OK, so this is a story about a boy, a ball, and a dream.
The boy, once shy and lacking confidence, has transformed into a loving husband and father. The ball isn’t kicked around quite as much these days, but it remains ever-present. And the dream? It’s far from dead, yet it’s evolved over the past two decades.
But that’s all right, because this is a story about persistence and resilience. This is a story about learning, unlearning, and adapting quickly to life’s challenges and changes. And this is a story that’s being crafted not only by the central character, but by heroes, mentors, and the two greatest loves of his life.
It’s fair to say Jon Tukala has lived quite a story so far. But if you talk to those who know him best, it’s just getting started.
Jon Tukala shares a sweet moment on the couch with his 2-year-old daughter Jade. (Photo by Sally Maxson)
THE HERO
Imagine for a moment growing up in a place called the “Sleeping Giant” for its youthful population, its central location in Africa, and its diverse landscapes. It’s a place where inhabitants speak the alluring and melodic languages of French and Lingala, where the cultural scene is rich and vibrant, and where the earth below houses limitless deposits of diamonds, copper, and cobalt.
Yet the Democratic Republic of Congo also is known for its corrupt government and seemingly endless civil war, which has caused more than 70 percent of its residents to live below the poverty line — subsisting on just $2 a day. Jon vividly remembers one frightening evening when he was a child. His parents weren’t home, and the sound of gunfire erupted outside of his front door.
A young Jon Tukala as he looked while growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo.“We didn’t know what was happening, so I rushed my siblings into my parents’ bedroom and put my hands over their ears so they wouldn’t hear it.”
Jon and his family escaped harm that night, but the Congo is a place where many young people — especially young men — don’t have a chance to reach a ripe old age. And violence isn’t the only reason. Poor infrastructure and barriers to healthcare have allowed preventable diseases such as measles, yellow fever, and cholera to take far too many lives each year.
Jon’s father, Noberto, knows that all too well since he was a physician in the capital city of Kinshasa. Jon didn’t see him much during the week because he often journeyed long distances to care for those who were too sick to travel themselves. Then there were many other instances when Noberto would make house calls — inside his own house.
“Watching my dad, I think that’s where I developed the passion to make a difference in someone else’s life. I choose to live open-handedly. I get that from the Lord.”
“I used to see people coming to our home to get shots from my dad. I don’t even know if they paid him. He just wanted to help them.”
Jon’s wife, Brandi, brings a tray of tea into the living area where he is being interviewed. Jon takes a sip from his mug.
“Watching my dad, I think that’s where I developed the passion to make a difference in someone else’s life. I choose to live open-handedly. I get that from the Lord.”
Jon explains that his Christian faith is central to every area of his life. His father led him into a relationship with Jesus as a child, and his passion for all things spiritual continues to grow. Perhaps that’s the impetus for his calming presence and how he carries himself with humility and grace. Though he can still speak French and Lingala fluently, these days he speaks mostly with an elegant British accent.
“Do you like CHOK-lit?” he asks a visitor. “Would you like some with your tea?”
He developed that dialect after joining his dad in London in 2005, when he was 12. Noberto had moved to the United Kingdom a couple of years earlier to secure a healthier future for Jon and his three younger siblings.
“We weren’t rich. We weren’t poor. We were average,” Jon acknowledges. “But life was really hard in the Congo. Dad really wanted a better life for us.”
Jon says Brandi experienced Noberto’s warmth and kindness the moment she met him.
“Brandi is the only girl I ever brought home,” Jon reveals. “My dad gave her a massive hug when I introduced them. When we see him in person, I love the feeling of being like a child.”
Brandi nods in agreement.
“His dad is very mentoring. When we go to visit, I see them having these long discussions in French where Noberto is talking and Jon is just listening and nodding. They can be silly with each other, but their relationship is very respectful.”
Jon’s parents divorced when he was 7. His mother, he reveals, had been unfaithful to her husband, abusive toward her son.
“She wasn’t a good mom at that time, and it took me through my teenage years to forgive her. She still lives in the Congo and I’ll send her money at least twice a year. I still have a soft spot for her. I want to obey Christ and forgive. The Lord is doing a work in my heart.”
Noberto, meanwhile, dreamt of carrying out the same type of work in the UK that he had been doing in his homeland — caring for the sick and injured. But he quickly learned that his medical credentials didn’t transfer to another country. So instead of conducting office hours in a thriving medical practice, Noberto moved in with his brothers and took a job working in the government health office.
