Who is Joe Girardi’s Wife, Kimberly Innocenzi?
Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi has been in the majors for more than three decades. He began his professional career as a catcher with the Chicago Cubs and later the New York Yankees. He caught a no-hitter and a perfect game before he became a manager.
Girardi is one of the most recognizable figures in the league but not much is known about the woman who’s been by his side all these years. Here are a few facts about his wife Kimberly Innocenzi, their relationship, and the heartbreaking loss they suffered before the birth of their first child.
Innocenzi and Girardi were college sweethearts
Innocenzi met her future husband when they both attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Girardi played on the Wildcats baseball team and was president of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Innocenzi was in the Tri Delta sorority.
The Daily Northwestern reported that one night at the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity house Innocenzi lost an earring. Girardi offered to help her locate the piece of jewelry and did find it. From there, the two began dating for a few years before Girardi popped the question. They tied the knot in 1990.
“She’s been the wind beneath my wings, which was the song at our wedding,” Girardi said.
Innocenzi obtained her master’s degree and worked as an elementary school teacher after college. Girardi majored in industrial engineering and stated that has helped him in his managerial jobs.
They are devout Christians
Innocenzi was raised a devout Christian and was instrumental in helping her husband find his faith.
“Kim introduced me to Jesus,” Girardi revealed The New Yorker, adding that it happened while they were at Northwestern. “We were sitting in the basement of the Tri Delta sorority house. Kim explained salvation to me, and I silently prayed to receive Jesus as my Savior.”
The couple experienced a loss before having their first child
Today, the couple has three children together. But they experienced a heartbreaking loss before the birth of their first child when Innocenzi had a miscarriage.
“That was one of the toughest things we’ve ever had to go through,” Girardi told The New York Times in 1999. “We thought that God had timed it perfectly. The baby was going to be born in November, so we’d have the whole offseason to be with the baby.”
He recalled, “I kept calling her that night and she wasn’t answering. I knew something was wrong. She started to blame herself. She took it a lot harder than I did. We went through a tough period until like a year later. It was much tougher for her because it was part of her. I just told her it wasn’t her fault. It was God’s will.”
Two years later, Innocenzi became pregnant again and gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Serena. The pair later welcomed a son, Dante, followed by another daughter, Lena.
