Former Toronto star Kyle Lowry's mother has become a staple in Raptors' social community
Kyle Lowry's mother, Marie Holloway has become a staple in the Toronto Raptors' Twitter community.
With nearly 10,000 followers, Holloway, known as @BlessedMom07 on Twitter, is a fan favorite regardless of what team her son plays for.
“I would watch the games by myself most of the time," Holloway told the Toronto Star. "Cause my mom, bless her soul, couldn’t watch them live. And it was kind of boring watching the games and not having nobody to talk to and chill with. So I just started tweeting out.”
Holloway began tweeting about Raptors' games when Lowry was traded from the Houston Rockets to Toronto before the 2012-2013 season. "People never noticed me,” Holloway told the Toronto Star. But after an interaction with Kevin Joseph, cousin of former Raptor Cory Joseph, the Raptors' Twitter community realized the woman behind @BlessedMom07 was the NBA star's mother.
“What people really fell in love with was her live-tweeting," Joseph told The Star. "Actually interacting and connecting with the fans. Because Raptors Twitter is a real thing. Raptors fans that are on Twitter, they don’t play and they don’t mess around about their players.”
At first, Lowry did not approve of his mother tweeting, allowing herself to become open to online scrutiny and attacks from fans, but negative comments are quickly overshadowed with fans sticking up for Holloway, the beloved internet mom.
“It’s funny, I know one of the reasons that (Lowry) really didn’t want me doing it is because he didn’t want people attacking me and things like that,” Holloway said. “And I can handle myself. But what’s funny is when people do say negative things to me, like before I can even catch it or see it, somebody else is already like, ‘That’s Kyle’s mom, you don’t talk to her like that.’”
When Lowry was traded to the Miami Heat in August 2021, Raptors fans still stuck with Holloway.
“People gravitated to her because they could relate to her," Joseph said. "Someone who’s knowledgeable about the game, passionate about the game, and was also having a good time. She wasn’t so in a stratosphere of being untouchable because of who her son was. Because of how she raised him, and how she grew up herself and always having to work hard, being real and down to earth has always been her way. People love that. And people really feel connected to her to the point where it’s like, when Kyle got traded, can we keep Marie?”
Returning from an injury, Lowry is expected to play against the Raptors Jan. 29, but the game that fans and Holloway are looking forward is set for Feb. 1 in Toronto. It will be Lowry's first time playing in Toronto since February 2019.
Although Holloway is usual seen in Raptors gear throughout the season, she has warned her fans that Heat apparel may be seen.
“Maybe I should have somebody make a custom shirt with, ‘Miami is home, but Raptors are family’? So I’m saying ahead of time guys, please don’t be mad if I wear Miami gear,” Holloway shares laughing.
“You gotta know I’m going to go with my boy, no matter how I feel about y’all.”
Contact Analis Bailey at aabailey@usatoday.com or on Twitter @analisbailey.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Lowry's mom a star in the Raptors' social community