“I saw my dad being disrespected,” Jon laments. “That’s where my dream of being a footballer came out. I would use football to help my family.”
That was the plan, anyway.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
Jon arrived in London as a wide-eyed 12-year-old. Thousands of miles from home. Trying to make sense of English. And experiencing things he couldn’t have imagined — such as, well, ice skating. He tried it for the first time at the famed Alexandra Palace, and he continues to glide around the rink to this day. “I’m pretty good, but I’m not great. I still can’t skate backward yet.”
Jon and Jade Tukala watch a jet fly overhead from their backyard. The Tukalas live just a few minutes from the John Glenn International Airport in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Sally Maxson)He recalls seeing his first double-decker bus. “I thought, ‘Yo, this is sick. Am I in heaven?’ ”
Not long after, he encountered the Golden Arches. And it was love at first bite.
“Oooooh, yes,” Jon recalls, flashing a wide grin. “That first taste of McDonald’s was life-changing.”
He was 14 at the time, in Year 10 at Bishop Douglas Secondary School in London. He was walking home from football training, or soccer practice as we say in America. In any language, Jon was starving.
“I had two pounds on me,” he explains, “and I saw that McDonald’s cheeseburgers were a pound each. As soon as I tasted it, I made a U-Turn and went back to get another one.”
In his homeland, Jon was used to a steady diet of fish, poultry, and an occasional mango he and his friends would pick directly from a tree in the compound where they lived. Now a fit and trim 33-year-old, Jon doesn’t devour much fast food these days. But he’s acquired the taste for another American cultural phenomenon — professional wrestling. He and his wife have been glued to a Netflix docuseries called “Unreal,” which profiles WWE stars like Cody Rhodes, John Cena, and Rhea Ripley.
“You had professional wrestling in the Congo?” a visitor queries. “We did,” Jon answers. “It really is WORLD Wrestling Entertainment.”
Brandi admires the skill and agility of each performer. “They really are great athletes. To do what they do — jumping off the ropes and performing all those moves — it’s pretty amazing. We’re big fans.”
In the midst of exploring a new continent, a new culture, and a new language, Jon also discovered something else quite intriguing in the UK — the opposite sex. In particular, one young lady who caught his fancy. Her name was Paris, and she was the prettiest girl in the class. Jon was dying to talk to her, but he wasn’t exactly a ladies man at that point. But like soccer, music is an international language all its own.
“I heard Paris play a song on the piano and I fell in love with her even more.”
Jon had an idea. If he couldn’t figure out the right words to woo this young lady, maybe he could captivate her by hitting all the right keys. He raced home after school on a Friday afternoon, locked himself in his bedroom, and studied YouTube videos the entire weekend. By Monday, he had learned five songs on the piano.
“Playing the piano really gave me an identity. Football and music sort of opened me up.”
Jon Tukala sits at the baby grand piano in the living area of his home. Jon taught himself to play the piano by watching YouTube videos as a teen. (Photo by Sally Maxson)So, did he get the girl in the end?
Jon laughs.
“Rumor had it that she had a thing for guys who spoke French. I had my chances to make my move but I didn’t. I was too shy and scared.”
Nevertheless, he did make all the right moves on the soccer pitch. He became enamored with the game at age 14 when he attended the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, a matchup between Manchester United and Chelsea. Chelsea’s star play at the time was Didier Drogba, a native of the Ivory Coast who grew up in France. Though he’s one of the greatest African players of all time, Didier captured Jon’s imagination not only with his fluid moves and speed, but with a courageous political stance — he delivered a passionate speech that ultimately led to a ceasefire in his war-torn homeland.
“His status as a footballer made a difference. I wanted to make a difference like that, too.”
Jon began playing year-round, supplementing intense skill training with 10-mile runs during the week. “I really wanted to be great.”
At age 17, he earned a spot in the development program for Watford F.C., an English club whose biggest fan is none other than Elton John. “We got to dress in the club’s gear and got to attend professional games all the time. I was in the program for two years, but it just didn’t work out for me.”
So his shot at the goal was deflected, and a medical mission was now on life-support following a conversation Jon had with a teacher. She had asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He responded, “I want to be a doctor.”
He takes another sip from his mug.
