Shikiri Hightower, also known as Shikiri Hightower-Gaskin, is best known as the former wife of retired NFL player Keyshawn Johnson.
She is the mother of four children: Maia Keyanna Hightower-Johnson, Keyshawn Johnson Jr., Maya Denise Gaskin, and Monique Bella Hightower-Gaskin. Shikiri later married Bela Gaskin and built a blended family with him.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full known name | Shikiri Hightower-Gaskin |
| Known as | Shikiri Hightower |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Attended the University of Southern California |
| Former husband | Keyshawn Johnson |
| Current husband | Bela Gaskin |
| Children | Four |
| Daughters | Maia, Maya Denise, Monique Bella |
| Son | Keyshawn Johnson Jr. |
| Known for | Former wife of Keyshawn Johnson and mother of four |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
Early Life and Age
Shikiri Hightower has kept much of her early life private.
Her exact date of birth and birthplace have not been publicly confirmed.
A report about the birth of her oldest daughter says Shikiri was 19 years old in December 1995. This suggests she was born around 1976, but an exact birth year should not be stated without stronger evidence.
Reliable information about her parents and siblings is also limited.
Education
Shikiri Hightower attended the University of Southern California.
She was reportedly a sophomore at USC when her first daughter, Maia, was born in December 1995.
Details about her field of study and whether she graduated have not been widely documented.
Marriage to Keyshawn Johnson
Shikiri Hightower was previously married to former NFL player Keyshawn Johnson.
The couple married in February 1998.
They had two children together, Maia and Keyshawn Jr.
Their marriage ended in 2002, about four years after their wedding.
Both later moved on to new relationships and built larger families.
Who Is Keyshawn Johnson?
Keyshawn Johnson is a former American football wide receiver.
He became a major football name while playing college football at USC.
The New York Jets selected him with the first overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft.
During his NFL career, he also played for teams including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, and Carolina Panthers.
After leaving professional football, Keyshawn worked in sports media and television.
He later married Jennifer Conrad and had more children.
Maia Keyanna Hightower-Johnson
Maia was Shikiri Hightower and Keyshawn’s first child.
She was born in December 1995 in Los Angeles, California.
One source gives her birthday as December 17, while an obituary cited by another report lists December 16, 1995. Because the sources differ by one day, the exact date should be treated carefully.
Shikiri was still a college student when Maia was born.
Only a few months later, Keyshawn became the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft.
Shikiri later described Maia as intelligent, well-traveled, resourceful, and fearless.
Maia’s Death
Maia died in March 2021 at age 25.
A UC Berkeley Journalism obituary gives her death date as March 15, 2021, in Berkeley, California.
Keyshawn publicly announced his daughter’s death and described Maia as his firstborn child and a major source of joy for both him and Shikiri.
Her brother, Keyshawn Jr., also remembered her publicly and called her one of his biggest role models while growing up.
Shikiri Hightower continued honoring Maia on social media after her death, including on the first anniversary of her passing.
The cause of Maia’s death was not included in the information collected and should not be guessed.
Keyshawn Johnson Jr.
Shikiri Hightower and Keyshawn’s second child is Keyshawn Johnson Jr.
He was born in June 1998.
Like his father, Keyshawn Jr. became involved in football.
He joined the University of Nebraska football program in January 2017 as a wide receiver.
Nebraska described him as a highly rated prospect from California.
His football connection attracted attention because his father also played wide receiver at a high level.
Marriage to Bela Gaskin
After her divorce from Keyshawn Johnson, Shikiri married Bela Gaskin.
Bela works in the electrical field in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Public contractor information has connected the couple with Hightower Gaskin Electrical Solutions, an electrical business in California.
A social media anniversary post from Bela said the couple celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary in August 2021. This suggests they married around August 2009.
Shikiri and Bela have two daughters together.
Maya Denise Gaskin
Maya Denise Gaskin is Shikiri Hightower and Bela’s older daughter.
She was born in October 2003.
Maya became publicly known through pageants.
She held the title Miss Arizona Teen USA 2022 and represented Arizona at the Miss Teen USA 2022 competition in Reno, Nevada.
She has also been described as America’s Most Beautiful Teen 2023.
Reports identify Maya as a choreographer and a student at the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
Monique Bella Hightower-Gaskin
Monique Bella Hightower-Gaskin is Shikiri and Bela’s younger daughter.
She celebrated her 13th birthday in July 2023, placing her birth around July 2010.
Monique has shown an interest in musical theatre.
In 2022, she reportedly played Beauty in a production called Beauty and the Soulful Beast.
Her mother has also shared posts connected with Monique’s theatre activities.
Because she is still young, there is limited public information about her education and future plans.
Shikiri’s Four Children
Shikiri Hightower is the mother of four children from two relationships:
- Maia Keyanna Hightower-Johnson
- Keyshawn Johnson Jr.
- Maya Denise Gaskin
- Monique Bella Hightower-Gaskin
Maia and Keyshawn Jr. are her children with Keyshawn Johnson.
Maya Denise and Monique Bella are her daughters with Bela Gaskin.
The family therefore includes siblings from different relationships as part of one blended family.
Her Career
Shikiri is not mainly known for a public entertainment career.
Public records connect her and Bela Gaskin with Hightower Gaskin Electrical Solutions.
However, detailed information about Shikiri’s exact professional role in the business is limited.
It would therefore be inaccurate to assign her a specific job title without stronger evidence.
Public Appearances
Shikiri has occasionally appeared publicly because of her former marriage to Keyshawn Johnson.
In October 2004, she and Keyshawn attended an event connected with the Keyshawn & Shikiri Johnson Education Fund in Beverly Hills, California.
She has otherwise kept a much lower public profile than her former husband.
Much of the later public information about her comes from family social media posts.
Social Media
Shikiri has used social media to share family milestones, birthdays, and memories of her children.
Her posts have included tributes to Maia, birthday messages for Keyshawn Jr., and updates about Maya and Monique.
Her social media presence is more focused on family than celebrity publicity.
Net Worth
Shikiri Hightower’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
There are no dependable public financial records showing her income, assets, or total wealth.
Any specific net worth figure published without financial evidence should be treated as an estimate rather than a confirmed fact.
Interesting Facts
- She is also known as Shikiri Hightower-Gaskin.
- Her exact birthday has not been publicly confirmed.
- She attended the University of Southern California.
- She was reportedly 19 when her first daughter was born.
- She married Keyshawn Johnson in February 1998.
- Their marriage ended in 2002.
- She has two children with Keyshawn: Maia and Keyshawn Jr.
- Maia died in March 2021 at age 25.
- Keyshawn Jr. joined Nebraska’s football program as a wide receiver.
- Shikiri later married Bela Gaskin.
- She has two daughters with Bela: Maya Denise and Monique Bella.
- Maya Denise won the Miss Arizona Teen USA 2022 title.
- Monique has participated in musical theatre.
- Public records link Shikiri and Bela with an electrical business in California.
- She has four children in total.
- Her personal net worth is not reliably known.
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