Jonah Lomu’s wife at the time of his death was Nadene Lomu, whom he married in 2011. They had two sons, Brayley and Dhyreille. Nadene was his third wife: Lomu was earlier married to South African Tanya Rutter from 1996 and to Fiona, whom he wed in 2003 and divorced in 2008. In September 2026 his mother, Hepi Lomu, said she had not seen her grandsons in years.
The All Blacks great died in Auckland on 18 November 2015, aged 40. His family has been back in the news in 2026 because of the documentary LOMU, which premiered in Auckland on 1 August, and because of the rift between his widow and his mother that the film brought into the open.
| Name | Jonah Tali Lomu |
| Born | 12 May 1975, Pukekohe, Auckland |
| Died | 18 November 2015, Auckland (aged 40) |
| Occupation | Rugby union wing, All Blacks (63 tests, 37 tries) |
| Wife | Nadene Lomu (married 2011) |
| Previous marriages | Tanya Rutter (1996, divorced after four years); Fiona (2003–2008) |
| Children | Two sons, Brayley and Dhyreille |
| Mother | Hepi Lomu |
| Heritage | Tongan; parents emigrated from Haʻapai |
Who is Nadene Lomu?
Nadene Lomu, born Nadene Quirk, is Jonah Lomu’s widow and the mother of his two sons. They married in 2011 and were together until he died on 18 November 2015. Since then she has raised Brayley and Dhyreille and fought a long legal battle over the use of Jonah’s name and image.
In 2012 the couple joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When Lomu died, the family had just returned from England. Nadene told 1News on the tenth anniversary of his death: “We were actually coming home to pack and leave as a family for a brighter future.” She gave him CPR before paramedics arrived. “He was my everything,” she said.
In the same 1News interview in November 2025 she said: “Jonah wasn’t public property, despite what everybody thought.” How he died is covered in our article on Jonah Lomu’s cause of death.
How many wives did Jonah Lomu have?
Jonah Lomu had three wives. He married South African Tanya Rutter in 1996 and they divorced after four years. He married Fiona in August 2003 and they divorced in 2008. He married Nadene in 2011, and she was his wife when he died in November 2015.
| Wife | Married | Ended |
|---|---|---|
| Tanya Rutter | 1996 | Divorced after four years |
| Fiona | August 2003, secret ceremony on Waiheke Island | Divorced 2008 |
| Nadene Lomu | 2011 | Married until his death in 2015 |
Who was Jonah Lomu’s first wife?
Tanya Rutter was South African. They married in 1996, the year after the Rugby World Cup in South Africa turned Lomu into a global star. Lomu’s family never approved of the relationship, and the marriage ended after four years.
Jonah Lomu’s second wife Fiona
Fiona married him in August 2003 in a secret ceremony on Waiheke Island. By then his kidney disease was severe: in May 2003 he was on dialysis three times a week, and the transplant that followed came in July 2004. The couple divorced in 2008.
Jonah Lomu’s children
Jonah Lomu had two sons with Nadene, Brayley and Dhyreille. Brayley is the elder. They were five and six when their father died in November 2015, and in a family statement for the tenth anniversary Nadene gave their ages as 16 and 15. 1News described them in September 2026 as in their mid-to-late teens.
The family has kept the boys largely out of the public eye. They sang “I am a Child of God” for their father at a family service in Māngere, and in November 2025 they appeared alongside their mother in her 1News interview. In her anniversary statement Nadene said: “Brayley, Dhyreille, and I now have some meaningful projects underway to honour Jonah and rebuild his legacy.”
Lomu’s will gave control of his money, trademark and properties to his long-time lawyer, Chris Darlow, for the benefit of his sons. A month after his death the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association set up the Jonah Lomu Legacy Trust to support the boys.
Nadene Lomu and the LOMU documentary
Nadene did not take part in LOMU, the 2026 documentary by Vea Mafile’o and Gavin Fitzgerald. According to 1News, she was in early talks with the makers but chose not to take part, and in 2023 took legal action to stop the film. In 2024 the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand ruled against her, and the will’s instructions were affirmed.
The film went ahead with $800,000 from the New Zealand Film Commission. Hepi Lomu said the grandsons were invited to the Auckland premiere but did not attend, and that whether they watch the film is their decision.
Who is Jonah Lomu’s mother?
Jonah Lomu’s mother is Hepi Lomu. She still lives in the South Auckland home where he grew up, and keeps a cabinet of his trophies and memorabilia there. In September 2026 she spoke out after a decade of silence, telling 1News she had not seen her grandsons for years.
“I haven’t seen them. Maybe a long time ago after Jonah died [his wife Nadene Lomu] bring the boys here, but that’s all. I pray God is going to touch those two and one day, we can meet,” she said. Responding to Nadene’s “public property” remark, she said: “What she needs to understand is – I’m the mother. I am his mother.” Some of her home video of Jonah as a young teenager appears in LOMU.
Jonah Lomu’s family background
Lomu was born in Pukekohe to Tongan parents who had emigrated from Holopeka, a village on Lifuka in Haʻapai. He spent part of his early childhood in Holopeka with his aunt Longo and uncle Mosese, where he became fluent in Tongan, before returning to the Auckland suburb of Māngere.
His mother sent him to Wesley College, and he made his All Blacks debut in 1994 at 19 years and 45 days.
Māngere still claims him. In August 2026 the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board gave $10,000 towards South Auckland LOMU Day at the Māngere Town Centre on 29 August. Board member Joe Glassie-Rasmussen said: “But he’s a son of Māngere, team.” He is also on our list of famous New Zealanders.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jonah Lomu's wife when he died?
Nadene Lomu. They married in 2011 and were together until his death on 18 November 2015.
How many times was Jonah Lomu married?
Three times: to Tanya Rutter (1996), to Fiona (2003, divorced 2008) and to Nadene (2011).
Did Jonah Lomu have children?
Yes, two sons with Nadene, Brayley and Dhyreille. As of September 2026 they are in their mid-to-late teens.
Was Jonah Lomu's first wife from South Africa?
Yes. His first wife, Tanya Rutter, is South African. They married in 1996 and divorced after four years.
Did Nadene Lomu take part in the Lomu documentary?
No. She chose not to participate and in 2023 took unsuccessful legal action to block the film, according to 1News.