“She said, ‘You will never be a doctor. You don’t have good enough grades.’ I honestly don’t think she was being malicious, but those words really stayed with me. I felt like I didn’t measure up. I never thought about becoming a doctor again.”
Could Jon resuscitate both dreams? Possibly. But it would take traveling to yet another continent to find out.
COMING TO AMERICA
He’d heard about the sunshine. He’d read about the beaches. So when Jon had an opportunity to continue his soccer career in California, he was ready to catch some waves. Then he realized Feather River Junior College is in Quincy, California, which features a cooler climate and lots of snow in the winter — more conducive to skiing than surfing. But he found out too late. He was already enrolled in classes.
“I came for the palm trees and the beaches,” he deadpans. “But I never saw either.”
Nor did he see eye-to-eye with his coach, and that meant he never saw much playing time on the field. Not exactly a playbook for Major League Soccer organizations to notice him, which is what attracted Jon to Feather River in the first place.
“It wasn’t a good experience. Even during my sophomore season, I didn’t play as much as I thought I would. I lost my confidence and was ready to quit soccer, but I wanted to continue my education.”
To make matters worse, he ran out of money during the second semester of his freshman year. He began to apply for a variety of scholarships and became a resident assistant in his dorm, so that covered his room and board. He continued to pick up work wherever he could find it — that is, until he was offered a role he just couldn’t accept.
“A friend said he could get me a job weed whacking. I told him, ‘I can’t help you with that. I don’t do drugs.”
He laughs at the cultural confusion, but he quickly grows serious again.
“It sounds simplistic, but I trusted God during my time there. As hard as it was, I really saw my faith grow from that experience.”
Jon flourished during his junior season and earned honorable mention All-America honors. But he erupted as a senior, scoring a school-record 21 goals and was named a first-team NAIA All-American.
Jon began to search for another college soccer program that would value his speed and power as a striker, and he sent some game footage to Coach BJ Santiago at Cincinnati Christian University. It was an ideal fit. The Eagles were about to move into the highly competitive National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and Jon would play a key role in their success.
“We were wanting to bring someone in who had some experience and could play right away,” BJ points out. “After a few conversations the man took a leap of faith and flew to Cincinnati. Boy, were we glad he did.”
Jon flourished during his junior season and earned honorable mention All-America honors. But he erupted as a senior, scoring a school-record 21 goals and was named a first-team NAIA All-American.
“Jon had one of the best seasons for a player in CCU history,” his former coach emphasizes. “It was great to see him recognized and applauded by the other coaches in the league. He was most deserving of all the praise.”
Even though Jon was a standout between the lines, BJ believes he was an even better leader.
“Jon was an amazing teammate, so well-respected among the others on the team. His humility was top-notch. He was always willing to lead by example and help others when necessary. I am so proud of him. I’m so glad he took the risk, which led to him to finding his wife.”
Jon married the former Brandi Rice on June 21, 2019, on her parents’ property in Alexandria, Kentucky. Brandi also was a soccer standout at Cincinnati Christian, and how they came together as a couple has become a playful point of contention between them.
So, what’s the REAL story?
“He was this new boy on campus, very handsome and very good at football with a great accent,” Brandi remembers. “All the girls were swooning and talking about the new boy. I don’t go along with the crowd that often, and I didn’t want anything to do with him because everyone thought the new British boy was so cute. I didn’t give him any attention, and I think that’s what made him interested in me. So this one day Jon’s best friend, Eric Cash, came up to me and said, ‘My friend likes you.’ ”
She shakes her head and laughs.
“Yep, as if we’re in elementary school or something. I was shocked because of how many people liked him. I thought he was out of my league.”
Brandi maintains that a couple of weeks later, Jon pulled her aside and declared, “Rumor has it you like me.”
“I told him, ‘That’s not what I heard. I heard you like ME.’ It just went on from there.”
Jon claims the relationship was a little more contentious at the beginning. For budgetary reasons, both the men’s and women’s teams from Cincinnati Christian would travel to away games together, and they ventured to Pittsburgh to take on Point Park University and Carlow College. Jon remembers sitting down at a coffee shop to join Brandi and her friends — and immediately Brandi got up and walked away.
Jon was flabbergasted.
Jon Tukala became a huge fan of the Chelsea Football Club while a teen in London. Jon and his daughter, Jade, pose in front of some memorabilia in their basement. (Photo by Sally Maxson)“I’m like, ‘What did I ever do to this girl?’ So the next day I basically confronted her and asked, ‘Have I wronged you? Have I done something to you in any way? What’s the deal?’ She was really the only person who wouldn’t talk to me, so I said, ‘I’m going to do something about this.’ And that’s really when it started.”
