Despite having a bad upbringing by his father, Danny Trejo’s ended up being a fantastic father. He has a close relationship with his ex-wife and even treats her children as if they are his own.
One of those movie stars whose early years one would think would make a terrific movie is Danny Trejo. He was raised in Pacoima, in the San Fernando Valley, and was born on May 16, 1994. He grew up with his father and stepmother, who for some reason couldn’t abide the sight of children.
That prompted him to go for solace and company elsewhere. That was no small accomplishment considering that at the time, thugs-run crime and corruption completely took over the Mexican-dominated Echo Park area.
Gunfights and gang violence were constant occurrences at the park, so they had to always be on guard. Trejo had to spend a lot of time on the streets, therefore it didn’t take him long to become involved in gang-related matters. Trejo’s association with his law-breaking uncle Gilbert, who had a penchant for misdeeds, didn’t help matters either.
When he felt like it, he would rob businesses and other establishments at random, always bringing Trejo along. Trejo’s uncle had him using drugs, drinking beer, and stealing while they weren’t out robbing, despite the fact that he was just a young lad. He totally defiled Trejo before teaching him how to fight.
Gilbert attacked him with all of his power, of course, and Trejo once admitted that if he hadn’t learned how to handle it properly, Gilbert would have “beaten in” his head.
It had a significant impact on Trejo; by the time he was 12, he had developed into a very disturbed child, and between the ages of 12 and 13, he spent time in jail due to his fighting and armed robberies. He once acknowledged: “I was 12 or 13 when I went to juvenile hall for the first time.”
Around the age of 15, he developed a heroin addiction and began to sell it. In the years that followed, he was in and out of some of the most dreadful institutions, including Folsom, San Quentin, and Soledad. I’ve been in every prison in the state of California, the actor once claimed in reference to prisons.
Even though he kept returning, it ended up being just what he needed. During his time in prison, his passion for boxing became clear, and he used it.
Trejo even had a coach to help him realize his full potential. Soon after, he rose to prominence on the boxing courts at San Quentin, Folsom, and Soledad, three of the toughest prisons, where he became a force to be reckoned with.
In prison, he also became sober, which allowed him to focus on boxing. For Trejo, the sport evolved into a sort of support system that prepared him for a better life following his release.
The proud father of three children is Trejo. He had two of the three with Debbie Shreve, his most recent spouse, and he also had one child from an earlier union.
The gifted actor and Shreve wed in the late 1990s, and after nearly seven years of marriage, they decided to separate in 2007. Trejo filed for divorce two years later, but the case wasn’t resolved until 2019.
When Trejo had a child, he was 38 years old. He was a fantastic father, but he never seemed to measure up as a good spouse. He was aware that he didn’t want to treat the children he welcomed in the same way that his father and “tyrant” grandpa had treated him when he was a child.
Since he had a tough upbringing with his father, he finds it difficult to be a strict parent. Instead, he takes his kids on walks anytime they cross him or do anything wrong. He let them know that he was always there to encourage them rather than interfering in their lives. They simply understood that I was available if they ran into difficulties, he continued.
It also helped that his children were intelligent, a trait they inherited from Shreve, a lawyer before she was a nurse. Once, Trejo said:
“My kids were all rather intelligent. Thank God their mother is intelligent.”
The number of children Trejo has is unclear, however the actor has only acknowledged having three. Although he has a drug history, his children have never witnessed him using drugs or drinking.
Trejo holds being a father in high regard and has cited his children as his greatest achievement. Gilbert and Danielle, two of his children, were caught using heroin when Trejo intervened to help them.
Trejo was able to help his children with a 12-step program that, according to the proud father, was crucial in ending their addiction and keeping them from using again. This is because Trejo had firsthand experience with addiction and how to overcome it. Said Trejo:
“Thank God my kids liked and valued the support structure I had.”
The two youngsters were able to decide how they wanted their lives to go forward after they were clean; Gilbert exhibited an interest in acting, and Danielle began selling vintage clothing despite Trejo’s confusion about the difference between it and regular clothing.
She remarried a man who eventually left her with two autistic children after Trejo and Shreve’s divorce. Together, their son attempted to help as much as he could, but eventually Trejo had to take over. Once he clarified:
“Since that is his mother, I assumed control. We must keep in mind that she is the mother of our children, so I did everything I could.”
Trejo has never forgotten his son’s response, which was pleasantly impacted by the gesture. I’ll never forget my son telling me, “Dad, you’re raising the bar quite high to be a good dad,” said Trejo.
Due to their shared past and the fact that Trejo has children he has pledged never to abandon, Trejo decided to assist Shreve. It was too late to change how he felt; nothing could at this point. He stated:
They always know; they have to know that their dad is there no matter what, “I’ve never left my kids no matter what I felt or whatever with their mom.”
Trejo wasn’t a good husband, but he made sure the kids weren’t affected by his unsuccessful relationships. Many of us struggle with dating and marriage, but children last a lifetime, he said.
The actor volunteered to help his ex-wife raise her two autistic children exactly because of this, even though they were not his.
Trejo and Shreve co-founded a nonprofit for autism while also maintaining their close friendship. It’s just one of the many ways Trejo is known for helping people.
He fed numerous hospital employees for free last year during the pandemic thanks to his food business, and he is known to still devote some of his time assisting addicts in sobriety. In fact, Danny Trejo has emerged as a positive role model who overcame his past to become a better father and man.
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