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Divorced from her sons’ father when they were 4 years old, Barber
raised Tiki and Rondé as a single parent. Times were difficult and money was often
scarce. So when Tiki and Rondé participated in athletic programs with registration fees,
they weren’t allowed to quit. From this Tiki and Rondé learned perseverance. After
the divorce, James Barber distanced himself from his sons. Rondé simply states, “I
don’t know him. I don’t know” what it’s like to have a father. When
asked if he’d like to get to know his father, Tiki responded,
“I’m not
ready to deal with that right now. Partly because, I feel like it would be for the wrong
reason. I’m someone who doesn’t like to be taken advantage of.” From their
father’s absence, they learned to appreciate their mother’s sacrifices even
more.
They also learned the importance of education from their mother who in
1996 realized her deferred dream of earning a Master’s Degree. Tiki, valedictorian of
his high school class with a 4.0 GPA, and Rondé graduated with business degrees from the
selective McIntire School of Commerce at Virginia. One would think that seeing her sons
drafted in the second and third rounds of the NFL draft would be the happiest day in
Barber’s life. Not so. On draft day, she “didn’t feel nearly as good as
[she] felt when their names were called at graduation [from Virginia].” Draft day was
a close second, however, especially when Tiki leaned over during dinner and said,
“Mom I want you to quit your job tomorrow. Rondé and I will take care of you.”
Tears welled up in Barber’s eyes.
M
August 1999
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