The City of Milwaukee has become more than just a place of residence for NBA sensation Giannis Antetokounmpo—it’s the heart of a transformative journey for his fiancée, Mariah Riddlesprigger’s. In an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE, Mariah shares her quest for identity and purpose within a life intertwined with a basketball superstar.
The 31-year-old mother-of-three acknowledges the challenge of carving her path while standing beside an NBA icon. “For the longest time, I struggled personally. What do I want to do?” Mariah confesses. “It’s hard to find your own identity sometimes because your life is so much them, your significant other, and what they do.”
Originating from Fresno, California, Mariah and Giannis, 29, are parents to three adorable children—sons Liam and Maverick Shai, along with their newborn daughter Eva Brooke, born in September 2023.
“I’m so much more than just his partner or his fiancée, and I wanted to find what I’m passionate about,” Mariah articulates. “It’s taken a while, but now that I’ve figured it out. It’s exciting, and I have so much drive to figure out how I can help other people with our family’s platform.”
The turning point arrived with the launch of the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation (CAFF) last year—a beacon of hope dedicated to empowering every individual, irrespective of their starting point or challenges faced.
Mariah’s commitment to community welfare traces back to her college days, nurturing an aspiration to work with NBA Cares or a nonprofit, fueled by a profound desire to give back.
However, it was during the preparation for Liam’s arrival that Mariah’s eyes were opened to the pressing needs of the community, notably the financial strain of providing diapers. “We didn’t realize how expensive diapers are until we were like, ‘Whoa, diapers are expensive,'” she admits.
Driven by empathy and a profound understanding of these needs, Mariah and Giannis initiated Maverick’s Diaper Mission—a heartfelt initiative to assist families struggling with the basic yet essential needs of their children. The couple’s first BIG Give Back diaper and fund drive in Milwaukee garnered overwhelming support, distributing over 30,000 diapers to 195 families and raising $188,000 for the city’s families in need.
For Mariah Riddlesprigger’s, this journey represents more than a philanthropic venture; it’s a testament to the power of finding one’s passion and utilizing it to create meaningful change within a community that has become an integral part of their lives.
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