Sony Michel Instagram
Sony Michel is a running back for the Patriots, and has made a splash in his rookie year for the NFL team.
Michel is the son of Haitian immigrants; his mother, Marie, came to Miami on a boat with thirteen other people, and worked as a hotel housekeeper for years to keep her family afloat. Michel has a half-sister named Lamise and a brother, Marken Michel, who is also a professional football player.
Here’s what you need to know about Michel’s family:
1. Michel’s Mother Immigrated from Haiti Before He Was Born
Jean and Marie Michel immigrated to the U.S. looking for a better life and opportunities for their children.
Their son, Sony Michel, is living out that dream with @FootballUGA.
Michel’s mother, Marie, left Haiti in 1990 for a “better life” in the United States, according to a profile of the Michel family by ESPN. Per the publication, Marie spent three months in the Bahamas before taking a boat overnight with thirteen people to Miami.
Marie left almost everything behind when she went to the states, including her 19-month-old daughter, Lamise, who she would return for six years later. According to ESPN, all Marie brought to the United States was a notebook with her sister’s phone number to call upon her arrival in Miami.
Marie worked various jobs over the next few years, including a job housekeeping at a hotel. She would eventually meet Jean Michel, Sony Michel’s father, in 1991, and would bring Lamise back to the United States with her in 1996.
Now, Marie works in the cafeteria at American Heritage High School, a job which ESPN reports her son helped her get. Marie has insisted on continuing to work despite her son’s success. To ESPN, she said, You still have to try to save some. He wants to give me [money] now, but what if one day he says, ‘I can’t help anymore’? If that happens, I still know I can take care of myself.”
2. Michel’s Father, Jean, Is Also a Haitian Immigrant: Jean & Marie Met in Orlando in 1991
Both of Michel’s parents are Haitian, but they didn’t know each other until they had both immigrated to the United States and were living in Florida. Per ESPN, Marie and Jean met in 1991, and Sony’s older brother Marken was born in 1993, followed by Sony in 1995.
Of his father, Michel said to ESPN, “He came over here for opportunity. I haven’t asked him about his experience yet, but still to this day, he likes to grind, still wants to do things, get involved.”
To The Boston Globe, Michel talked about his father’s athleticism:
“My dad used to play soccer back in Haiti, and back in the day I thought I was fast, super fast. So one day me, my brother and my dad were racing. Me and my brother wanted to race, and then my dad jumped in the race and we looked at him like, ‘Are you crazy?’ … I just remember we started running and my dad took off. And from that day, we were like ‘This man’s still got it.’ … He always played that best friend role, but at the end of the day it was like, ‘Alright now, I’m still two steps ahead of you guys.’ … I think I’m still trying to catch up to him.”
3. Michel Has a Half-Sister Named Lamise & a Brother Named Marken
Wide receiver Marken Michel, the older brother of Sony Michel, has signed a reserve/futures contract with the Philadelphia Eagles:
Though little is known of Michel’s half-sister, Lamise, his brother, Marken Michel, is in the same profession: Marken recently signed a reserve/futures contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Marken, 25, played at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst as an undergraduate. Per 247 Sports, he was a fifth-round draft pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2017, then signed as a free agent with the Calgary Stampeders. Because of a broken scapula, his season was sidelined.
According to The Boston Globe, it was Lamise who signed her brothers up for football teams when they were young. Michel said of his brother, Marken,
“The football thing just came from being in the neighborhood. Actually, my brother loved football. He’s two years older than me, so I always kind of did what he did. He always loved football. I kind of liked soccer growing up, but I never played it because I started playing football first and fell in love with it. And that love just came from following my brother’s footsteps.”
4. Michel Surprised Both of His Parents With New Cars in June
New England Patriots running back Sony Michel surprises both his parents with new cars:
After signing his contract with the Patriots, as well as a pre-draft endorsement deal with Adidas, Michel gave back to the people he loves the most: his parents.
In one of his Instagram stories, Michel showed pictures of his parents in front of each of their cars, writing, “I rather my parents live their best life now. REAL GOALS!! Enjoy.”
Michel’s relationship with his parents has seemingly grown stronger in his adulthood, as he’s increasingly been able to talk to his parents about their experiences before he was born. To The Boston Globe, Michel said, I first talked to my parents about [their experience during] my last year of college. I was like, ‘Tell me about your experience,’ and that was the first time they told me. But just from growing up, it was more of just seeing.”
Michel added, “I knew the situation I was in, we didn’t have everything. We were poor, I understood that. But at the same time, my parents always made sure I had the shoes I needed to go to school, the clothes I wanted, and I thought that was interesting. I understand, like ‘OK, they care for me, they’re going to work hard to do whatever it takes.”
5. Michel Has Credited His Family, Especially His Parents, For His Own Drive
In almost every one of his interviews, Michel calls out his parents and his family as the source of his drive, motivation, and ability to work hard.
To ESPN, Michel said, “When I walk on that field, that Michel on my back is not just for me. It’s bigger than me. It’s my family… Being raised in the [Haitian] culture, that’s the expectation — it’s not going to be pretty, it’s not going to be fun. I knew that [my mom’s trip] trip wasn’t fun, so I kind of braced myself. That right there put it in perspective. Her story was inspiring for me.”
Comments
Sony Michel’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know