John Fetterman's first wife: Was he married before Gisele Barreto?
John Fetterman's first wife, Gisele Barreto, who has often been in the spotlight alongside him, is the only woman he's married. The pair first met when Gisele heard about Fetterman's work as the mayor of Braddock and sent him a letter in 2007.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- John Karl Fetterman is an American politician who has been serving as the United States senator from Pennsylvania since 2023.
- John Fetterman’s only wife is Gisele Barreto, whom he married in 2008. Gisele serves as the Second Lady of Pennsylvania.
- Gisele first met John after writing him a letter expressing interest in the revitalization efforts of Braddock and inquiring about the community.
- John and Gisele have called Braddock home for the past 13 years. Together, they have three children: Karl, Gracie and August, and a rescue dog named Levi.
- Gisele became a U.S. permanent resident in 2004, four years before her marriage, and later obtained U.S. citizenship in 2009.
John Fetterman's first wife's profile summary
| Full name | Gisele Barreto Fetterman |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 27 February 1982 |
| Age | 43 years (as of 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Place of birth | Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Current residence | Braddock, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Nationality | Brazilian-American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in inches | 5'9" |
| Height in centimeters | 175 |
| Weight in pounds | 132 |
| Weight in kilograms | 60 |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Relationship status | Married |
| Spouse | John Fetterman |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Activist |
| @gfett | |
| X(Twitter) | @giselefetterman |
Who is John Fetterman's first wife?
John Fetterman's first wife is Gisele Barreto Fetterman. She is a Brazilian-born American activist and nonprofit executive. She is a founder of the non-profit Freestore 15104 and a co-founder of the non-profits For Good PGH and 412 Food Rescue.
Gisele Barreto's early life
Fetterman was born on 27 February 1982 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She immigrated to the United States at seven with her mother and younger brother without proper documentation.
They lived in a small one-room apartment in New York City, having left Brazil due to the violent crime that plagued their neighbourhood. During an interview with People, Gisele Barreto noted:
That was early 1990, so I turned 8 when I arrived here. My mom was a single mom, in Brazil she had a career, and we had stability in a sense. But we still lived amongst violence and she decided to try for a better future for us. So she moved to New York and then she was a domestic worker for many years.
In New York, the family faced poverty and furnished their living space with items they found on the streets. Fetterman mentioned that they often relied on food banks and thrift shops for their needs.
Her mother, who holds a PhD from a university in Brazil and has experience as a nutritionist and educator, worked as a cleaner in hotels and homes but frequently faced non-payment because of her undocumented status.
Upon arriving in the United States, Fetterman couldn't speak English and joined an English as a second language program at her school in Queens. The family later relocated to Newark, New Jersey, where she attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
Fetterman obtained her green card in 2004 and became a citizen of the United States in 2009. In 2021, the Carnegie Corporation of New York honoured Fetterman with the Great Immigrants Award.
Source: Original
What does Gisele Barreto do for a living?
Gisele has dedicated her life to helping others, focusing on nutrition, food equity, and addressing the basic needs of people in Pennsylvania. As a nonprofit executive and activist, she established Freestore 15104 and co-founded For Good PGH and 412 Food Rescue.
Using an empty shipping container and a vacant lot, Gisele launched Freestore 15104 to provide essential household items, baby products, and bicycles to the needy. She also co-founded 412 Food Rescue, which mobilizes volunteers to collect surplus food from retailers and deliver it to nonprofits assisting the hungry.
Additionally, Gisele co-founded For Good PGH, which promotes inclusion initiatives such as "Hello Hijab," creating small hijabs for dolls to encourage tolerance and diversity. Most recently, she launched The Hollander Project, a business incubator designed to support female entrepreneurs. These nonprofit initiatives allow individuals to shop for items, even when they lack the means to pay. She says:
It's this idea that there's dignity in being able to make your choices. We never ask for proof of your tax receipts or any of those things because to me that's all dehumanizing.
She also shared that her history has given her a deeper understanding of what it feels like to be forgotten.
I've always been really drawn to the discarded, and that's ... how I felt being an immigrant for a long time. I think I lived in limbo for really long time. My mom would say to us, 'I love you, have a great day at school, be invisible.' I heard that as an echo for so many years.
How did Fetterman meet his wife?
In 2007, Gisele Barreto Fetterman was working as a nutritionist and food justice activist in Newark, New Jersey, when she came across an article about John Fetterman. At the time, he was the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, leading efforts to revitalize the town.
Inspired by his work, she wrote a letter to the borough expressing interest in contributing to the community's efforts. Recalling the moment, Gisele said:
I wrote a letter to the borough sharing the work that I was doing, and that I wanted to visit and learn and do something — whatever that looked like. The letter ultimately ended up with John. We talked on the phone, I planned the visit and that's how I first got to Braddock.
John was impressed by her outreach and responded personally. He invited Gisele to visit Braddock, which marked the beginning of their correspondence. This eventually turned into a long-distance relationship, and Gisele later moved to Braddock.
Source: Getty Images
After nine months of dating, John proposed to Gisele in May 2008, presenting her with a vintage ring his parents had purchased at an estate sale. They eloped to Burlington, Vermont, where they chose a justice of the peace from the phone book to marry.
John Fetterman and Gisele have three children: Karl, Gracie and August and a rescue dog, Levi. Talking to People Magazine about his relationship, John noted:
I just thought that this was the person I wanted to take a chance with. I remember [saying to] my mother, like, 'Hey, this is the person.'
Gisele Barreto also mentioned that for many years, people believed John was her bodyguard.
For many years, [people] thought he was my bodyguard. I remember I was getting a haircut at the mall and the girls were like, 'Who are you?' And I'm like, 'Nobody, why?' and they're like 'Why is your bodyguard outside?' I was like, 'That's my husband.'
Frequently asked questions
- Who is John Fetterman's first wife? John Fetterman has only been married to Gisele Barreto Fetterman.
- Are Gisele and John Fetterman still married? Yes, Gisele and John Fetterman are still married. They have been together for over 15 years and have three children together.
- Is Gisele Fetterman a firefighter? No, Gisele Fetterman is not a firefighter. She is a prominent activist and nonprofit executive. She is the founder of Freestore 15104 and co-founder of 412 Food Rescue.
- What does John Fetterman's wife do for a living? Gisele Fetterman is a nonprofit executive, activist, and community organizer. She has dedicated her career to social justice causes, particularly focusing on food equity, community empowerment, and inclusion.
- Where does John Fetterman’s family live? John Fetterman, Gisele, and their three children currently live in Braddock, Pennsylvania, a town that John previously served as mayor.
- What is John Fetterman's dating history? John Fetterman has only been publicly linked to his wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman.
- Who are John Fetterman's children? John Fetterman and Gisele Fetterman have three children: Karl, Gracie, and August.
Wrapping up
John Fetterman's first wife is Gisele Barreto Fetterman. The couple has been together since 2008, after meeting in 2007 while Gisele was living in Newark, New Jersey. They have three children and are actively involved in numerous community initiatives.
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