Mario Lemieux – Biography, Net worth, Foundation, Wife, Kids and Family Life

Mario Lemieux, Former Canadian Ice Hockey Player Popularly known as Super Mario, he is widely recognized as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. During his career, the superstar has made leaps and bounds with his fantastic playing abilities and unparalleled achievements. Interestingly, Mario completed seventeen professional seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League.

As a player, Mario was able to set so many NHL records and also recorded several awards in his name. For his brilliant contributions, Mario was inducted into the Hockey Walk of Fame in 1997. Additionally, he is currently the owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the team is among the top competitors in the NHL.

Mario Lemieux Bio

Mario Lemieux was born on October 5, 1965 in Montreal, Quebec City in Canada. He is the son of Pierrette Lemieux and her husband Jean-Guy. His father worked as an engineer and he grew up with his two older brothers, Richard and Alain. Mario developed a keen interest in hockey early on. He began his youth career at the age of fifteen while playing for the Viosins de Laval in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. During his youth career, he held a regular season record with 282 points in a single season.

Turning pro, he was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins as the first player in the total in the 1984 NHL Draft. He completed seventeen seasons with the Penguins and held several league records. Mario’s professional career was not looking good, as the star was diagnosed with cancer in 1993. This life-threatening illness forced him to end his hockey career in 1997. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November of that year..

After successful therapy, Mario returned to football three years later in 2000. He resigned from the Penguins and played for six seasons before retiring for good in 2006. Apart from the Penguins, Mario Lemieux also played for the Canadian national team ice hockey, which led him to gold at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002. He also helped the team win the 2004 World Cup, among other things.

Soon after his retirement, the Penguins faced bankruptcy and were on the verge of losing the team. Mario, their biggest creditor, took the opportunity to buy the team through Lemieux’s ownership group. Since 2007, Marios has done an excellent job of returning the Penguins to their position as one of the league’s top contenders.

Mario Lemieux’s Foundation

The ice hockey legend established a foundation called The Mario Lemieux Foundation dates back to 1993. The foundation is dedicated to cancer research and was established the same year he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Through his foundation, Mario was able to provide valuable support to several causes and charities. His notable donations have gone to the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center, as well as the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh and the Leukemia Society, among others.

Net worth: How much is Mario Lemieux worth?

The former hockey player and current hockey team owner got rich enormously; all thanks to his successful sports career. Mario Lemieux has an accumulated net worth of $150 million. He derived his wealth from his sports career as well as his team and other endorsements. Amazingly, his team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, won their third Stanley Cup in June 2017.

Family life: wife and children

Mario Lemieux isn’t just a successful sportsman; The hockey legend also has an amazing family. He is happily married to his college sweetheart and love of his life, Nathalie Asselin. The two met while in college and spent a lot of time together before tying the knot. Natalie is currently vice-president of the Mario Lemieux Foundation. The stunning couple walked down the aisle in 1993 and their wedding took place at Notre Dame Basilica.

Prior to their marriage, Mario and Nathalie welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Lauren. She was born just two months before their wedding. After that, the couple have three more children – Stephanie, Austin and Alexa. Stephanie was born in 1995 and the following year their son Austin was born. He was born prematurely and due to his condition, Mario and his wife started a project called Austin’s Playroom. The project is to build playrooms for sick children in different hospitals across the United States. The couple also welcomed Alexa, their third daughter and fourth daughter born in 1997. The happy couple have lived together for over two decades and there are no signs of any marital issues between them.