Keisean Nixon showed athleticism and skills right from when he was young. That raw talent found direction when he joined football. Cut to the present, he is one of the most talented return specialists for the Packers. But the strength and fearlessness that he shows in the field is extraordinary. And the motivation behind that relentless spirit, though, comes from his mother, whom he calls his “everything.”

Who are Keisean Nixon’s parents?

The Packers kick returner was raised by single mother, Dwanique Spiller, along with his siblings, older brother Keith, and younger twin sisters Keiarra and Keianna. Spiller is an inspiration. She did the job of parenthood while keeping up with her ambition, managing a schedule few could imagine. While providing for her children, she worked full-time and pursued her education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business management, an MBA, and later, a master’s in human resource management.

Now, she works as a project manager for NV Energy, Las Vegas’ primary electricity utility company, while she is undergoing treatment for breast cancer after getting diagnosed in April 2022. However, that never stopped her from going to the games to watch her son play.

Even when Nixon sat on the bench, she was there for her son. Like Spiller, Nixon has always balanced his work and personal life. During the offseason, he makes a point to take his mother on trips. The family went to Hawaii, Florida, and Disneyland. “He is really a mama’s boy. He tries to play the tough guy, but he really is a mama’s boy, (as per Wisconsin State Journal)” Spiller shared during one of her interviews.

And while he’s on the field, he takes up multiple roles where he is needed to cover the receivers and intercept passes. This is again something that he seemed to have taken on from his mother.

Inside Keisean Nixon’s Relationship with His Parents

Spiller began working at a very young age. At just 15, she took a job at a bank. From there, she steadily built her career while also giving her children the love, care, and support they needed. And it was her consistent hard work and steady job that allowed her to provide a better life for her family. She never had to rely on Section 8, California’s housing assistance program.

She chose to rent houses so her kids could have yards to play in, ensuring they never had to experience apartment living. She summed it up by saying that as a parent, you sacrifice and do whatever it takes for your children. “So, you sacrifice. You do whatever you can do,” she said.

Even then, she continued to look for better opportunities for herself and her kids. For that end, the family was always on the move. From Compton to Long Beach, then out to the Inland Empire, they moved almost every year. Spiller was always chasing something better. It was for her kids, better schools, better sports teams, or just a better location.

And it wasn’t for nothing. Nixon’s talent was showing early. Before he was even old enough to play football, Spiller put him in a snowboarding daycare (as per The Athletic). When she came back, the instructors told her she was wasting her money. He already knew what he was doing.

But the tough time for the family came after Spiller’s diagnosis.

A Closer Look at Keisean Nixon’s Relationship with His Parents

Although she was diagnosed at Stage 1, it was hard for Nixon to process. The Packers’ medical staff reached out to his former team, the Raiders, to help find the best oncologist for Nixon’s mother. “It was hard. Really hard. I had just got here, was getting comfortable, and then she hit me with the news. I’m trying to understand, trying to focus on her. … I was worried,” he said.

Even after undergoing multiple surgeries and radiation, it took Spiller a while to feel well enough to travel to Green Bay to watch her son play. “I knew where she was in the stands. She was behind our bench. Before my first return, I found her and I was looking right at her. That meant everything to me. You only get one mom in this life. That’s my world and my heart. I’ve got to take care of her, and I’ve got to make plays for her,” Nixon said.

In an interview, she explained how tough it was on Nixon, who tried his best to join her for hospital visits in Las Vegas. “I try to stay upbeat, especially for my kids. I know it’s hard on Keisean. Anytime I’m in the hospital, no matter what, he’s there. He’ll leave the next morning to get back to Green Bay, but he’s flying in. He has to see that I’m OK. I can tell him I am, but he has to see it,” she shared. However, even amid these struggles, she was happy to see that her son had finally found a franchise he could call home.

Spiller’s struggles in life and her dedication to overcoming everything while staying strong have always inspired her kids. “How she raised us, she raised us off her actions. Not too many words. The way she carried herself, everything she did while we were growing up. That’s what I’m talking about. You are your mother’s child. She’s a huge, huge factor in my life.” And Nixon continues to learn from his mother and her journey, while inspiring those who are watching him.