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Who Is Emily Vakos? Meet Anthony Rizzo’s Wife and Her Family
Emily Vakos is best known as the wife of baseball star Anthony Rizzo. But she has her own story too. She studied food and health in college. She later worked in real estate and built a life away from baseball.
Emily and Anthony also have a fun love story. They met in 2016 when Emily was working with the Chicago Cubs. Anthony liked her and asked for her phone number. But Emily gave him a fake number at first.
So who is Emily Vakos? How did she meet Anthony Rizzo? What does she do for work? Here we will look at her early life. We will also explore her college years. Her career and love story are just as interesting.
Who Is Emily Vakos?
Emily Vakos is an American who studied food and health. She has also worked in real estate. Many people know her as Anthony Rizzo’s wife. Anthony became a famous baseball player during his years with the Chicago Cubs.
Emily is not someone who shares every part of her life online. She likes to keep many things private. Still being married to a famous baseball player has brought her plenty of attention from fans over the years.
There is more to Emily than her famous husband. She went to college and worked hard on her own career. She studied nutrition before working with the Chicago Cubs. Later she found a new path in real estate.
Emily Vakos Early Life
Emily Vakos is reported to have been born on January 9 1994. She is from Dallas Texas. If this reported birth date is correct Emily is 32 years old in 2026.
Some reports say her parents are Mark Vakos and Stephanie Sudwischer. Emily has not shared much about her childhood in public. This means many parts of her younger years are still private.
Her life was very different before she met Anthony. She was a college student with her own plans for the future. Then one work chance brought her into the baseball world. That moment would soon change her life in a big way.
Emily Vakos Education and College Life
Emily went to Arizona State University. She studied Nutrition and Food Management. She had a strong interest in food and healthy living. She finished her studies and graduated from the university in 2016.
Emily is also listed as a certified school nutrition specialist. Her studies helped her learn more about food and health. They also helped her find work that gave her real experience before she finished college.
Some older reports say Emily also had a food blog called Food-1-1. She used it to share ideas about food and healthy eating. The blog is no longer a big part of her public life.
Emily Vakos Career and Jobs
Emily started her working life around food and nutrition. This made sense because it was what she studied at college. Reports have linked her with food banks and school food programs during her early career.
One job became very important for another reason. Emily worked as an intern with the Chicago Cubs nutrition team. She helped around the team during spring training in Arizona. This work soon brought Anthony Rizzo into her life.
Emily later moved into real estate. She has been listed as a real estate broker. It was a different path from nutrition. Still it showed that Emily wanted to build her own career instead of living only around Anthony’s baseball fame.
How Emily Vakos Met Anthony Rizzo
Emily Vakos met Anthony Rizzo during Chicago Cubs spring training in Arizona in 2016. Anthony was already a big player for the Cubs. Emily was working with the team’s nutrition group while finishing her last year of college.
Anthony liked Emily and asked for her phone number. Emily did something he may not have expected. She gave him a fake number. She wanted to keep things about work while she was still working with the baseball team.
Anthony did not give up easily. He later said he kept trying to win her over. Once Emily’s work with the Cubs ended she became more open to dating him. Soon their funny first meeting became the start of something serious.
Emily Vakos and Anthony Rizzo’s Love Story
Emily and Anthony started seeing each other in 2016. It was already a special year for Anthony. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series that year. It was their first World Series win in 108 years.
Emily also had to get used to Anthony’s fame. She once shared a funny story about shopping for bananas while Anthony ended up taking pictures with people in the store. A normal shopping trip could quickly become a fan meeting.
Anthony said the same thing happened on dates. They could walk into a place and soon find people asking for photos. It was new for Emily. Still she learned to handle the attention while their relationship became stronger.
Emily Vakos and Anthony Rizzo’s Proposal
Anthony decided to ask Emily to marry him in 2017. He planned a special boat trip on Lake Michigan. But he did not tell Emily the real reason for the trip. He made her think they were doing a photo shoot.
Emily believed him. She wore a nice dress and got her hair and makeup done. Then Anthony surprised her with an engagement ring. Emily was so shocked that she first thought he was joking with her.
Anthony had planned the whole moment carefully. He even arranged fireworks for the night. Emily said yes. Their funny first meeting had now turned into an engagement. The next big step would be their wedding.
Emily Vakos and Anthony Rizzo’s Wedding
After getting engaged in 2017 Emily Vakos and Anthony Rizzo started planning their wedding. They married on December 29 2018. The wedding took place in South Florida. Their family and close friends joined them for the happy day.