Eventually, Jon’s relational persistence paid off. So with a bride on his arm and a Humanities degree in hand, Jon had a choice to make — enter a new stage of life as a husband and father? Or continue to pursue his passion for soccer?
The thought of deportation made his decision much easier.
FAMILY MAN
“No!”
The toddler folds her arms, scrunches up her face, and repeats the response.
“No!”
It’s one of many words this precocious 2-year-old articulates clearly, but perhaps not as forcefully. Jade Esther Tukala entered the world on August 21, 2023. And Jon was never the same.
Jon Tukala pushes his daughter Jade on the swing set at Jeffrey Mansion Park in Bexley, Ohio. (Photo by Sally Maxson)That becomes evident on this sun-splashed afternoon in Bexley, Ohio, a short drive from where the Tukalas now live in Columbus. Jade is sporting a pink wide-brimmed hat, a polka dot dress, and cute little sunglasses. Jon had asked if she would like to walk with him to the playground about a hundred yards away. But she had other ideas. After a brief period of negotiation, Jade begins giggling and not only walks through the grass, she willingly holds her father’s hand the entire trip.
“She’s a daddy’s girl — big time,” Brandi concedes. “Jon’s an incredible father, very protective. There’s a silliness about him with Jade. She breaks down walls to bring out something in him.”
Jon hunts for a shady spot and finds a picnic table not far from a sliding board and swing set. A friend pushes Jade back and forth as Jon discusses some precarious moments following college graduation.
Before setting foot on campus, Jon had obtained an F1 Visa as an international student, which allowed him to live in the United States while pursuing his education. After completing a program, you can work in the US for an additional year before leaving.
Since he had minored in Worship Music during college, Jon served as a worship leader at a small church in Milford, Ohio, for that 12 months.
“I was the only black person in the church, and I was young enough to be their grandchild,” Jon says matter-of-factly. “The church members didn’t respect me. One person told me if I don’t start singing hymns, people are going to leave the church.”
Despite differing opinions on music styles, those church attenders decided not to leave — but Jon did. “I really struggled. I became stressed out. I had to go.”
However, exiting that role meant Jon was abandoning a new R1 visa he had applied for, which allows individuals to work in religious occupations in America. So after Brandi and Jon married, he filed for a Green Card and they moved to Columbus for its more diverse communities. Jon tackled a series of jobs, but none fueled his passion like soccer or music — nor did they bring in the type of income he was seeking. Then he had an epiphany: Maybe his teacher was right. Maybe he couldn’t be a doctor, but he could still work in a hospital setting.
Jon was a scheduler for OhioHealth at the time, and he began to explore the programs at Mount Carmel College of Nursing, located just a few minutes from Ohio State University. An administrative secretary named Gale Kolarik suggested Jon try Portage Learning for its affordable courses and flexible online schedule.
“When I first started classes, it was very difficult. I was working full time, and we just had Jade. But looking back on my education with Portage Learning, it gave me a lot of confidence to become a nurse. I had nothing but positive experiences with all the professors I had. They were all very kind and responsive.”
A shelf in Jon Tukala’s home features keepsakes to remind him of what’s most important in life — his hometown of Kinshasa in the Congo, his family, and his faith. (Photo by Sally Maxson)Nicole Gumpf was among them. She taught Jon’s nutrition course and maintained an ongoing dialogue with him.
“Jon was a joy to work with and a truly dedicated student. His passion for life and love for God came through in every interaction, and it was always uplifting to connect with him. I have no doubt that he will make an excellent nurse — not only because of his hard work and determination, but also because of the compassion and kindness he brings to everything he does. His future patients will be lucky to have him.”
Jon completed seven courses with Portage — eight if you count the one he took over. Jon didn’t get the grade he wanted for Anatomy & Physiology 1, so he enrolled in the course again. Lindsay Landis, his professor, was impressed with his persistence.
“When he retook the class, Jon studied more and refocused his efforts. Being such a self-directed person, I think Jon will thrive as a nurse. I’m excited for him as he continues to pursue his career.”
Jon is now enrolled in the 18-month Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Mount Carmel. He expects to be working in the field by the spring of 2027.
