NBA star Jimmy Butler was raised by a single mother, Londa Butler, before she chased him out of the house when he was 13. His father had abandoned them while he was still an infant.
Jimmy grew up in a town outside of Houston, Texas. His difficult childhood peaked during his teenage years when he did not have a place to call home. However, he later found a home after befriending Jordan Leslie, whose mother, Michelle Lambert, and family welcomed him into their home.
Nevertheless, the Olympic gold medalist did not lose his love for his biological parents and has forgiven them. Jimmy and his parents have been mending bridges despite their fallouts during his younger days.
Londa Butler Raised Jimmy in Texas
Little is known about Londa's life except that she entered into a relationship with Jimmy, a truck driver. The pair had a son who was also given the name Jimmy, continuing the tradition of Jimmys in the family. His full name is Jimmy Butler III.
Londa and Jimmy Sr ended their love story when their son was still an infant. The single mother and her son lived in Tomball, Texas. When he became a teenager, their relationship went through a terrible phase, resulting in Londa kicking a then-13-year-old Butler out of the house.
Jimmy Jr. recalled his mother's last words: "I don't like the look of you. You gotta go." He was left without a home and no family to run to. Poor Jimmy had to turn on his survival mode quickly. He would move from place to place, staying with friends for as long as possible.
Jimmy is not Londa's only child. The basketball star mentioned that he had spent time with his mother and two of her children in-between basketball seasons. However, it is unknown if those are her only kids and who their father is. The children's names and information are also private.
Londa Butler Reunited with Her Son
After all the childhood struggles and the animosity that may have developed between Jimmy and Londa, the basketball star was able to forgive and establish a closer relationship with her. He said he and the rest of the family were okay, and he even spends time with them, especially during the off-season.
Shortly after Jimmy was drafted into the NBA with the 30th overall pick, he reached out to his mother and they planned their first meeting in a very long time. He says Londa is proud of his accomplishments on the court, and he has a lot of love for her and no bad blood. Jimmy powerfully pointed out:
"Nobody is perfect, so no one should be condemned. How do I forgive? There's no reason to hate or dislike. I don't believe in that. Obviously, it took a while to get to that point. All of that history is a part of me being here, but the past is the past. I forgive everybody. I love everybody. That's that."
Jimmy's father has also closely watched his son's basketball exploits. Despite the abandonment early on in his life, Jimmy said he was working on his relationship with his father and reiterated that "I love my dad to death."
Jimmy Butler Found His Mother in Another Woman
Despite reconciling with his biological family, Jimmy Butler did not forget about the family that took him in when he struggled as a teenager. The basketball star found a home with his friend Jordan Leslie's family, and Leslie's mother, Lambert, also became Jimmy's mom.
Jimmy had befriended Leslie at school, and the accommodating Leslie would invite him to play video games and stay for some nights at a time at the house. After a while, Jimmy was allowed to remain permanently and got on well with the family despite rumors that he was trouble. Lambert set group rules that Jimmy had to follow.
With the family's support, he began to do well in school and was his high school's basketball captain in his senior year. Jimmy is grateful that they accepted him for who he was and gave him a chance at life. He credited them with helping him become a better person and supporting him through the highs and lows.
Michelle describes herself as a rigorous mother who wants to know everything about her children. She says Jimmy liked that. His relationship with Michelle's son also helped him a lot. The two are said to have quite a healthy competitive relationship. Photos of Michelle's other children can be found on her Instagram page.
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