Sumith Prasad
Hulu’s sports drama series ‘Mike’ centers around the true story of legendary boxer Mike Tyson, exploring his childhood, relationship with his family members, and career. The series also depicts his warm relationship with his mentor Cus D’Amato, who trains Mike for him to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history. As the series progresses, Mike wins match after match to become one of the greatest boxers of all time. However, rather than only focusing on his boxing achievements, the show also deconstructs Mike’s personal life, making one wonder about his siblings.
Who Are Mike Tyson’s Siblings?
Mike Tyson is the youngest kid of Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson and Percell or Purcell Tyson, per reports. He has two older siblings — elder brother Rodney Tyson and sister Denise. Rodney was not at all like Mike. When the latter got into trouble, which even led him to a juvenile detention center, Rodney immersed himself in science. “We’re black guys from the ghetto and he was like a scientist – he had all these test tubes, was always experimenting,” Mike wrote about Rodney in his autobiography ‘Undisputed Truth.’ Mike was enthralled to see his brother focusing on chemical experiments and having coin collections.
For Mike, as per the book, only “White people do this stuff.” While Rodney was busy with science, Mike grew closer to his sister, Denise Annette “Niecy” Tyson Anderson. “I spent most of my time with my sister Denise. She was two years older than me and she was beloved by everybody in the neighborhood. If she was your friend, she was your best friend. But if she was your enemy, go across the street,” Mike wrote about her in his tell-all memoir.
In addition, Mike has a step-brother named Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, the son of his step-father Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, while the Tysons grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Despite the racial tensions of the time, Jimmy Lee joined Myers Park High School, a predominantly White institution. Soon, he established himself as a famed football star. He eventually played football at Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Mike Tyson’s Brother Continues to Thrive as a Brain Surgeon, While His Sister Died in 1990
Mike’s brother Rodney Tyson eventually became a brain surgeon. “I have a brother that’s a brain surgeon. I can fucking barely read and write and this guy’s a brain surgeon and shit. A couple of my friends were shot; he went there and sewn them up. One friend says, ‘Mike, that’s your brother? Yes, it is my brother’” Mike said about his brother’s profession in a ‘Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson’ episode. Rodney has been working as a Physician Assistant at the University of Southern California in the city of Los Angeles, California, for nearly three decades.
Rodney is married to Tammy Tyson, and the couple reportedly has a son. They are seemingly based in Cerritos, a city in LA County. Unfortunately, Mike and Rodney’s sister, Denise Tyson, died on February 21, 1990, at the age of 24. As per reports, she was found dead by her husband in their house in the neighborhood of St. Albans in Queens, New York. The police revealed that she apparently passed away due to a heart attack. Denise’s death happened a few days after Mike lost his world heavyweight title to James (Buster) Douglas.
As per The Associated Press, she had diabetes and asthma as well. She is buried in Rosedale and Rosehill Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey. After his time as a university student, Jimmy Lee spent more than 30 years as an educator, coach, and administrator in the Portland school system. Charlotte Sports Foundation honored him by conceiving Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick Award, given to a senior football player from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). Jimmy Lee has chosen to keep his private life under wraps as well.
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