Puka Nacua Parents: All About Penina and Lionel Nacua

Puka Nacua was born to Penina Nacua and Lionel Nacua in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver has often credited his parents for shaping his football career and his character. His father, Lionel, died from diabetes complications when Puka was 11 years old, leaving Penina to raise six children on her own.

Who Was Lionel Nacua?

Lionel Nacua was a former wrestler and a devoted football fan. He trained his five sons to play football from a young age, suiting them up in shoulder pads and having them go head-on in one-on-one drills.

Lionel’s approach to developing his sons went beyond physical training. Penina recalled that on the way to games, Lionel would make Puka sit in the passenger seat and watch film of his favorite defensive players, including Troy Polamalu and Lawrence Taylor. Puka has said Lionel was like a “master planner” who could see things before they happened and put the right people in place.

Lionel’s dream was for his sons to play football at BYU. That dream was eventually realized. Four Nacua brothers played at BYU, with Puka transferring there from Washington.

Lionel died at age 45 from diabetes complications, just 15 days before Puka’s 11th birthday. Puka has honored his father by wearing custom cleats supporting the Diabetes Foundation during the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign.

Who Is Penina Nacua?

Penina Nacua is the mother of six children and the central figure in Puka’s life following Lionel’s death. She raised five boys and one girl as a single mother.

Puka has spoken repeatedly about his mother’s strength. “The number one word that comes to my mind when I think of my mom is strength,” he told Rams Revealed. He has described watching her balance a packed schedule of practices and games for all her sons while dealing with the grief of losing her husband.

“My mother is everything to me and my family,” Puka told USA Today. “Being able to be the rock of our family and support us in that hard time… The strength of the single mother, being able to carry all of us kids and then to continue to carry on, it’s something that I use to call upon.”

Penina is Samoan, while Lionel was Hawaiian and part Portuguese. Puka has said the name Puka is from a Samoan background.

The BYU Transfer and Family Sacrifice

Puka’s decision to transfer from Washington to BYU was driven by family. When Penina’s mother battled ovarian cancer, Puka wanted to be closer to home to support his mother as she cared for his grandmother.

“My dad passed when I was young, so I knew what it felt like to lose a parent,” Puka said. “Knowing how that feels, I knew what my mom was going through, and me and my siblings all just rallied around her.”

Puka’s Ongoing Connection to His Mother

Puka maintains a close relationship with Penina. He video calls her at least once a day, and he calls her from the locker room after every game, including when he scored his first professional touchdown.

In 2024, Puka bought his mother a new car. On Mother’s Day in 2025, he gave her a shoutout while watching his brothers play in the UFL. “My mom was our head coach and the general manager,” he said. “She made sure there was love at the dinner table for sure.”

Puka has also spoken about apologizing to his mother after a turbulent 2026 offseason that included a rehab stay and off-field incidents. “There have been some things that obviously happened this offseason that haven’t been the truest reflection of who I believe I am or how my mother raised me,” he said. “There’s definitely been conversations with her to apologize.”

The Nacua Siblings

Puka is one of six children. He has four brothers and one sister. His older brothers Kai, Isaiah, and Samson all played football at BYU. Kai reached the NFL as a defensive back, while Samson spent time in NFL training camps and played in the UFL. Puka is also related to NFL offensive lineman Penei Sewell through family connections.