Drew Afualo's Dad Tait Afualo Was an NFL Player and Now Runs a Business with His Wife

Popular TikToker and podcaster Drew Afualo is of Samoan descent due to her dad, former NFL player Tait Afualo tracing his roots there. Her parents influenced her in many ways.

Drew has found a large following on TikTok, where she gives her fans days filled with laughter from her funny monologues and occasional dialogue with family members. With over 330 million likes on her videos, she also feels the need to inspire her fellow Samoans that they could gain prominence in other endeavors besides the NFL and WWE.

The TikToker says the Polynesian matriarchal culture is a big part of her and is inspired by her parents' relationship. Drew's parents, Tait and Noelle Afualo, are successful businesspeople who own a financial company. Besides Drew, they have two other children and have been married for over two decades.

Drew Afualo's Dad Is of Samoan Descent

Drew's father, Tait, traces his roots to Samoa, where he was raised, but currently resides in Corona, California, with his family. He married Noelle, with whom he celebrated their 23rd Anniversary this April. The couple shares three children, two daughters and a son.

Although the ages of their children are not readily available in the public sphere, the oldest is their daughter Deison. She is followed by Drew, who, like their father, is also a celebrity. Lastly, Tait and Noelle have a son whose name is publicly unknown. He was 16 years old in April 2021.

Drew says that she learned a lot from her mother and older sister. They inspired her to be independent and confident while understanding that not everyone will like her. She said, "[Y]ou could be the prettiest, most in shape, conventionally attractive girl in the world — and there's still going to be somebody who doesn't like you for whatever reason."

With the family having a strong Samoan influence, Drew also explained why that Polynesian cultural background had influenced her approach to life. She pointed out that the culture is matriarchal, and she has been amazed at how her father has treated her mother, and the same goes for how the men treat their women.

Therefore, Drew is proud to use her fame to expose Samoan culture to the world. Consequently, she also wants her fellow Samoans to know that they can have the life they desire without the limitations of their physical or cultural attributes.

She explained that many Samoans are athletic, which has led to the belief that they are made to only play in the NFL or as WWE wrestlers when they can be so much more. For example, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been both an NFL player and a wrestler but went on to have a successful career as a movie star.

Drew Afualo's Dad and Mom Have Their Own Business

Tait is known for his time in the NFL, where he played for the Arizona Cardinals for four seasons. He was a late bloomer as he was up for the NFL draft in 2001 despite being 28 years old and already a father of three. Before that, he played football for Golden West Junior College in 1995 and Santa Ana in 1998.

After retiring from competitive sports, Tait joined the Orange County Sheriff's Department and worked there for another ten years. His LinkedIn profile shows he has worked for World Financial Group since March 2016. Despite retiring, he still spends considerable time in the gym.

Noelle has also been successful in her career in finance and is a public relations expert. She worked as a PR officer for two decades, receiving a high salary but working too many hours. Hence, her desire to help others regain their time after retirement inspired the couple to establish a financial planning business.

The couple founded Ohana Financial Partners, which offers services to help their community, including financial literacy, retirement planning, and business planning. With her wealth of experience in the cooperate world, Noelle is the CEO, and the company has been running since 2016.