How Dwayne Johnson’s First Marriage Shaped Him Into a Better Husband and Father Today

Some marriages don’t work out, and in those cases, divorce may be the best option for all involved. But divorce doesn’t always need to be hurtful or toxic and lead to depression. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson proves that it’s possible to go through a breakup, communicate one’s feelings, and still have the warmest relationship after.

How it all started

The Rock and Dany Garcia first met at the University of Miami in the early 1990s. He attended UM on a football scholarship, while she was completing her bachelor’s degree. “We first saw each other in the weight room at the University of Miami. I was in my senior year on the varsity crew team, and he was in his freshman year recovering from an injury playing football,” explained Garcia.

They got married in May of 1997 after dating for several years. In August 2001, they welcomed their first child, a daughter named Simone.

What happened

Despite their many achievements in both love and career, about 6 years after Simone was born, they started to drift apart before announcing their official separation. However, this wasn’t a typical split. The 2 talked and developed a new kind of friendship instead of breaking up their relationship permanently.

They truly didn’t have any marriage issues, according to Johnson. They understood that marriage wasn’t in the cards after Simone’s birth gave them “a new perspective” on it. Therefore, they made the decision to put an end to their romantic relationship and work together to raise their daughter as single parents.

“My divorce did a number on me. I wasn’t fearful of getting married again, there was just some hesitancy.”

Despite his healthy split from Garcia, the wrestler still had his reservations. Johnson met Lauren Hashian in 2006 while filming The Game Plan and, according to him, “Within 30 seconds, I thought, ’Wow, this girl’s stunning.’” Johnson learned valuable lessons from his divorce, leading him to become a better husband and father in his marriage to Lauren Hashian. He married his longtime girlfriend, Hashian, in August 2019. The couple has 2 kids together, Tiana Gia Johnson and Jasmine Johnson.

Garcia also moved on.

Garcia still works as Johnson’s business partner and manager. In 2012, they took things up a notch, co-founding a production company called Seven Bucks Productions. In 2014, Garcia married bodybuilder and fitness industry brand consultant Dave Rienzi.

A person’s perspective on life and love will surely change after going through a breakup, but the results don’t necessarily have to be negative. As we just learned, it’s up to you whether the event will change you for the better or worse.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned from a breakup? Tell us your story down below, we’d love to read it!