“I Didn’t Have a Perfect Mother”: Claressa Shields Bares Her Emotions in Mother’s Day Confession
“From the time I was nine years old till I was like 15 or 16, I loved my mom, but I didn’t like her.” Mother’s Day is a time when many celebrate the women who raised them, and for Claressa Shields, it’s no different, though the day also brings reflection. Despite a rocky past with her mother, Marcella Adams, Shields uses the occasion to honor how far they’ve both come and the strength they’ve found in their journey together.
This past Mother’s Day was no different! Their relationship is a complex mix, which is marked by significant challenges, specifically during her childhood in Flint, Michigan, where Shields has become a celebrated hero. ‘T-Rex’ grew up in a turbulent environment, like so many others in this sport, but her conditions were made worse by Adams’ battle with alcoholism. It contributed to a dysfunctional family, leading to Claressa Shields acknowledging she ‘loved her mother, but didn’t like her.’
Shields has claimed she believed that Adams would sell food stamps given to her family for drugs, which made their financial situation even more difficult growing up. Abuse has also been part of her life as a mere child by people around her, which ended up resulting in her getting sent to live with her grandmother until age ten. This betrayal led to her feeling abandoned and angry, which she later channeled into her boxing career.
Despite the issues between them, Adams played a crucial role in supporting Shields’ early boxing career, without which the sport might never have seen Claressa Shields conquer boxing the way she has done. Adams bought her daughter padded gloves, found a local gym, and drove Shields to the gym every day. This fueled Shields’ path to becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing in 2012.
However, the healing of their relationship truly began after Shields had a difficult conversation with her mother about the abuse she had suffered as a child. Encouraged by her coach, Jason Crutchfield, Shields finally opened up about the abuse she suffered at the hands of Adams’ own boyfriend at the time. This dialogue allowed Shields to express how the childhood trauma affected her feelings toward her mother. “That conversation we had made me love my mama.”
By 2016, their relationship had vastly improved!
Claressa Shields honors Marcella Adams as a warrior
In 2016, Claressa Shields returned to the Olympics for a second time and, just like before, brought home the gold, making history as the first American boxer, male or female, to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. The relationship with her mother also seems to have improved by this time, as she provided significant financial support, including buying her mother a house and two cars, and helping with bills.
Shields even celebrated her mother’s birthday in 2021, writing, “Happy bday to my mama! … So grateful that God loves me enough to bless me with 26 years with my mother & going.” Despite their improving relationship, Shields’ rising fame and success have caused their relationship to remain complex, even though Claressa Shields herself has never explicitly pointed it out. Regardless, on the occasion of Mother’s Day recently, Shields expressed her feelings about her mother.
“I didn’t have a perfect mother but I had the mother that I needed 🥹! She is a true soldier,” Shields wrote while sharing a couple of pictures.
That said, Claressa Shields’ relationship with her mother has seen its ups and downs, but today, they have reconciled their bond to celebrate a day every mother looks forward to. What do you think about Shields and her mother’s journey?