Tom Brady’s Wife Gisele Bundchen: What to Know

Tom Brady, once again, is set to compete in the Super Bowl. This time, he’s leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Of course, Brady’s world does not just revolve around football — he’s also a dedicated family man. The quarterback has been married to model Gisele Bundchen since 2009. They share two children together, son Benjamin and daughter Vivian (Brady also has a son, Jack, whom he shares with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan). Given that you may have some questions about Brady’s family, what do you need to know about Bundchen?

Bundchen grew up in a small town in southern Brazil along with her five sisters, including her twin Patricia. Just like her husband, Bundchen is at the top of her respective industry. She began her modeling career at 13 years old when she was won her first modeling competition in her native São Paolo, per The Guardian. She moved to New York City when she was 18 and soon took the modeling industry by storm. Bundchen made her catwalk debut for Alexander McQueen, who dubbed her “the Body.” She became a sensation in 1999 and would go on to appear on more than 1,200 magazine covers.

She reached the height of her modeling career in 2004, which, she told The Guardian, also came as she “hit rock bottom.” At the time, she was 24, dating Leonardo DiCaprio, was the face of Victoria’s Secret, and landed her 76th cover of Vogue. Bundchen explained to the publication that her lifestyle during this period of time inspired her to make major changes for her personal well-being. She said, “When I had a panic attack, I thought I was going to die. I was scared. I couldn’t breathe. And what I realized was that I am creating this for myself: we are creating the lives we are living with our actions and we have a choice. I chose to come into [my routine] because it was a tool that I found to heal myself.” While the height of her career may have come over a decade ago, Bundchen is still one of the highest-paid models in the world.

Bundchen married Brady in 2009. They held two wedding ceremonies, one in Los Angeles and another in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, according to Good Housekeeping. They welcomed their first child together, Benjamin, in December 2009. Bundchen gave birth to their daughter, Vivian, in 2012. The model has a great relationship with Brady’s eldest son, Jack, whom she calls her “bonus child.”