Rashied’s Path was shaped by Dianna Lilly
Upon meeting Dianna in college, Rashied was drawn to her beauty, strength, intelligence and athleticism. Raised by her father, an insurance executive and her mother, an elementary school teacher, she and her two sisters were taught the values of hard work, discipline, education and athletics. Her school years were intensely focused on studying and playing softball. She became a scholar and an athlete. Her diligence earned her a scholarship to San Jose State University, where she played softball and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.
The devotion Dianna brought to her studies and athletic pursuits, she also took to her marriage. Committed to helping Rashied realize his dream of playing in the NFL, she never lost faith in his ability and worked three jobs to help make ends meet. When Rashied considered leaving the SaberCats for a stable career in law enforcement, Dianna encouraged him to stay. That last year proved to be his best—he became the team’s most valuable player and offensive player of the year, paving the way for his move to the Chicago Bears.
Dianna has always been a believer in Rashied’s dreams. She is a life partner with an understanding of where he came from and where he wants to go. And now, with their newborn daughter Alanna, Rashied and Dianna will continue building a life of commitment to each other, to their child and to something bigger than themselves.