A family that prays together, stays together! One such family is the Schuster family. Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is very close to his family. Apart from being a family man, JuJu is a talented Wide Receiver too. In his career spanning seven seasons across the Steelers, Chiefs, Patriots, and Chiefs. JuJu holds a record of 448 receptions for 5,279 receiving yards and 34 touchdowns. This season, he played 14 games, getting 18 receptions for 231 yards and scoring 2 touchdowns. The WR’s career has been full of ups and downs, with his career-best in 2018 when he racked up 1,426 receiving yards. But none of these achievements would have been possible without the support of JuJu’s family.

Who Is JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Father, Lawrence Schuster?

Lawrence Schuster isn’t JuJu Smith-Schuster’s biological father, but he became the man who shaped JuJu’s life in all the ways that mattered. JuJu was just four when Lawrence walked in, steady and patient, and decided this wasn’t just a relationship with Sammy Toa, this was a family he wanted to build. He married Sammy two years later and never looked back.

Life in their household wasn’t glamorous. Money was tight, cars broke down, and dreams were the only luxuries they could afford. Lawrence hopped on the bus for work every day while Sammy juggled kids, schedules, and the chaos that comes with raising a big family. Still, Lawrence kept showing up quiet, reliable, and all heart.

He taught JuJu the sports that shaped him: football, rugby, and the grind that sits underneath both. JuJu watched this man work without complaining, sacrifice without bragging, and love without conditions. That stuck with him. It stuck so deeply that JuJu legally added Schuster to his last name as a tribute.

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So when JuJu made it big, one of his first moves was simple: he handed Lawrence the keys to a new truck. It wasn’t about the car. It was about saying, “I saw you. I never forgot.”

Who Is JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Mother, Sammy Toa?

Sammy Toa, also known as Sammy Schuster is the energy source of the entire Smith-Schuster family. She raised a crew of kids with more determination than sleep, and somehow still made every game, every meeting, and every moment that mattered.

If there were a Hall of Fame for sports moms, her bust would be front and center. She cheers loud, loves harder, and protects her kids with the kind of fire only a Samoan mother can carry.

She’s not just the emotional anchor either. She runs the business side too, managing Team JuJu Shop, helping lead the JuJu Foundation, and keeping the family grounded as JuJu’s career took off. JuJu never hides how much she’s meant to him. He once said, “She’s the rock of our family,” and he meant every syllable. Scroll through his social media and you’ll see family cookouts, hugs, goofy videos, real moments. No filters needed.

Sammy has always been the steady heartbeat in JuJu’s world. She’s the first voice he trusted, the first coach who pushed him forward, and the first believer who told him he was more than enough.

What Is JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Parents’ Ethnicity and Nationality?

Sammy and Lawrence both come from strong Samoan roots, and that heritage shaped JuJu long before the NFL ever noticed him. Their nationality is American, but their upbringing is deeply tied to Samoan values: respect, loyalty, community, and a sense of responsibility to something bigger than yourself.

He has always said that being Samoan grounded him. It reminded him who he was, even when fame hit fast and the world tried pulling him in every direction. The culture lived in their home in the stories, the food, the humor, and the tight family bonds that never wavered.

Inside JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Relationship With His Parents

JuJu’s relationship with his parents doesn’t fit the polished, picture-perfect mold. It’s real. It’s messy. It’s built from small sacrifices and loud laughter and long nights when nobody knew how things would turn out.

Sammy and Lawrence raised a blended family with eight kids and five younger siblings from Sammy and Lawrence’s marriage: Lawson, Oilau, Salaia, Pua, and Teuila. And one older sister from JuJu’s biological father’s side, So’omalo. The house stayed loud, crowded, and full of energy. JuJu grew up right in the middle of all that noise, learning how to lead, how to adapt, and how to take care of people.

Even after JuJu stepped onto the national stage, nothing changed at home. He still called his mom for advice. Still listened when Lawrence talked about discipline and work ethic. Still visited home like he was just the second-oldest kid in the lineup, not the superstar on billboards.

Their relationship is simple at its core: they loved him first, long before football loved him back. And he never forgot who held him together on the way up.