Cliff DeMartino

Cliff Lee DeMartino rolled into the world on December 4, 1975, in Houston, Texas—yeah, home of NASA and killer barbecue. But he didn’t stick around. His childhood bounced from the oil rigs and ranches of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, over to the humid, pine-scented streets of Greenville, South Carolina. That’s a lot of culture shock for a kid, but Cliff never seemed to mind. He just sort of absorbed it all, picking up quirks, accents, and maybe a taste for both brisket and boiled peanuts along the way. Now, here’s where things take a turn. Cliff heads off to Clemson University, probably thinking it’ll just be four years of hitting the books and dodging cafeteria food. Instead, he meets Cynthia Stern—Cindy to her friends—a powerhouse from Cincinnati who’d go on to become an ACC All-American and crush it in professional volleyball with the USPV. Not your average meet-cute story, unless your college campus is crawling with future pro athletes. Fast-forward a bit, and Cliff and Cindy are hitched. Turns out, she brought along her dog, Pepper, who quickly claimed the title of “boss of the house.” As for where they landed? Not in the South, not even close. They swapped sweet tea for deep-dish, settling on Chicago’s north side—think lake breezes and Cubs games, not magnolias or Friday night lights. Life moves fast, and these two just rolled with it, making their own weird, wonderful blend of Southern grit and Midwest charm.