Ravens‘ Deonte Harty‘s NFL career is incomplete without mentioning his parents! Joining the NFL six years ago, with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2019, he is now playing as a WR and return specialist for the Ravens. Transitioning from Assumption College to the NFL, he has truly made his parents proud.

From changing his name to Harty to honor his stepdad to inspiring his mom to become an entrepreneur, Deonte carries immense love and respect for his parents, Marlon and Lisa Harty.

Who are Marlon and Lisa Harty?

Marlon Harty, Deonte’s stepdad, is a sergeant in the Baltimore Police Department. He has been a part of Deonte’s life for the past 20 years since he was seven years old. On the other hand, his mom, Lisa, is an entrepreneur, taking inspiration from the simple smoothie bowl she used to prepare for her son.

His trainer introduced him to smoothies and açaí bowls as his workout meals. But when Deonte moved to New Orleans to play for the Saints, he wasn’t able to find the same quality in Baltimore.

It was then Lisa decided to experiment with it, and soon it sparked a business idea. Mama Harty recalls, “” had a neighbor… ‘Can I get a bowl? Are you selling bowls?’ ‘No, I sell cakes. I don’t sell bowls.’ So then I finally said, ‘OK, I’ll sell you a bowl.” Soon, she launched Enjoy a Bowl, which she initially operated from her kitchen.

Later, she opened a storefront at 11531 Wakefield St. in Baltimore County’s Greenleigh. Opening it in early 2022, she adds, “There will be nothing like Enjoy a Bowl in this section of Baltimore County so we expect to perform extremely well,” as mentioned in the FoxBaltimore.com article from September 2021.

How has Deonte Harty honored his stepfather?

Since the age of seven, Deonte Harty has lived with his stepdad, Marlon. He coached him in football and baseball and paid for his baseball lessons. Marlon and Lisa have been married for more than two decades, taking care of Deonte and his two siblings.

In a bold move, Deonte decided to honor Marlon by changing his name from Harris to Harty in 2021. As he revealed it to Marlon on Christmas that year, Marlon was moved to tears. Deonte recalls, “He tried so hard not to cry… You could see it,” as mentioned to WIVB4.com in August 2023.

Mama Harty has also been there to support her son, as Deonte refers to her as his ‘best friend.‘ He remarks in the same article, “If we don’t talk for a few days, people think there’s something wrong.” Across his college days at Assumption University and while he played with the Saints and Buffalo Bills, Lisa and Marlon have been by his side. From Baltimore, they used to drive six hours just to watch his games.

As Deonte established the Tay Nation Foundation, advocating for the mental health of Black men and boys, he took inspiration from his parents. Learning the tradition of giving from them, Lisa adds, “He wants to give back to those who don’t have what he has, so they can find the opportunities and the places to get the help that they need,” as stated in the Buffalo Bills’ article from September 2023. Indeed, Deonte has learned the best values from his parents, as he seeks to excel in sports and give back to the community.