Kerri Browitt Caviezel: The Inspiring Teacher Behind Hollywood’s Jesus

Kerri Browitt Caviezel, wife of actor Jim Caviezel, is a respected high school English teacher, former college basketball standout, and dedicated mother of three adopted children.

Born on September 26, 1968, in Mount Vernon, Washington, she has built her life around faith, education, and family rather than Hollywood fame. For more than 30 years, she has taught in Seattle classrooms while also supporting her husband’s career and guiding their family through the challenges of raising children with medical needs.

She is known for her long career in teaching, her commitment to family life, and her dedication to faith and community service.

Personal Information & Background

Kerri Browitt entered the world on September 26, 1968 in Mount Vernon, Washington, into a family where faith wasn’t just Sunday practice. Her parents David James Browitt and Jean Vandetta created a home steeped in Catholic Croatian-Italian traditions.

Growing up with her Croatian grandmother meant hearing family stories that blended cultural traditions with American values. The close-knit community of Croatians and Italians in Washington taught her that success meant serving others, not serving yourself.

At age thirteen, she first learned about the Medjugorje apparitions during a class presentation, an experience that influenced the development of her Catholic faith.

Essential Details
Birth	September 26, 1968, Mount Vernon, WA
Heritage	Croatian-Italian Catholic family
Profession	High School English Teacher (30+ years)
Location	Seattle, Washington
Family	Married to Jim Caviezel (1996), 3 adopted children
Notable	WWU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee (2015)

Kerri Browitt Educational Journey

At Western Washington University, Kerri wasn’t just another student athlete trying to balance books and sports. She earned President’s List honors nine times and was a leading player on the basketball court.

Standing 5’9″ as a guard for the WWU Vikings women’s basketball team, She ranked among Western Washington University’s top 10 all-time leaders in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots.

In the 1988-89 season, she co-captained the team that finished with a 30-5 record. Coach Lynda Goodrich described her as a strong defensive player who contributed both on and off the court.

Her academic prowess earned her NAIA National Scholar-Athlete recognition – proof that she never treated athletics and academics as competing priorities but as complementary strengths.

Professional Career

After graduating in 1990, Kerri chose a career in education. Rather than pursuing basketball overseas, she became a high school English teacher in Seattle, where she has taught for more than 30 years.

Three decades later, she’s still there. While her husband worked in Hollywood, she continued teaching high school students in Seattle.

But her service extends far beyond traditional education. For 17 years, she volunteered at the Pregnancy Counseling Center in Mission Hills, California, becoming known as a compassionate advocate for adoption and the sanctity of life.

Her February 2015 induction into Western Washington University’s Athletics Hall of Fame recognized not just her college achievements, but her ongoing commitment to excellence in everything she touches.

Kerri Browitt Personal Life & Marriage

Kerri met Jim in 1993 through a blind date arranged by his sister, Amy. They shared a strong Catholic faith, which became the foundation of their relationship. The couple married on July 20, 1996, at Immaculate Conception Church in Roslyn, Washington.

They have been married for nearly three decades, with Jim continuing his acting career while Kerri focused on teaching and family life.

Motherhood Through Adoption

The couple adopted three children from China and raised them in Washington, where the family continues to live.

Jim once explained his wife’s philosophy: “She said it doesn’t matter whether children are wanted or not. They are people, just like we are. Jim has spoken publicly about his wife’s caring nature and her belief that every child deserves love and support.

Influence on Husband’s Career

Kerri’s impact on Jim’s career goes way deeper than most people realize. Kerri introduced Jim to Medjugorje spirituality, which became an important part of his faith life.

This experience influenced how he approached his role in The Passion of the Christ, where his faith became an important part of his preparation. Kerri has supported Jim in choosing film roles that reflect their shared values.

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Kerri Browitt Public Appearances & Timeline

Kerri keeps a low public profile and only attends selected events to support her husband’s work. She does not seek media attention and chooses to focus on her teaching career and family life.

Strategic Public Moments:

• 1998: “The Thin Red Line” premiere – early career support
• 2003: Angelus Awards with Gregory Peck’s widow – faith-based events
• 2014: “When The Game Stands Tall” premiere – family-friendly films
• 2019: Movieguide Awards – celebrating values-driven entertainment

Her public appearances have mostly been to support her husband’s work, while she continues to focus on her teaching career and family life.

