Divorcing Shaquille O’Neal Brought Joy to Ex-Wife Shaunie’s Mother as Years-Old Habit Was Put to Work

When life gets tough, moms make it better. For Shaunie Henderson, her mother was the pillar of support she needed through one of the most difficult phases of her life. The breakdown of her marriage to Shaquille O’Neal is the biggest page-turner of her new book, Undefeated. But what went unnoticed was her little source of comfort. She turned to her mom to find her bearings after divorcing the retiring NBA pro. Shaunie’s mom was overly excited for her newly single daughter. But not because she didn’t like Shaq or something. She just got to be a mom again.

Shaunie wrote in her book, “When I showed up with the kids after I filed for divorce, she [Shaunie’s mother] was in heaven.” The reason behind her mom’s joy was the most stereotypical doting mom habit. “There were beds to make, clothes to wash, you name it. That’s her way of showing love.”

Shaunie’s parents were together till her father passed away in 2022. She witnessed two vastly different personalities living together and making a marriage work with her parents. Shaunie said her mother was not the physically affectionate type. Her love language was acts of service.

From the time Shaunie was a young child to well into motherhood herself, her mom has been the same. Shaunie said that even today, if she visits her mom “she wouldn’t let me do anything.” So when Shaunie was dealing with the end of her marriage, her mom was glad to show her some love in her way by taking care of her.

Shaunie’s mom stuck by her through everything

Shaunie and Shaq officially filed for divorce in 2011, when the 4x champion had retired from the NBA. He’s been open about taking responsibility for the breakdown of his marriage. Undefeated gives Shaunie’s side too.

While her relationship with Shaq had crumbled, she enjoyed motherhood. She took comfort in raising her children and distracted herself from marital problems by focusing on family. She revealed in the book she loved Shaq as the father of her children and spending time with him. But she didn’t really love him enough to put up with his unfaithful tendencies. Publicly, they separated but tried to work before finalizing their divorce. Shaunie remarried Pastor Keion Henderson in 2022 with the blessing of her parents and her kids.

She doesn’t say what her parents truly felt about Shaq or how they reacted to her leaving him. Her mother though supported her and showered her with love in the way she knows best. We see some of that love language through the media mogul’s social media posts for her kids too.