Carmelo Anthony’s parents didn’t get the chance to raise their children together and watch them grow. Carmelo’s mother sacrificed everything to ensure his son had a bright future.

The NBA star is the son of Carmelo Iriarte and Mary Anthony. In an episode of “Finding Your Roots,” Carmelo discovered more about the lineage of his activist father, who was of Puerto Rican descent.

During the episode, Carmelo learned more about his roots tracing back to his great-grandmother. She was sold as a slave to Puerto Rico during the Venezuela revolution in the 1800s.

Carmelo’s mother, Mary, is an African-American born in Bishopville, South Carolina—she is the second born of 12 children. Carmelo’s mother was a passionate basketball player in high school, which she passed down to her son.

Even though she began playing the sport in an era of many stereotypes about girls engaging in a half-court game, Mary played full court during her last two years in high school and ran track.

Melo’s Father Carmelo Iriarte’s Death Brought His Son Closer to Him

Carmelo’s activist father passed on after battling cancer, leaving behind his two-year-old son. Growing up without a father figure wasn’t easy for the NBA player; to fill that gap, Carmelo formed relationships with other family members.

Carmelo Anthony’s Parents: Mary Anthony Raised Him Alone after Dad’s Early Death

Of course, his loving mother was always by his side, but growing up, he received cold feet from his stepfather, who never seemed to like him.

The people Carmelo turned to as father figures were his older brothers and cousins, but their fate seemed like signals of red flags. They constantly got involved with violence and drugs within their neighborhood.

In 2015, Carmelo celebrated his dad on Father’s Day with a heartwarming tribute that he wrote on his Facebook page. In his post, the athlete shared a photo of his late father alongside an emotional message stating that his father’s death brought him closer to him.

When Carmelo’s father died, his mother struggled to raise him and his siblings; her main goal was to see her kids succeed.

The post attracted many comments from his fans, who gave him words of encouragement and told him that his father was proud of the accomplishments he had made.

Mary Anthony Saved up Her Wages from Multiple Jobs Just to Send Her Son to Private School

When Mary lost her husband, she was left with the sole burden of raising the four kids she shared with him. She worked multiple jobs to raise enough money to take her son to the best schools.

Unlike other parents who become their kid’s managers once they spot their talent, Mary said she would always be her son’s mother and not his business partner. Mary stated that she recognized her son’s talent at an early age, but education was more important at the time.