Some of Anthony’s old Chicago Cubs friends were also there. David Ross and Kris Bryant attended. Dexter Fowler came too. His daughter had a sweet role as the flower girl. Baseball was clearly still part of their special day.
Their first dance had another surprise. Country singer Brett Eldredge performed for them. The food also had a personal touch. Some dishes came from places close to their hearts. Anthony’s favorite New Jersey cannolis were part of the menu.
Emily Vakos and the NYC Marathon
Emily Vakos showed another side of herself in November 2023. She ran the New York City Marathon. It was her first race of this size. Running more than 26 miles takes months of hard work and training.
Emily did not train alone. Samantha Bracksieck also helped her. Samantha is the wife of baseball star Aaron Judge. Emily said she asked Samantha many questions about training. They also ran together before the big day.
Emily finished the marathon in 3 hours 47 minutes and 54 seconds. Anthony was there to cheer for her. He later shared how proud he was of Emily. Her first major race had turned into a very special success.
Emily Vakos and Anthony Rizzo’s Charity Work
Emily was not running only for herself. Her marathon also supported the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. This cause is very close to Anthony and his family. It helps families whose children are facing cancer.
Anthony knows how hard cancer can be. He was told he had Hodgkin lymphoma in 2008. He was still young at the time. After his own fight with cancer he wanted to help other children and their families.
Anthony started his foundation in 2012. Emily has supported its work over the years. Her marathon was one clear example. She used a hard personal goal to help other people. It became much more than just a race.
Emily Vakos Family and First Child
For years Emily and Anthony were proud pet parents. Their dachshund Kevin became a sweet part of their family. Fans sometimes saw him in posts. Then Kevin helped the couple share some very big family news.
In January 2025 Emily and Anthony announced that they were expecting their first child. Their announcement showed Kevin wearing a “big brother” bandana. Ultrasound photos and a small “Baby Rizzo” outfit could also be seen.
The baby was expected in June 2025. Reports later said the couple welcomed a son. Emily and Anthony have kept many details about their child private. That choice fits the way Emily has lived for years. She shares special moments but keeps family life protected.
Emily Vakos Life Today
Life looks different for Emily Vakos in 2026. When she first met Anthony he was one of the biggest names on the Chicago Cubs. He later joined the New York Yankees. Baseball brought many moves and changes to their lives.
Anthony’s playing career later came to an end. He announced his retirement from Major League Baseball in September 2025. He left the game after 14 MLB seasons. His long run included his famous 2016 World Series win with Chicago.
This change opened a new chapter for Emily and Anthony. They now have a young family. Emily still keeps much of her daily life away from the public. There is no need to guess where the family spends every day.
Emily Vakos Net Worth
Many people search for Emily Vakos net worth. Some websites claim that she is worth around $2 million. However there is no strong public record that proves this number is correct.
Emily has worked in more than one field. She studied nutrition and later entered real estate. Both could have helped her earn her own money. Still her salary and other money details have not been shared with the public.
It is better not to treat online guesses as facts. Anthony earned a large amount during his baseball career. But his career earnings are not the same as Emily’s personal net worth. Her exact net worth remains private.
Final Thoughts
Emily is married to a famous sports star. That could make it easy to turn every part of her life into public news. Yet she has taken a quieter path. She does not share every small part of her day.
This was not always easy. Even early in their relationship Emily saw how much attention Anthony received. A simple trip to buy food could lead to fans asking him for pictures. A quiet date could quickly become a public moment.
Still Emily found a balance. She has joined Anthony at public events and supported his charity. At the same time she has kept many family details private. This has helped her build a life outside the bright lights of baseball.
(FAQs)
How old is Emily Vakos and when is her birthday?
Emily Vakos is widely reported to have been born on January 9 1994. This makes her 32 years old in 2026. She is from Dallas Texas.
What is Emily Vakos’ net worth?
Emily Vakos’ exact net worth is not publicly known. Some websites give different estimates. But there is no strong public record that proves an exact amount. She has worked in nutrition and real estate.
Where does Emily Vakos live today?
Emily keeps her home life private. Older reports placed the couple in Chicago. More recent sources connect Anthony and Emily with Fort Lauderdale Florida. It is best not to guess their exact current home.
Does Emily Vakos have children?
Yes. Emily Vakos and Anthony Rizzo now have one son. They announced their first pregnancy in January 2025. Their baby boy was born during the summer of 2025.
When did Emily Vakos become a mother?
Emily became a mother in 2025. The couple had first shared that their baby was due in June 2025. Later reports confirmed that their son arrived during the summer.
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