and playing basketball. After graduating from high school, Christy went on to continue her education at Bakersfield College and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Christy is a business owner and innovative motivator of children and women across the country. Christy believes in investing in our children and communities. She is currently pursuing business ventures that will improve services to the underserved of southeast Bakersfield.
Christy has also co-chaired the annual Joey Porter Boot Camp for the past six years and provides scholarships to underprivileged students at her alma mater, Foothill High School.
On Thursday, July 19th 2012, Joey Porter announced his retirement from the NFL.
Uli you are the one factually incorrect..Joey & Christy have been together since high school not college!. I am her sister I know!
This story is factually incorrect. Joey and Christy did live close to each other and went to the same high school but sweet hearts they were not. They did not even like each other in high school. It was not until they met again in college when they really started dating. Please stop putting of lies.
This is a beautiful story. What a blessing to read this. May GOD BLESS YOU ALL FOR EVER AND EVER.
Beautiful!
Its so awesome that a big star marries his childhood sweetheart.
Good to have cases like this as role model.