Kerri does not maintain any social media presence, preferring to keep her private life offline. No Instagram posts from red carpets, no Twitter commentary on Jim’s projects, no Facebook updates about family life. She’s chosen real relationships over digital followers.

Personal Challenges & Resilience

In 2013, her father passed away. During that time, she continued teaching while supporting her family and maintaining her faith.”

After her father’s passing, Kerri continued her teaching career and community work, relying on her faith and values to guide her.

Privacy & Lifestyle Choices

While Jim travels for filming and promotional tours, Kerri maintains their Washington state home as a sanctuary where normal family life can flourish away from Hollywood’s chaos.

This geographical choice isn’t accidental. The family lives in Washington, where she appreciates the community and balanced lifestyle away from Hollywood. Her Croatian and Italian heritage taught her that home should be a place of peace and authenticity.

Despite opportunities that could come with being a public figure’s spouse, Kerri has chosen to focus on her teaching career and family life in Washington. Her colleagues note her dedication to lesson planning and teaching, where she focuses fully on her students.

Personal Philosophy & Values

Kerri’s guiding principle is to live her values through daily actions. Her life reflects a focus on teaching, adoption, and privacy, guided by her values.

Kerri volunteered for 17 years at the Pregnancy Counseling Center in Mission Hills, California, where she supported women and families during challenging times. Her service reflected her commitment to helping others in practical ways.

Living Values Daily:

• Faith over fame – Choosing spiritual growth over recognition
• Service over self – Using talents to help others succeed
• Family first – Making decisions based on children’s needs
• Authenticity always – Being the same person publicly and privately

In 2003, she and Jim traveled to Medjugorje, a well-known Catholic pilgrimage site, which further deepened their shared faith.

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Current Status (2025)

At 56, Kerri remains exactly where she’s always been most comfortable – in her Seattle classroom, shaping young minds while her three healthy children pursue their own dreams and interests.

Bo, Lyn Elizabeth, and David Caviezel are all thriving, raised with the same values that have guided their parents through nearly three decades of marriage. Their medical crises are distant memories now, replaced by typical teenage and young adult adventures.

Jim continues accepting faith-based film roles and speaking at religious events, but Kerri remains his anchor – the person who keeps their family grounded in what matters most.

Her former university continues to recognize her athletic legacy, and she is known by her students today as a dedicated teacher. Her faith has also influenced her husband’s preparation for some of his film roles.

Kerri Browitt Legacy & Impact

Measuring Kerri’s true impact requires looking beyond Hollywood connections to the thousands of lives she’s touched through teaching, counseling, and quiet service.

Three decades of Seattle students carry her influence into their own careers and families. She volunteered for 17 years at a pregnancy counseling center, where she supported women and families.

Three children who might have spent their lives in institutions are instead thriving because she and Jim saw potential where others saw only problems.

Kerri’s faith and outlook on life have influenced her husband’s career choices, encouraging him to focus on roles that align with his values.

Lasting Contributions:

• Thousands of students educated and inspired
• Countless families supported through pregnancy counseling
• Three special-needs children given loving homes and full recovery
• Her influence has also shaped her husband’s choices in faith-based films.
• She is recognized for focusing on teaching, family, and service rather than public attention.

Conclusion

Kerri Browitt Caviezel has built her life around teaching, faith, and family rather than public attention. For more than three decades, she has continued her career as a high school English teacher, supported adoption, and contributed to her community. Her influence can be seen in the students she has taught, the children she and Jim have raised, and the quiet guidance she has offered throughout her husband’s career.

FAQ About Kerri Browitt Caviezel

1. What makes Kerri Browitt Caviezel unique among celebrity spouses?

She has maintained her teaching career for over 30 years while keeping a private life, without using her husband’s fame for publicity.

2. How did her basketball career influence her later life?

Her experience with the WWU Vikings taught teamwork and persistence, which she applied to teaching and family life.

3. Why did they choose special-needs adoption?

They adopted three children from China who had medical conditions at the time.

4. What’s her connection to The Passion of the Christ?

She introduced Jim to Medjugorje spirituality, which became part of his preparation for the role of Jesus.

5. How does she balance privacy with being married to a public figure?

She lives in Washington, stays off social media, and focuses on her teaching career.

Disclaimer:

This article is based on publicly available information from reputable sources including university archives, media interviews, and official records. All facts are accurate to the best of our knowledge as of August 2025.