Tim Tebow and his wife, Demi-Leigh Tebow, have enjoyed a happy four-year marriage, but their relationship wasn’t without early challenges.
In an interview, Demi-Leigh, 29, shared that she and the former quarterback, 36, initially had to go through a “language barrier.”
“Loving in a second language is different,” Demi-Leigh explained, noting her South African background. She recalled a misunderstanding after their first date when she told Tim, “Keep well.”
Tim remembered being puzzled by the phrase, as Demi-Leigh’s first language is Afrikaans. “I was like, ‘Keep well?’ … I don’t know if I’m going to see you again!” he told.
The couple met in 2018 at the Tim Tebow Foundation’s annual Night to Shine event, which serves as a prom for people with special needs.
“Demi had a little sister with severe special needs. [She] was kind of our matchmaker,” Tim said, referring to Demi-Leigh’s sister Franje, who had cerebellar agenesis and passed away in May 2019.
Although Franje couldn’t attend the event due to illness, the connection between Tim and Demi-Leigh began, and they kept in touch from there.
Since their wedding in 2020, Tim and Demi-Leigh have focused on philanthropic work, including supporting the special needs community and fighting human trafficking.
Tim mentioned their shared passion for helping others, saying, “I don’t know if she was inspired by me, but I was inspired by her.”
Tim expressed his excitement for Demi-Leigh’s upcoming memoir, A Crown That Lasts , which will be released on August 13. The book reflects on her pageant career and her journey to finding self-worth beyond temporary successes.
“It took so much courage to write about the hard moments in her life,” Tim remarked, predicting the memoir will encourage other women.
Demi-Leigh expressed gratitude for Tim’s support during the writing process, recounting late nights writing and Tim’s thoughtful gestures, such as preparing a hot bath with Epsom salts.
Tim previously praised Demi-Leigh’s memoir in a March Instagram post, highlighting the book’s potential to impact those struggling with their identity.
“I know this message will be life-changing for so many, me included!” he wrote, alongside a photo of them from December 2018 after she crowned her Miss Universe successor, Catriona Gray.
