Author Mitch Albom wrote “Behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours begins.” The life of two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist George Foreman is a prime example of how a mother’s story shapes her child’s story.
George Foreman’s mom is named Nancy Foreman. She has always remained out of the spotlight in spite of her son’s fame, but the boxer himself credits his mom’s upbringing for who he is today.
Who is George Foreman’s mom?
In his own Facebook post dated March 8, 2023, George Foreman posted a photo of him holding his championship belt in between former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and his mother, Nancy Foreman. He captioned it, “Two of the great women who shaped my and many more lives. Nancy Foreman and Lady Bird Johnson. I stand in their shadow.” He has always praised his mom for bringing him up well and made him who he is today: from an Olympic gold medalist to former heavyweight boxing champion to Christian pastor to successful businessman.
Information on Nancy Foreman is few and dependent on George’s accounts of his childhood. In an article by tjc.edu, George Foreman is one of the seven children of JD and Nancy Foreman, born on January 10, 1949. Nancy was the daughter of a sharecropper, who had to help the family by working in the fields. She had to miss school because of this but she never neglected her education. Shortly after their family moved to Houston, Texas, George’s father left Nancy to raise the children on her own. She did what she could to provide a home and a good education for her children. She also instilled strong Christian values in her children, which is probably why George Foreman became a Christian pastor after his loss to Jimmy Young in 1977.
Read more: Who are George Foreman’s Spouses? Explore His Marital Life Journey
Is George Foreman’s mom alive today?
Even if the popularity and fame of George Foreman grew over the decades, his mom never made a lot of public appearances. One reason George gave was that his mom never approved of him doing boxing. In an interview with Bang Showbiz NZ, George said his mom would have been more proud of him as a pastor rather than a boxer. There are few news features or photos of Nancy Foreman circulating online, but the same article mentioned that she passed away at the age of 78 in 1998.
Mothers really play a pivotal role in the lives of children. A testament to this is George Foreman, who always thanks his mom, Nancy Foreman, for all the successes and achievements he gained over the years.
