Highlights
- Deanna Favre (née Tynes) grew up in Kiln, Mississippi, where her mother Ann’s marriage to Kerry Tynes, who legally adopted her, provided stability and family values that shaped her character.
- As the oldest sibling, Deanna took on significant responsibilities caring for her younger siblings Christie and Casey while excelling as a student athlete in basketball and softball.
- Deanna’s humble upbringing and strong family foundation prepared her for her later roles as a breast cancer survivor, author, and founder of the Deanna Favre Hope Foundation.
Deanna Farago Tynes Favre, born on December 28, 1968, is widely known as a breast cancer survivor, author, and the founder of the Deanna Favre Hope Foundation.
But beyond her public accomplishments and marriage to NFL legend Brett Favre, Deanna’s story begins with a grounded upbringing in Kiln, Mississippi, shaped profoundly by her family and parents.
Deanna Tynes’ Mother Was A Single Parent
Deanna was born to a single mother, Ann, in Gulfport, Mississippi, and raised in the small town of Kiln.
A few years into Deanna’s early childhood, Ann married Kerry Tynes, who legally adopted Deanna and raised her as his own daughter.
Although she rarely speaks about her birth father, Deanna is unequivocal in how she sees Kerry, and she simply says,
“He’s my dad.”
Kerry Tynes worked at the local DuPont plant and did everything he could to provide for the family.
Ann, meanwhile, was a quality inspector at the John C. Stennis Space Center.
Together, they instilled in Deanna a deep sense of responsibility.
The Tynes Family Grew After Her Mother’s Marriage
After marrying, her parents had two more children: Christie and Casey.
Deanna, the oldest by several years, became a mother figure to her siblings.
From cleaning the house to cooking meals and caring for her younger brother and sister, she shouldered many adult responsibilities at a young age.
Christie Tynes Ladner once said,
“She was more of a mother figure. But I wanted to be like Deanna.”
Despite the weight she carried, Deanna remained focused, excelling academically and athletically.
As a varsity basketball and softball athlete at Hancock North Central High School, she became a role model not only to her siblings but also to teammates and classmates.
Friends from high school remember her as quiet, shy, and grounded; someone who preferred athletic competition over the spotlight.
Her humble roots and strong family values continued to shape her even as she transitioned into adulthood, motherhood, and advocacy.
Ann Remarried To Her Second Husband, Rocky Byrd
Later in life, Deanna’s parents divorced, and her mother, Ann, remarried. Her second husband, Rocky William Byrd, became integral to the family.
Rocky was more than just a stepfather; in fact, he was a confidant and companion, not only to Ann but also to Brett Favre himself.
Mr. Byrd passed away in July 2007 at the age of 56 due to a heart attack.
Brett described him as someone he felt “as close to as his own father,” recalling Rocky as “a simple man” who left behind lasting memories.
Rocky Byrd was a U.S. Merchant Marine veteran, a devoted family man, and an active member of St. John Catholic Church in Gulfport.
