Kyle Van Noy calls adoption the foundation of his marriage as he opens up about a life-changing family journey (Getty Images)
She was 11 at the time and watched her family go through the process of bringing him home. In 2014, shortly after he was drafted, they established the Van Noy Valor Foundation to support adopted, foster and disadvantaged children. Their own family grew when Marissa became pregnant with their first child, Trae, in 2019. When their daughter Giavanna was born in 2022, he felt far more prepared to answer the doctors’ questions.
“It’s the foundation of us,” Marissa, 34, tells PEOPLE in celebration of Adoption Month. “And my parents both have six siblings on each side, so when we were around family, I’d be like, ‘I don’t look like anybody,’ ” Kyle recalls. Kyle says his parents did not discuss adoption in detail until he reached high school. “So it took her a while, but I’m grateful, she has always been supportive, she has always been my mom, so that’s my mother,” says Kyle. During a Walmart trip with Travis, a woman noticed the two boys and confidently told them she could see their resemblance. I felt like I knew, and that was the main reason why we did it and got all the information we needed,” says Kyle. Marissa says meeting children, listening to their stories and offering encouragement have been among the most rewarding parts of their work.
For Minnesota Vikings linebacker Kyle Van Noy and his wife, Marissa, adoption has never been just a family decision. It is part of their shared history, one that shaped their relationship long before they became parents. Both grew up with close ties to adoption, giving them an understanding of what it means to welcome a child into a family. That connection later influenced their charitable work, their own journey into parenthood and Kyle’s decision to learn more about his biological background. Adoption was one of the first things Kyle and Marissa discovered they had in common when they met in college. Kyle was adopted by Layne and Kelly when he was barely two months old, while Marissa’s father and younger brother were also adopted. The subject came up early in their relationship, possibly during their first date. Marissa remembers the adoption of her younger brother particularly well. “Just wanting for years to have that missing puzzle piece in our family and then finally having it. I start crying every time I talk about it, but I love my little brother so much. He’s definitely the missing puzzle piece to our family,” Marissa shares through tears. Kyle’s experience was different, although his family made sure he never felt out of place. Around the age of five or six, he began noticing that he did not physically resemble the other members of his extended family. With both his parents having six siblings, family gatherings often made that difference more noticeable. His mother, however, remained protective of him and his brother Travis. His mother eventually became comfortable with him exploring his biological family history. One memory from his teenage years still makes him smile. For Kyle, it was a reminder that family goes beyond physical similarities. Kyle and Marissa turned their personal connection with adoption into action after his NFL career began. That experience prompted Kyle to look more closely into his biological background, particularly after doctors asked him questions about his medical history. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines Marissa remembers how difficult it was for him to provide answers. “I think that sparked a lot of interest for him, just knowing medically and genetically. Kyle eventually gathered the information he needed. “I was more comfortable when the doctors were asking questions when my daughter was born. I didn’t feel dumb this time around. The foundation has also given the couple an opportunity to connect with families facing experiences similar to their own. For her, seeing young people recognise what Kyle has achieved carries a special meaning. His journey offers them a reason to believe that their own circumstances will not define their future. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.