Have you ever spotted, David Montgomery’s tattoos? Sure, you must be wondering about that Heath Ledger’s Joker tattoo with a death stare that reads Bash! Turns out that tattoo is pretty much a reminder of a mindset that’s carried him through some of the darkest times of his life. His whole life, Arthur Fleck was misunderstood until he became the Joker. And deep down, Montgomery knows that despite being a Super Bowl contender, the RB often feels misunderstood.

“People look at me and think they know who I am and they don’t know me — by any means at all,” he says. “They label me for what they think that I am.” However, his life isn’t as simple as one believes. Behind his successful journey to the NFL, there’s the tragedy of losing loved ones and the support of his parents even in difficult times.

Who are David Montgomery’s parents?

Montgomery’s family was never one of luxury or comfort. The 27-year-old RB was raised by his mom, Roberta Mitchell, a single mother of five. Roberta worked tirelessly to keep things afloat in her household. Being a medical professional, she often worked double shifts as a nurse’s aide in dialysis. Alas, that wasn’t often to cover the financial expenses in the midst of juggling a thousand responsibilities.

Of course, Montgomery was watching her mother making sacrifices for her kids and family. And when he came of age, he turned to her Mom and made that one promise that led to the foundation of his successful career ahead. During high school, 5’11” Montgomery who played as a quarterback, realized that changing position was the only option he got to get college admission.

And one day out of the blue, he went to his mother and promised, “You’re never going to have to pay for me to go to college.” Sure it wasn’t an easy promise to make, but Roberta’s determination and support for her made it a reality.

As for David’s father, the running back does not know about his biological father. However, Montgomery wasn’t raised without a father figure. Montgomery has a stepdad, Sam, who during the financial struggles of the Montgomery household used to do double shifts. There’s not much information available on Sam’s professional and personal life as of now. But one thing’s for sure, Roberta and her son found ways to fill it with love, strength, and support during the unstable environment.

How have the Lions RB’s parents propelled their son to NFL success?

If you’re looking for a textbook example of perseverance, look no further than David Montgomery’s mom, Roberta. Montgomery often credits his mom for his NFL success as Roberta’s work ethic, especially during the earlier years was nothing short of heroic. The reason? Well, there were times when Roberta didn’t have enough resources to keep the heat and water turned on and bills went unpaid most of the time.

Result? The Montgomery family didn’t have hot water to bathe in the winter. They would purchase gallons of water and boil it. On the other hand, the family didn’t have heat during the winter. So, Roberta would turn on the stove and crank that temperature knob as far as it could go. But still, Roberta never stopped believing in her son.

And amidst all these struggles, Montgomery had to fight his inner demons when he lost his brother’s friend in a home invasion whom he regarded as a mentor. After some time, the running back lost his brother, Maceo, to prison. In 2015, Maceo was sentenced to 15 years to life for murder. Talk about a devastating turn of events for Montgomery. However, Montgomery remains in his brother’s contact and provides all help from his side.

After a struggling childhood and being raised by a single mother, David Montgomery is now a father of two children from his girlfriend. Thanks to his mother’s support and sacrifice, he was raised as one of the best running back for the Detroit Lions.