It was actually “Big Frankie” who introduced LeBron to basketball.Fast-forward a few years later, and LeBron would have an astronomic and highly publicized rise to fame. When she was 16, James gave birth to her only son, At age 19, her mother who helped her raise her son passed away due to a sudden heart attack on Christmas morning. This changed everything for Gloria and her only son, and all of a sudden, all their hard work and perseverance were rewarded a hundredfold.In 2003, months before LeBron was drafted in the NBA, Gloria gifted her son a $50,000 Hummer H2 for his 18th birthday, which she reportedly even took out a loan for. To make matters even more difficult, LeBron’s grandmother suffered a heart attack and passed away when he was only three. She was the one who allowed him to move in with a family of Frank Walker, a local youth football coach. Being the mother of a bona-fide superstar, Gloria has also had her fair share of time in the spotlight. Gloria Marie James is a proud mother of her celebrity son, LeBron, and she came into the limelight only after James became a celebrity athlete. “It was the hardest decision I'd made in my life," says Gloria, now in her 40s. She was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. She spent her childhood, adolescent years and early adulthood in Akron, Ohio. It was about him. "But it was also one of the best. At that time in his life, he needed stability.

We shine the lights on her again today as we present our everything-you-need-to-know piece on Gloria James.Gloria Marie James was born on Feb. 4, 1968. Gloria Marie Jameshad LeBron, her only son, when she was only 16.

She knew that she could no longer support LeBron, so she sent him to live with his football coach at that time, Frank Walker, and his family. Afterward, James began playing basketball from an early age of nine. James is the daughter of Freda James and two brothers Curt and Terry James. Unfortunately, Freda passed away when LeBron was just 3 years old, and Gloria, who was just 19 at that time, struggled mightily to raise her son as a single mom.Gloria was unable to find a steady source of income, which resulted in their small family bouncing from apartment to apartment for several years. Let's know more about Gloria and her son LeBron is detail. Gloria Maria James' Bio, Age Gloria Maria James stands at the height of … She did not graduate from high school, which made finding employment much more difficult for her.Gloria made one of the most difficult decision of her life at age 24 — LeBron was nine at that time — when she sent her son away to live with a different family. She would have to raise her son on her own. Gloria Marie James was born on Feb. 4, 1968. Gloria Marie James (born February 4, 1968) is an American socialite, and is best known for being the mother of National Basketball Association (NBA) player LeBron James. While there have been a few nasty rumors out there (Gloria is extremely close to her grandchildren. This caused quite a stir, with the Ohio High School Athletic Association even going as far as doing Gloria stood by her son’s side throughout his journey to the NBA, and they remain close to this day. I had to put him first." And in the case of LeBron James, his biological mother, Gloria Marie James, took all the onerous responsibility of raising LeBron herself. She has been there to help her son and his wife Savannah raise their three beautiful children: Bronny, Bryce, Zhuri.Gloria James has done a tremendous job raising not only one of the best basketball players ever, but a truly genuine, compassionate, and admirable man in LeBron James.Copyright © ClutchPoints.

She was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. At just 16 years of age, she got pregnant with LeBron, and he was born on Dec. 30, 1984.LeBron’s biological father, Anthony McCelland, has a criminal history and has never been involved in his son’s life. James struggled financially, moving about 19 times. Partner of iOne Digital / Cassius Network.

While James struggled to find steady work, she realized that her son would be better off in a more stable family environment, she allowed him to move in with the family of Frank Walker, a local youth football coach, who introduced James to basketball when he was nine years old. It was hard, but I knew it was not about me. This left Gloria to raise LeBron on her own with the help of Gloria’s mother, Freda James. Gloria Marie James, the mother of Miami Heat player LeBron James, was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida early Thursday morning, April 7, 2011, after getting into an altercation with a valet at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel. At just 16 years of age, she got pregnant with LeBron, and he was born on Dec. 30, 1984.