Meet Demetress Bell’s mom, Gloria Bell, and father, Karl Malone — the family behind the star
Demetress Bell's mom, Gloria Bell, and father, Karl Malone, were not involved in each other’s lives after his birth. Gloria raised Demetress largely on her own, as Malone initially denied paternity and had little involvement in Bell’s upbringing. Despite this difficult family dynamic, Bell achieved professional success in the NFL before eventually reconciling with his father later in adulthood.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Demetress Bell, the former NFL offensive tackle, is the son of Karl Malone and Gloria Bell (Williams).
- Gloria Bell was just 13 years old when she conceived Demetress in Summerfield, Louisiana.
- Karl Malone was a sophomore at Louisiana Tech when Demetress was born.
- For most of his life, Bell was estranged from Malone, who initially denied paternity and refused to provide significant financial or emotional support.
Profile summary
Full name | Demetress Carte Bell |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 3 May 1984 |
Age | 41 years old (as of 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Taurus |
Place of birth | Summerfield, Louisiana, United States |
Current residence | United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Religion | Christianity |
Height in inches | 6'5'' |
Height in centimetres | 196 |
Weight in pounds | 311 |
Weight in kilograms | 141 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Brown |
Father | Karl Malone |
Mother | Gloria Bell |
Education | Northwestern State University, Louisiana |
Profession | Former NFL offensive tackle |
Meet Demetress Bell's mom, Gloria Bell and father Karl
Demetress Bell, a former NFL offensive tackle who played for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles, was born on 3 May 1984 in Summerfield, Louisiana, United States. His parents are Gloria Bell and Karl Malone. Explore more details about them below:
Gloria Bell
Demetress Bell’s mother, Gloria Bell, was born and raised in Summerfield, Louisiana, United States. She was a neighbour and family acquaintance of the Malone family. In 1983, when Gloria was only 13 and an eighth-grade student, she became pregnant with Bell after a relationship with Karl Malone.
Source: UGC
Her family made the difficult decision not to press charges against Malone. This was reportedly because they did not want to see a neighbour jailed, and they believed that if he were imprisoned, he would be unable to provide any future financial support for the child.
Karl Malone
Karl Malone is Demetress Bell's biological father. He is an American former professional basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. Karl was born on 24 July 1963 in Summerfield, Louisiana, United States.
He is a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a 14-time All-Star, primarily with the Utah Jazz. Karl Malone was a 20-year-old college basketball player at Louisiana Tech at the time of Demetress's birth.
The legal fight behind Demetress Bell’s family story
After Demetress was born in May 1984, Gloria’s parents filed a paternity lawsuit in 1986 to secure child support. Though Malone initially denied he was the father, a DNA test later confirmed paternity with a 99.06% probability.
Source: Getty Images
As documented by Basketball Network, Gloria and her family eventually reached an out-of-court settlement with Malone in the late 1980s for $125 per week in child support.
Bell grew up with almost no contact from his father. They reportedly spoke only once when Bell was 18, at which time Malone told him it was too late to have a relationship and that he would have to succeed on his own.
Reflecting on his father's initial refusal to acknowledge him, Bell emphasised that he learned to stand on his own. He told ESPN in 2008:
I don't hate him for [not being in my life]. It made me a better person.... I've had to work for everything I've got.
Bell also opened up about his upbringing, saying:
I grew up around good people. I never turned to a father figure. I was lucky. I didn't need one. I'm happy. I don't need anything else.
Source: Getty Images
Demetress Bell and Karl Malone rebuild their bond
After decades of distance, Bell and Karl Malone began mending their relationship around 2014. By 2018, they had become close, frequently hunting together and communicating nearly every day.
Years later, according to the NFL, Malone publicly admitted he was wrong in how he handled his older children's lives.
I didn't handle it right; I was wrong... Father Time is the biggest thief that's out there, and you can't get that back
Who are Demetress Bell's siblings?
Demetress Bell has at least six half-siblings on his father Karl Malone’s side. Two of them, Daryl and Cheryl Ford, were born while Malone was in college.
Daryl is a former basketball player who now runs a logging company, while his twin sister, Cheryl, became a WNBA star and won three championships with the Detroit Shock.
Source: Getty Images
Bell also has four younger half-siblings from Malone’s marriage to Kay Kinsey: Kadee, Kylee, Karl “K.J.” Malone Jr., and Karlee. K.J. played college football at LSU and was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in 2018.
On his mother’s side, Demetress Bell grew up with one brother and two sisters. However, their names and personal details have not been widely shared in major sports or news reports.
FAQs
- Who is Demetress Bell? Demetress Carte Bell is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the NFL, playing for teams, including the Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Dallas Cowboys.
- Where is Demetress Bell from? He was born in Summerfield, Louisiana, United States.
- What is Demetress Bell's age? The former NFL player was born on 3 May 1984, making him 41 years old as of 2026.
- Who are Demetress Bell's parents? His mother is Gloria Bell, and his father is Karl Malone.
- Who is Demetress Bell's father, Karl? Karl Anthony Malone is a retired NBA Hall of Famer. He played most of his career with the Utah Jazz and is considered one of the greatest power forwards in basketball history.
- What is Demetress Bell's family background like? He grew up mainly with his mother in Louisiana and did not know his father during most of his childhood.
- Where is Gloria Bell now? Public information about Gloria Bell’s current location and activities is not widely available. She generally stays out of the public spotlight.
- Where is Demetress Bell today? After retiring from the NFL, Demetress Bell has kept a relatively private life.
Demetress Bell’s mother, Gloria Bell, played a central role in shaping his character and determination, raising him through challenging circumstances that later fuelled his success in professional football. Although his father was absent for much of his childhood, their eventual reconciliation highlights growth, accountability, and the possibility of healing within fractured families.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
