For most of his life, O.J. Simpson was a very popular figure. He was an outstanding athlete, had a career in the film industry, though he's arguably also one of the most controversial figures in American history. Much has been written about his career in football, his trial for murder, and his subsequent legal entanglements. However, less attention has been paid to his family life. Behind the headlines and the courtroom drama, O.J. Simpson had significant family ties, and fathered several kids.
On April 10, 2024, the legendary athlete died at the age of 76 due to prostate cancer. While the news of his passing was overshadowed by his controversial legal issues, some people sympathized with his family. Following his death, many have also wondered about the family and kids of O.J. Simpson. He is succeeded by four children. Here’s what we know about them.
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Arnelle Simpson
Born on December 4, 1968, Arnelle Simpson is the first of three kids O.J. Simpson shares with his first wife, Marguerite Whitley. Not much is known about the 55-year-old woman as she has lived a very private life. However, throughout her father’s legal troubles, she was very supportive of him. When she spoke to the parole board during a hearing in 2017 for her father, it was clear she loved him, despite everything.
“My experience with him is that he’s like my best friend and my rock,” she said. “As a family, we recognize he's not the perfect man, but as a man and a father he has done his best to behave in a way that speaks to his overall nature and character,” she continued, emotional. It’s currently unknown what their relationship was like right before O.J. passed. However, Arnelle Simpson was certainly the most active and visible of O.J. Simpson’s kids throughout his complicated ordeal.
Jason Lamar Simpson
The second of O.J. and Marguerite’s kids, Jason Lamar Simpson was born on April 21st, 1970. In his early years, Jason was inseparable from his father, and was seen with The Juice often. However, after things took a tragic turn in 1994, their relationship took a hit. Although he is probably the most popular of the Simpson siblings, Jason lives a very private life. According to a piece published by The LA Times in 2017, he was working as a chef at St. Cecilia, a restaurant in Atlanta.
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Aaren Simpson
On September 24th, 1977, O.J. Simpson and Marguerite Whitley welcomed the last of their three kids, Aaren Simpson. However, the child sadly drowned right before her second birthday in 1979. The incident shook the entire family. Simpson barely ever addressed it afterward.
Sydney Brooke Simpson
After Simpson and Whitley divorced in 1979, the former football player got together with Nicole Brown. Subsequently, the pair tied the knot on February 2, 1985. Several months after their marriage, O.J. and Nicole welcomed the first of their two kids, Sydney Brooke Simpson. She was born on October 17, 1985. Since her mother’s tragic death in 1994, Sydney’s relationship with her father has been strained. She moved to Florida with her brother Justin in 2000, where she has spent most of her time since. In 2010, she graduated from Boston University with a degree in Sociology. Sydney Brooke now works in real estate, and owns several properties in Florida.
Justin Ryan Simpson
Justin Ryan Simpson is the youngest of O.J. Simpson’s kids. He was born to the former football player and Nicole Brown on August 6, 1988. Like his older sister Sydney, Justin Ryan also works in real estate, but as a realtor. Despite the drama surrounding his late father and their family, the 35-year-old seems to have lived a good life. David Brobeck, Justin and Sydney’s godfather, told PEOPLE in April 2024, “They've grown up, and they have their own families now, and they're doing really well.”