“There’s no deeper team in the NBA than us,” said Tilman Fertitta, months before the ongoing NBA regular season commenced. Having been the owner of the Houston Rockets for over 7 years now, the 67-year-old billionaire continues to be an active part of the team and has even made it a family business. Today, even Fertitta’s sons, Michael and Patrick, have taken on roles as directors of the NBA franchise. Reportedly being a private individual, Tillman Fertitta’s ex-wife, Paige, was not that involved with the team, but would still speak out publicly about her favorite moments with the Rockets. Since the separation, her involvement with the NBA franchise has reduced even greatly.

In light of this information, let us find out more about the Houston Rockets owner’s first wife.

Who is Tilman Fertitta’s ex-wife Paige? How old is she?

Known as Paige Farewell prior to her marriage, the known philanthropist was born back in December 1958. She grew up alongside her brother Neil in the ‘leafy residential area’ of River Oaks, Texas. Her father Charles Henry Farwell, was a former army member, while her mother, Mary Jo Farwell, was a teacher. On top of that, Mary Jo also reportedly did some work for the transcontinental gas pipeline industry.

Not much is known about the now 65-year-old’s education background. After all, over the years, Paige has released little information about her early and personal life out there. Furthermore, she didn’t come into the public spotlight until the 90s, when a man who had just started creating a name for himself in the restaurant industry began to pursue her.

When did Tilman Fertitta and Paige get married? Do they have kids?

Paige and Tilman Fertitta tied the knot back in November 1991, in Harris County, Texas. Reports describe the relationship between the duo prior to their marriage as one of ‘persistent courtship.’ In fact, Tilman proposed to Paige three times before they eventually got married.

By 1983, Tilman Fertitta had already acquired a 3% stake in the Houston Rockets. This allowed him to later become a courtside fixture at ‘The Summit,’ the NBA team’s then home base. He shared the experience with Paige even before their marriage. The couple would often find themselves captured sitting together at the edge of the action. As the couple’s son Patrick would later recall, “They really built their relationship through the team. That was date night for them.”

Together, Paige and Tilman had four children, named Michael, Patrick, Blake, and Blayne. As highlighted, both Michael and Patrick have now become involved with the Houston Rockets. Meanwhile, Blake Fertitta currently serves as vice president of Fertitta Automotive after having completed his education at LSU. Meanwhile, Blayne pursued a degree in Public Relations from the University of Southern California and got engaged in June of this year.

Along with their children, the couple also helped to raise their pets. In fact, they had three dogs and a cat. As if that wasn’t enough, Paige and Tilman also had a donkey named Fiona Buttercup, a pig named Pancake, and a tortoise named Bitey.

Is Paige Fertitta heavily involved with philanthropic work?

Paige gained prominence in the public spotlight thanks to her work on the boards of renowned institutions like the Fay School, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, helping out in the Special Children’s Committee for the latter. As part of her contribution to the efforts of the Children’s Cancer Center at MD Anderson Hospital, Paige has hosted fundraisers on an annual basis. This reportedly has helped in raising notable funds for the purpose of cancer research and patient care.

Possibly looking to give back to her hometown community, Paige has notably hosted charity events and fundraisers that benefit the Houston Police Department. Throughout her initiatives, her daughter Blayne has reportedly assisted her. Not having much of a presence in the public spotlight, reports reveal that Paige simply lets her philanthropic work speak for itself.

Why did Tilman Fertitta and Paige divorce?

After spending 26 years together, Tilman and Paige Fertitta’s divorce was announced back in 2017. Till today, the exact reason for their split has not been specified. However, Tilman did move on from the past and married Lauren Ware a few years after the couple’s separation.

Despite the separation, Paige continues to reside in Texas. Furthermore, reports describe the relationship between her and her now ex-husband as a “friendly” one. Together, they continue to play a role in contributing towards the same charities/philanthropic interests that they supported for so long. Paige herself continues making appearances at fundraising events.

Paige Fertitta once spoke about what the Houston Rockets mean to her: “Countless Proud Moments”

There are no reports to indicate that Paige Fertitta was ever involved in the functioning of the Houston Rockets. However, being from River Oaks, Houston, she and the team already had a common connection. Furthermore, given the ‘date nights’ that she and Tilman spent there, a different sort of connection between her and the NBA franchise would have developed. Despite this, she reportedly never spoke about the team publicly. Except once.

Back in March 2021, to commemorate International Women’s Day, the official Facebook account of the Houston Rockets highlighted a quote from Paige herself. The same had the philanthropist discussing the team by stating “There have been countless proud moments watching and learning how the Houston Rockets as a team, as an entire organization, individually and the fans step up and step out to lend a hand of support, care and respect to others.”

As a spectator, Paige Fertitta may still be cheering on for the Houston Rockets. With the team currently possessing a 16-8 record, and having won 4 of their last 6 games, the team has a good chance of making the playoffs after a four-season hiatus.