Julio Pacheco/Instagram
Isiah Pacheco with his dad Julio Pacheco and mom Felicia Cannon.
NEED TO KNOW
- NFL player Isiah Pacheco’s parents are Julio Pacheco and Felicia Cannon
- They raised him in New Jersey alongside four siblings
- He wears a necklace in honor of his mother
in January 2024. “Because he’s a really good person.”
His other high school football coach, Dan Russo, added that he was always close to his parents.
The family has endured multiple tragedies
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Isiah Pacheco #10 of the Kansas City Chiefs takes the field prior to in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens on January 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Two of Isiah’s siblings, Travoise and Celeste, were killed in 2016 and 2017, respectively, while he was in high school.
Travoise was killed in a stabbing, an event which fueled Isiah’s drive on the football field. “My brother, if he was to see me here, he’d be shocked,” the running back told NJ.com in 2019. “He encouraged me to play football as a kid and he never got the opportunity to see me play.”
Just a year later, Isiah lost the sibling he was closest to, Celeste. He was with his mother when they got the news that Celeste had been killed by her partner, Donald Scurry Jr.
On the day of Celeste’s funeral, Isiah also played a high school football game. “I knew that she was looking down on me and took my game to another level because I had something to play for. That was like my why,” Isiah told the Big Ten Network in November 2021. “I wanted to make her smile so I left it all out there on the field and she would have been proud of me on that day.”
After the tragic deaths of Travoise and Celeste, Julio noticed a change in his son, including that he had become more introverted. “He’s thinking a lot more,” Julio told The Press of Atlantic City.
However, the loss of his siblings gave Isiah a new purpose on the football field and a closer bond with his parents.
“Why do I leave it all out there on the field? You never know when is going to be your last opportunity or [for me] my last time seeing my brother or sister,” Isiah told the Big Ten Network.
He added to NJ.com, “Having an opportunity to play ball, it helps me a lot not worrying about the tragedies that happened. It makes me want to go harder.’’
Felicia and Isiah have a close relationship
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Isiah Pacheco #10 of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks with the media during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night on February 5, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV.
Since the death of Celeste, Felicia has said that Isiah constantly checks in on her and Celeste’s son, Donald Scurry III. When he was still living at home and their grief prevented them from sleeping, the mother-and-son duo would watch football highlights late at night.
“He warms my heart,” Felicia told The Press of Atlantic City.
They have also stepped up for young Donald. They took him to his first football game, where he had a blast, according to Felicia.
“He really doesn’t have parents,” Isiah added. “His father is in jail. I have to be there for him, get him into sports.”
Isiah wears a necklace in honor of his mom
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Isiah Pacheco speaks to reporters during the NFL Draft Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on March 3, 2022.
In March 2022, Isiah revealed that his nameplate necklace — which reads “Jody” — is in honor of his mom.
“It’s my mom’s nickname. Her real name’s Felicia but we call her Jody. She’s my heart … My mom is my everything,” he said in a March 2022 NFL video. “Times like this — being the baby and making it on a stage like this — it’s something big for our family.”
They support Isiah’s football career
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Isiah Pacheco takes a moment on the field before a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos on October 29, 2023 in Denver, Colorado.
Ever since he was young, Julio and Felicia have played a huge role in Isiah’s football aspirations.
“We knew he was fast, so I said, ‘Let’s do it,’ ” Julio told the Big Ten Network. “He started playing when he was 8 years old.”
Through playing pee-wee to one of the biggest teams in the NFL, Julio and Felicia try to attend as many of Isiah’s games as possible.
At one particular college football game, after scoring a touchdown, Isiah told NJ.com that he was thinking about his family’s support on the field.
“I looked up and saw my mom and I blew her two kisses,” he said. “My dad after the game asked, ‘Who were you blowing kisses to?’ And my mom was like, ‘He was blowing kisses to me!’ And I said, ‘That’s crazy, ma, because I really was.’ She’s been through so much. I told her that touchdown was for her.”
Julio added that supporting Isiah’s aspirations brings so much joy and healing.
“When he scored that touchdown, his mom and I looked at each other and hugged. I knew those kisses were for her because of everything she’s been through,” he said. “But that’s Isiah. He’s a strong kid. He’s a kid who has been through a lot … He doesn’t show it. He tries to keep our family happy.’’
Read the original article on People
