Tim Howard has had an illustrious career in the English Premier League, playing for elite clubs, Everton and Manchester United.
The former goalkeeper credits his success to his parents, Mathew Howard and Esther Fekete, who raised him in America.
Tim’s parents helped him overcome the setbacks of being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome to become the full-fledged international footballer he is today.
In this article, we’ll cover Tim Howard’s parents and their role in their son’s success in his career.
He has Hungarian and American citizenship
Where is Tim Howard from? Tim was born on 6th March 1979 in New Jersey, USA. His father is Matthew Howard, while his mother is Esther Fekete Howard.
Tim’s father is African American, while his mother is Hungarian. Therefore, Tim Howard’s ethnicity is mixed. He also holds dual citizenship in America and Hungary.
He is the grandson of Pal Fekete, a USSR resistance fighter
Tim Howard’s mother was still a child when her family departed from Hungary and sought asylum in the US.
Her father, Pal Fekete, had actively participated as a resistance fighter in the Hungarian uprising against the USSR in 1956.
Fearing persecution, Pal had to leave Budapest with his wife and six-year-old child, Esther Fekete.
He was raised in a one-bedroom New Jersey apartment
Mathew Howard worked as a truck driver. However, much of his life remains unknown after his divorce from Esther Howard. Tim Howard’s parents divorced when he was only three years old.
Even though Mathew was still in his son’s life, Esther struggled to raise Tim and his brother Chris alone in a New Jersey one-bedroom apartment.
Tim Howard’s mother worked multiple jobs to support her family. She enrolled Tim in a soccer school when he was six years old.
She also had to juggle between work and driving Tim to his soccer practices and tournaments. In an interview with ESPN in 2010, Esther Fekete stated:
“A lot of people saw the amount of time that I spent with my children and the activities and saw that as a sacrifice. I never did. I felt that was what needed to be done. You need to do certain things to raise them well, and that’s what you do … the best part is seeing my son achieve his dream.”
Unfortunately, her son Tim was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at grade six. However, sports helped him deal with Tourette’s syndrome by keeping him focused and avoiding distractions.
Despite his disease, Tim Howard managed to earn a scholarship to the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida. He overcame his setbacks to become a full-fledged international footballer.
He has an elder brother
The former goalkeeper has an older brother, Chris Howard. Tim Howard’s sibling inspired him to stand up for others as he stood up for him when they grew up.
However, not much is known about him and his whereabouts.
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