Who Are Ciaro Santos’ Parents? All About Late Pilot Cairo Santos Sr. and Mom Magalie

What started as kicking a football on a concrete street turned into kicking one in an NFL game against the Tennessee Titans. That’s Cairo Santos’ story, the first Brazilian-born player to suit up for an NFL regular season game. He came to the U.S. on a study exchange program, but little did he know his whole career would start here. At 15, Cairo traveled from his home in Brazil to Florida. Not only did he get into American football, but he also found a second home—away from home.

Santos came to the U.S. to learn English, but his host brother, Tyler Burnett, lit a whole new spark in him. Shoutout to Cairo Santos Sr. and Magalie, his parents who believed in him and sent him miles away from home to follow his dreams. Let’s dive into the story of the Chicago Bears’ placekicker’s amazing parents.

Who is Cairo Santos’ father?

Cairo Santos Sr. was a commercial pilot for the Brazilian airline Varig. He’s the one who pushed Santos to head to the US for soccer. A proud dad, he was always there for his son’s big moments, cheering him on every step of the way. Santos’ dad was passionate about flying. After retiring, he couldn’t just sit at home. He wanted to keep flying. So, he bought a Cessna 152, a simple training plane, and taught Santos how to fly. When his son left home, he found another way to stay busy. He bought a top-of-the-line aerobatic plane and started performing at airshows.

Performing at airshows brought the family their biggest grief. Sadly, Cairo Santos Sr. passed away while performing a stunt on September 15, 2013. What happened that day is still unknown, but it completely shook Santos when his mom gave him the news. He was watching a football game when his mom called. What he thought was just a regular call turned into a nightmare. “My mom called me that night and I remember I was watching a football game—Sunday night football. I thought it was just a routine call to check on me.”

Santos returned to Brazil for his father’s funeral, accompanied by his host family, David and Kathy Burnett, whom he stayed with during his exchange program. Even today, the 33-year-old shares a strong bond with his second family. David Burnett remained a strong support system for him. He admits he can’t replace his biological dad, but he loves being there for him and doing those fatherly things. “To have that second family, especially a second dad when I didn’t have my real dad around,” Santos expressed his gratitude using these words for the Burnett family.

Who is the placekicker’s mother?

Magalie Santos, his mom, named him Cairo. Even though his dad has the same name, Santos says it was his mom who picked it.

Magalie was just like any other mom, always there for her son, showing love and care. She missed having him around when he left home. While he was away, she, along with her husband and Cairo’s sister Talita, would Skype him almost every day. “The first two months I had to Skype my parents and my sister a lot,” recalls Cairo. A year older than Cairo, Talita never expected to miss her brother as much as she did.

“I never expected to miss him so much because we were kids and we were always fighting,” recalls Talita. She’s always been there for him, a solid support system.

Aside from his mom, Cairo always had Kathy by his side. He’s said plenty of times how thankful he is to have the Burnetts in his life. He still splits his time between Brazil and Florida. While his sister is still in Brazil, his mom has moved to the U.S. to be with her son. Moving on, the

Bears’ placekicker has a family of his own now with two beautiful kids. His mom, Magalie, loves hanging out with her grandkids. He frequently posts sweet family photos on Instagram.

It’s safe to say the Brazilian star has found a solid support system in the form of his mother, sister, the Burnett family, and his own partner and children. But can he help his team win the next one vs. Packers? We’ll find out soon.