May, 2020: Leslie Joyce dared not utter a single word. With one hand over her mouth, she watched in awe as the huge screen lit up and a familiar voice shook the living daylights out of her. It was the man who she’d idolized for two decades. After her 32-year elementary school career came to an unceremonious end, courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic, Joyce was already in low spirits. What was supposed to be a memorable and intimate farewell party commemorating years of her loyalty to Sprucewood Elementary, turned into a socially-distant car parade minus the smiling faces. So when Brett Favre came on screen, it seemed Leslie had found life again.

“Hello Les. Happy retirement! Wishing you the absolute best…Takes a special person to teach. Takes an even more special person to be good at what they do, and to be liked by so many. YOU are that person, and Kudos to you! You deserve to ride off into the sunset,” he told the die-hard Green Bay Packers fan. But it wasn’t just a special occasion for the retired educator. It was also a personal cause for the 3x MVP—one he’d commemorate four years later again. But before we get to that…

Born and raised in Gulfport, Mississippi, Favre grew up with a front-row seat to the world of education. His parents, Bonita Ann and Irvin Ernest Favre, were both teachers in the Hancock County School District. So even after becoming an NFL legend, Favre, now 55, has never stopped honoring the heart of teacherhood. Time and again, he visits schools, gives back, and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with educators, shaping young lives. And, on Thursday, he stood up yet again, with a strong message for the people who really matter.

As per an Instagram post, the retired quarterback and his wife, Deanna, visited a school to spend some quality time with the kids. While he didn’t mention the name of the institute, his caption made the reason for the visit crystal clear. “Both my parents were educators, so I believe it’s teachers who truly care about their students that are going to make the biggest difference in those young people’s lives,” Brett Favre wrote. It’s clear, his teachers and parents left a lasting impact on him, and that influence still runs deep. And, especially Favre’s father who wasn’t just a parent and an educator, but also the reason the veteran has reached so far in life.

With some tough love, countless hours spent practicing, and a fractured father-son relationship, Irvin Favre made sure his son reached the highest stage. “We talked football all the time…When your dad is the coach, you get extra coaching whether you want it or not.” Unfortunately, Irvin passed away from a fatal heart attack on December 21, 2003—a day before the Hall of Famer was to play against Oakland on Monday Night Football. But Favre decided to play. Less out of his love for football, and more for honoring his father in the best way he could.

“I knew that my dad would have wanted me to play. I love him so much and I love this game. It’s meant a great deal to me, to my dad, to my family, and I didn’t expect this kind of performance. But I know he was watching tonight,” the Super Bowl champ had said later. 13 years later, he did it again. In a Hall of Fame speech that spanned 36 minutes, including nine dedicated to his dad, the retired superstar said through tears of a life-changing moment:

“Deanna [my wife] says to me on the plane, you know your dad said to me he had hoped or could not wait for the day that you’re inducted into the Hall of Fame so he could introduce you. Up until that moment, I had never thought about the Hall of Fame. I mean no disrespect to the Hall of Fame, I had dreamed of playing in the NFL, believe me, way more than I thought about my school work … but I never thought of the Hall of Fame until that moment. So a new goal had entered my mind, then and there. And I said to myself: I will make it to the Hall of Fame.”

“So then and there, in that moment, on that plane, I was determined for selfish reasons, to get to this point. To acknowledge how important he was. I would not be here before you today, without my father. There is no doubt whatsoever. And I want you to know, dad, I spent the rest of my career trying to redeem myself…But I spent the rest of my career trying to redeem myself and make him proud … and I hope I succeeded.”

And, there was his wife, too, who stood with him through thick and thin, helping the ex-player to become a better man.

Brett Favre and his wife had a tough journey together

It has been 29 years since Brett Favre and his wife, Deanna, got married to each other. But as it seems all gold, it wasn’t like that earlier. Like other couples, these two, too, faced some serious setbacks in their relationship. Yes! The now-happy couple have been through some heavy storms together in the past.

From high school sweethearts in small-town Mississippi to a marriage tested by painkillers, public scandals, and even cancer, their journey has been anything but easy. Deanna opened up about it all on a new Netflix documentary, Untold: The Fall of Favre. She’s talked about the tough years, like when Brett was deep in addiction, or when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, or the heartbreak of losing her brother in an accident.

And yes, when the 2010 scandal hit, she didn’t hide. She leaned on faith and faced it head-on. Even in the Netflix doc that revisits those moments, it’s clear: their marriage wasn’t picture-perfect, but they kept showing up for each other. Deanna’s words show a mix of heartbreak and healing, as she revealed that, in college, she discovered “Favre had become a loud, rough party animal” and that he had a “mean” side.

As per Deanna, “He was horribly addicted to painkillers, partly as a result of all the injuries he played with. We got through that. He went to The Menninger Clinic and got help. We went through counseling together, and he was once again the best friend I’d ever had—and by now, my husband.” And also that there were times when the two had on-and-off relationships with each other for quite a long time.

Despite that rocky past, they’re still together. Two daughters, a lifetime of ups and downs, and somehow, still standing side by side. But the only difference is: They are happy now!