When you see Sunisa Lee fly. That's the first thing you notice, right? The way she catches an uneven bar like it's a casual greeting. But if you look at the sidelines, past the chalk dust and the high-stakes silence of the arena, there’s a massive, loud, and incredibly tight-knit crew that basically willed her into the history books.
The Suni Lee family isn't just a group of spectators. They are the blueprint.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild how many people think Suni’s journey was just about talent. It wasn't. It was about a backyard balance beam made of wood and an old mattress. It was about a community in St. Paul, Minnesota, that treats every victory like a communal win. And it was about a father who told his daughter to go compete for gold while he was lying in a hospital bed, newly paralyzed.
The Dad Who Built the Dream
John Lee isn't Suni’s biological father, but let’s be real—he is her dad. He met her mom, Yeev Thoj, when Suni was just two. He didn’t just step into the role; he dove in. When Suni was a kid and wanted to flip, John didn't just tell her to be careful. He built her a wooden balance beam in the backyard because they couldn't afford the fancy equipment yet.
Fast forward to 2019. Just days before Suni was set to head to the U.S. National Championships, John fell from a ladder while helping a neighbor. He was paralyzed from the chest down.
Imagine that for a second. You’re 16. You’re about to compete in the biggest meet of your life. Your hero is in the ICU. Suni almost didn’t go. She was ready to quit right then and there to stay by his side. But John, in true "Dad" fashion, wouldn't have it. He told her to go. He told her he’d be watching. And she went out there and finished second only to Simone Biles.
Yeev Thoj: The Quiet Strength
While John is the vocal motivator, Suni’s mom, Yeev Thoj, is the anchor. She’s a refugee who came to America from Laos when she was 12. She knows about struggle. She knows about starting over with nothing but a dream for your kids.
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Yeev has admitted in interviews that watching Suni compete is "hurtful" in a way—not because she isn't proud, but because the nerves are so intense. She’s the one who kept the household running while John was in recovery and Suni was training 30+ hours a week. In the Hmong community, the family unit is everything. It’s a collective culture. When Suni wins, the whole neighborhood in St. Paul wins.
A House Full of Siblings
Suni is one of six. Yeah, six. It’s a blended family that basically functions as a mini-army of supporters.
- Shyenne: Her "other half." They’re only 12 days apart in age. Shyenne actually helped choreograph Suni’s floor routine for the Tokyo Olympics.
- Jonah: Her older brother.
- Evionn, Lucky, and Noah: The younger crew.
You’ve probably seen the videos of them at watch parties. They aren't just polite clappers. They are screaming, jumping, crying-at-the-TV supporters. During the Tokyo Games, when fans couldn't travel due to COVID, the Lee family watch party became legendary. 500 people showed up at a Hmong event center to scream for "their girl."
The Hmong Heritage Connection
You can't talk about the Suni Lee family without talking about the Hmong people. Suni is the first Hmong-American to ever make an Olympic team. For a community that has often felt invisible in the American narrative, Suni is a beacon.
Before she left for the Olympics, the family performed a "khi tes" ceremony. It’s a traditional blessing where white strings are tied around the wrists to protect the soul and bring good luck. It’s spiritual. It’s deep. It’s a reminder that she isn't just representing a country; she’s carrying the hopes of a diaspora that survived a "Secret War" and built a new life from scratch in the Midwest.
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Surviving the Kidney Crisis
By the time 2026 rolled around, we all knew about Suni’s health battles. In 2023, she was hit with two different types of kidney disease. Her body swelled up. She couldn't grip the bars. She felt like she was letting everyone down.
Once again, the family stepped in.
They didn't push her to return to the mat. They pushed her to get healthy. They navigated the doctors, the medications, and the dark days when she thought her career was over. When she made her comeback for the Paris 2024 Olympics, she wasn't just doing it for herself. She was doing it to show that a diagnosis isn't a dead end.
Why Their Story Still Matters
What we get wrong about famous families is thinking they have it easy once the money starts rolling in. The Lee family still deals with the reality of John’s paralysis. They still navigate the complexities of being a high-profile immigrant family in a sometimes-hostile environment.
But they do it together.
That’s the "secret sauce." It’s not about the fancy gym or the Nike sponsorships. It’s about the fact that Suni Lee can go home to St. Paul, sit on the couch with her five siblings, and just be Sunisa again.
Real-World Takeaways from the Lee Support System
If you're looking to support a high-achiever in your own life, take a page out of the Lee family playbook:
- Prioritize the Person, Not the Performance: John Lee didn't care if Suni won gold; he cared that she didn't give up on her dream because of his accident.
- Embrace Cultural Identity: Suni’s strength comes from knowing exactly who she is and where she comes from. Don't hide your roots; use them as your foundation.
- Build a "Village": You don't have to be blood-related to be family. The Hmong community’s "collective" support is a massive reason why Suni survived the pressure of the world stage.
- Adapt to Adversity: Whether it’s a spinal injury or kidney disease, the Lees didn't ask "why me?" They asked "what's next?"
The next time you watch a highlight reel of Suni’s perfect 10, remember the wooden beam in the backyard. Remember the white strings on her wrists. That's the real story.
Take a moment to look into the American Kidney Fund's "Know Your Kidneys" initiative, which Suni now champions to help others navigate the same health hurdles her family helped her overcome.