“I’m excited and nervous,” he admits. “This is all pretty intense.”
And that’s where Jade can serve as Jon’s inspirational compass, says Jeremiah Olson, pastor of Grace Fellowship’s Chapel Campus in Pickerington, Ohio. Jeremiah also leads the weekend worship team, for which Jon plays the keyboards.
“Jon has a warm and peaceful presence on the stage,” Jeremiah points out. “He has a lot of intensity too, and sometimes it needs to be tempered. A sweet little daughter is able to do that. I think fatherhood has softened Jon and it’s boosted his resolve, giving him even more reasons to be the good man he wants to be.”
Jon points to his daughter on the swing set.
“When Jade grows up, I want her to be able to say, ‘My dad loved the Lord and walked with him. Not perfectly, but he tried. He had dreams and actively pursed them. And I love the idea of having a very stable job like nursing. That inspires other people, especially my daughter. My dream is for her to know and serve the Lord. My goal is to set that example.”
Just like his dad did for him.
FAITH & THE FUTURE
It’s a sweltering Sunday afternoon, yet Jon and Jade are kicking a soccer ball around their fenced-in backyard. The Tukalas live in a quaint neighborhood just a few minutes from the John Glenn Columbus International Airport.
Jade Tukala, 2, plays while her parents talk with visitors in their living area.. (Photo by Sally Maxson)“We are so fortunate,” Brandi points out. “Most of our neighbors are older and retired. They are all so sweet. It’s very peaceful.”
“God used football to get me to the United States. It’s almost as if God has put me in this specific place at this special time.” Except, of course, when commercial airliners and private jets are rumbling over their home.
Jon has become acutely aware that you can only connect life’s dots in reverse, meaning you can only place your future in God’s hands by reflecting on his faithfulness in the past. His initial motivation was to use soccer as a means to help his family. But it appears the game has helped him even more.
“God used football to get me to the United States. It’s almost as if God has put me in this specific place at this special time.”
You might say it’s a divine convergence of three great passions — his sport, his music, and his favorite girls. As the family returns to the air-conditioned comfort indoors, Jon is encouraged to perform a piece on the piano. He takes a seat at the baby grand in his living room and begins playing one of his favorite songs, “River Flows in You,” by a South Korean composer named Yiruma. It’s a gentle, cascading melody meant to mimic the water’s movement.
“I know it sounds crazy,” Jon offers, “but I learned to play that by ear.”
He’s also learned a valuable lesson: Just because you don’t reach the very highest level of a sport, that doesn’t mean you can’t help others do it. These days, Jon not only competes in a twice-weekly adult league, but he’s coaching the 8-9 year olds with Ohio Premiere, considered to be the top soccer club in the state.
“I still love football,” Jon acknowledges, “and I love passing it down to the next generation. It keeps me fit and I get to set an example for the kids.”
Just not on those rare occasions when a referee blows a call.
Jon smiles.
“I’m not always very Christian at those moments. But I am really patient with our players and their parents.”
His campus pastor would add another virtue to Jon’s patience — a deep sense of purpose.
“Jon is very focused. Anyone who played semi-pro soccer has to be. He’s very serious about his Christian faith, and intentional about his family and directional choices,” Jeremiah asserts. “The decision to pursue his education and complete school has been difficult and costly for him.”
Jon’s daytime classes at Mount Carmel are virtual, so he can maintain his role as a stay-at-home dad while Brandi works as a contract reviewer for Double L Management in Columbus.
“If I’m being honest, this is hard for me, respectfully speaking. As a man. I feel like it’s my responsibility to provide for my family. I’m not being negligent, I just want to be here for my daughter. It’s a massive blessing that I’m the one doing it. The Lord saw this coming and orchestrated it the way it is. I will be able to support my family better when I complete my schooling.”
Jon still isn’t sure what type of nurse he’d like to become — “I love kids so possibly pediatrics” — but Jeremiah knows what kind of nurse he will be.
“I would have a high trust in Jon to carry out his nursing duties, and I know he’s going to have a good bedside manner. He’s going to be warm and confident in the hospital just like he is on a church stage.”
Jade begins crying and crawls into her’s daddy’s lap.
“Ouch. Boo-boo,” she says through her tears.
Jon cradles his baby girl, rocks her back and forth, then seals the sweet moment with a tender kiss to the cheek.
Jade smiles.
Just what the doctor ordered.
