5-Star OSU WR With Late NFL Father Opens Up on Single Mother’s Struggles in Emotional Admission

When Chris Henry Jr. steps on the field, honoring his dad’s legacy becomes his only goal. Growing up in North Carolina, his late dad, NFL wide receiver Chris Henry Sr., fueled his grind on the turf. But the backbone of his journey has always been his mother, Loleini Henry. When tragedy struck the family, she became everything—the provider, the protector, and the emotional anchor for them.

Chris Henry, in a conversation with G.O.A.T Farm Sports, emptied his heart, saying, “Just seeing how she worked so hard for us, how we appreciated our mom. That’s the reason we are right now. We’re just grateful for our mom.”

The struggles began in 2009. Loleini and Chris were tangled in a family dispute while at their family home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Loleini tried to leave, and reports say that Chris, in the process of stopping her, fell out of a moving truck and hit his head hard. He was rushed to the hospital, but the doctors pronounced him dead. Loleini was left to raise three children alone and go through her spouse’s loss.

For nearly fifteen years, Loleini did exactly that—raised her three kids by herself. Slowly, things fell into place. While Sieni and DeMarcus play basketball, Chris chose the gridiron in their father’s memory. As far as who helped the family, it was the football brotherhood that sprang into action before anyone else.

During those early years, the family leaned on help from Adam “Pacman” Jones, his father’s former Bengals teammate. He is someone that Chris Jr. has later mentioned as a father figure.

Now standing at 6’5, the 205-pounder is the No. 1 player in California and in the Class of 2026. After record-setting seasons at West Clermont and Withrow High School, his move to Mater Dei unlocked another level. While he is yet to begin his college career, coaches saw flashes of his father in him.  In a conversation with ESPN, James Griffin, his WR coach at Mater Dei, shares that Chris is just like his dad.

“I think everybody in his life wants to see Chris Henry Jr. play on Sundays,” Griffin said. “He’s working his butt off to be elite like that every day.”

In 2023, he gave his commitment to Ryan Day’s Ohio State. The Buckeyes are popularly known as the NFL WR pipeline. Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and others improved their craft under Ryan Day’s watchful eyes. In Columbus, Chris’s.

Chris Henry Jr. makes an emotional admission about his late father

Chris Henry was just two years old when his dad passed away in a tragic accident. Yet, he is still alive in his memories. In the game films and plays that made him a rookie icon at the Cincinnati Bengals. His bedtime ritual often includes watching his dad tear through the defenses. He never got to spend much time with his dad, yet the stories motivated him to make it big.

“Seeing my dad, uh, his highlights and stuff on YouTube and just hearing about it just made me fall in love with the game even more,” he shares. “I just wanted to be like my dad growing up. The legacy of late Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry shining on in Cincinnati each time this number 15 breaks the huddle down the sideline.

My grandma would always tell me personally, like just how similar I was to him, and just the legacy. It means the world to me to have his last name to be able to represent him. ”

As far as his dad’s favourite play, the Mater Dei player gets emotional. It was in September 2004, when the former NFL star took the Cincinnati Bengals to a 19-16 overtime win.

“I just picture myself there,” Chris shares. “I see myself in those moments. I see myself in those videos. I see myself in him.”

Henry Jr. is already touted as the No. 1 wide receiver in the upcoming class and is determined to keep his dad’s legacy alive.

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