‘Was Very Supportive’- Serena Williams’ Husband Alexis Ohanian Unveils Early Career Struggles With a Heartfelt Ode to His Mom

How important is it to have a strong foundation for success? While the responses may vary, for Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian, it surely does. Behind the Reddit co-founder’s remarkable success lies many influential women in his family. But the most significant is his mother, Anke Ohanian. Reflecting on her support, Ohanian shared a story that highlights the profound impact of his mother’s encouragement – something that truly inspired him to reach seemingly unattainable milestones.

Alexis Ohanian has gained a strong reputation on social media as a devoted father. But, do you know his inspiration was? His mother. Reflecting on her influence on his life and how it developed his role as a father, the Reddit co-founder shared that he was 21 or 22 when his mother had cancer. That incident changed his relationship with his mother. He sees his role as a father from that perspective understanding how he didn’t value things at the right time. He understood his parents’ sacrifices and how he had more to offer to his kids. Recently he shared another detailed information about his relationship with his parents, especially with his mother who helped him grow professionally and personally.

“I told this woman I wanted to be a professional waiter in high school cause I was so good serving at Pizza Hut. My Boss, Tony, he was like, ‘Hey you know instead of going to college I think, you could do this full time. Like you’re really good.’ And I was like, ‘ I could move to New York and he’s like, ‘You could move to New York. You can make a great career out of this. And so I remember going home and telling my parents, “ ‘I was thinking going not to college.’ And the last thing you would tell an Armenian dad is that you’re not going to go to college,” he revealed to Jay Shetty. His statement might push his followers to believe that his parents probably reacted negatively after this. However, the truth was quite the opposite.

He continued, “And, my dad, to his credit, didn’t say anything. My mom, though, so sweet. She was like, ‘Look,  whatever you do, I know you’re going to be best at it. I know you’re going to work your hardest. Why don’t you start with a budget and figure out what it would cost to live there and then how much you will get paid and see if that’s something you want to accomplish.” Alexis Ohanian’s words shed light on a mother’s pure affection for her kid being balanced with practicality. Despite wanting to quit college, he saw his mother being extremely supportive of his career choice – something that defined how he looked at their relationship.

For Serena Williams‘ techie husband, his parents have helped him immensely in his dream. He once revealed how his parents bought a computer with their savings and kept it in Ohanian’s room. They also let him do everything with the computer as long as he could fix it to its previous condition. His revelation is a testament to his incredible relationship with his parents. After his mother passed away from cancer in 2008, Ohanian continued her legacy through the 776 Foundation to empower people with life-changing ideas. A truly beautiful thought, isn’t it? In fact, Ohanian’s reason to sell Reddit too was personal. He recently talked about it giving a peek into the challenges that changed his life.

Alexis Ohanian revealed his reason for selling Reddit amidst his mother’s cancer

Serena Williams’ husband founded Reddit with his partner Steve Huffman in 2005, shortly after graduating from the University of Virginia. However, they decided to sell it to Conde Nast the next year in 2006 for $20 million. While the decision brought him financial progress, the choice was driven by personal reasons. When Ohanian was at the peak of his entrepreneurial career, his mother Anke Ohanian was diagnosed with brain cancer. Reflecting on his decision, he said he felt surreal about making money for 16 months, equivalent to his parents’ earning their entire work lives. “It felt like I’d gotten away with something,” he exclaimed.

Immediately after this realization, he added how the money helped him to take care of his mother, who was going through extensive treatments including chemotherapy. The Reddit co-founder believed the money brought him the financial security to offer his mother the best possible treatment. However, this dedication didn’t grow by itself; it was developed by his parents’ lifelong love and support.

Serena Williams’ husband has inspired generations through his sincerity and commitment to his family. Be it his parents or children, he hardly falls short of giving his 100%. Following his recent revelation, this Reddit co-founder proved again why his mother remains an influential figure in his life, guiding him through his life’s challenges with the memories she left for her son.