Donald Glover Sr. Had a 'Really Gentle' Way of Guiding His Son through Difficult Times

Donald Glover Sr. is the father of the famous musician, writer, comedian, actor, producer, and director, Donald McKinley Glover, also known by his stage name, Childish Gambino.

Unlike his son, he was not in the entertainment industry, and his children were not exposed to the spotlight. He was also a charitable and religious man.

Donald Glover Sr. was a federal employee who loved his family. His commitment was evident in the relationship he developed with his son. Childish Gambino could confide in his father, who assisted him in dealing with life's challenges.

Donald Glover Sr. And His Family Did Not Celebrate Their Birthdays

Donald Sr. worked at the post office before he retired. He had two children with his wife, who ran a daycare center. After their sons were born, he and his wife adopted two children and cared for several other foster kids.

He was a Christian and was part of the Jehovah's Witness congregation. As part of his religious beliefs, he and his family did not celebrate birthdays or believe in magic or Santa Claus.

His wife also did not let their children watch certain shows on television. To instill discipline in their kids, she allowed them only to watch animal shows and slavery documentaries.

However, Donald Sr. was more lenient about what their kids watched. He sometimes allowed them to watch Bill Murray movies or other cartoon shows.

Donald Glover Sr. Inspired His Son with Important Thoughts

Donald Sr. loved listening to music, and his tastes influenced his son's approach to music, especially with the musician's third studio album, released in 2016.

He listened to albums by The Isley Brothers or from the funk rock band Funkadelic. He was also the kind of father who listened to his son and encouraged him to keep in touch with his feelings.

Donald Sr. always gave them context as to why things happened the way they did or why people think a certain way.

According to his son, he never dwelt on the negatives in life and always assured his son that things would be okay. He was also a gentle and good man. His son once said:

"My father was really gentle with us. Physically and mentally. [...] he was the only man I knew like that growing up."

Donald Glover Really Misses His Father

Sadly, at the end of 2018, fans of Childish Gambino learned that Donald Sr. had died. The musician shared the news of his father's death on the last day of his "This Is America" tour in Los Angeles.

Before his death, he was a supportive father who believed in his son and even had an active Twitter account to show off his son's work.

Donald Sr. was alive to witness the birth of two of his grandchildren by his son Donald with his longtime partner Michelle White. Unfortunately, he did not see the birth of their third child.

The couple who welcomed their first son, Legend, in 2016, had their second son, Drake, in 2018, and their third son, Donald III, in 2020.

The musician who once revealed that he really misses his father named his third son after Donald Sr. Being a father for the third time was an incredible, joyful, and expanding moment for him.

He constantly realizes that he now has the future in his hands. Despite his fame, his partner prefers a private life away from the media, and he once remarked that she is supportive and helped him to believe in people again.

The musician and his partner also plan to expand their family through adoption as his parents did. They plan to adopt a girl and have talked about it since they already have three boys.