Jana Donlin is an American woman from Rhode Island who is best known as the wife of Derrick Levasseur. She lives a private life while caring for her family and children.
She became widely known because of Derrick’s successful career as a police officer, television personality, and Big Brother 16 winner. Their long relationship has also attracted interest from his fans.
This article explores Jana Donlin’s early life, education, relationship with Derrick, marriage, children, and family life. It also looks at her role as a mother and life in Rhode Island.
Who Is Jana Donlin?
Jana Donlin is the longtime partner and wife of Derrick Levasseur. She was born on December 22, 1985, in Rhode Island, United States, where she also spent much of her life.
She studied criminal justice at Mitchell College and met Derrick during their college years. Their friendship gradually developed into a romantic relationship, eventually leading them toward engagement, marriage, and parenthood together.
Unlike her husband, Jana has mostly remained outside the entertainment spotlight. She has focused much of her attention on raising their two daughters and creating a stable home for their family.
Jana Donlin’s Early Life
Jana Donlin was born and raised in Rhode Island in the United States. Her birthday is December 22, 1985, and her zodiac sign is Capricorn based on her date of birth.
She is the daughter of Kenneth Raymond Donlin. Her father passed away when Jana was around 28 years old, making his death an important and difficult event in her personal life.
Jana has spent most of her life in Rhode Island and maintains strong connections to the state. Even after becoming associated with a television personality, she continued living a relatively private lifestyle.
Education and College Years
Jana attended Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut, around 2003 or 2004. She chose criminal justice as her area of study and worked toward an associate degree in the subject.
Her college experience became important for another major reason. It was during this period that she crossed paths with Derrick Levasseur, who was also studying criminal justice at Mitchell College.
Their similar educational interests gave them something meaningful in common. Both were from Rhode Island, attended the same college, and shared classes that helped create the foundation for their future relationship.
How Jana Donlin Met Derrick Levasseur
Jana Donlin and Derrick Levasseur met around 2004 or 2005 while attending Mitchell College. They were both criminal justice students and spent time together through their shared classes and college activities.
What began as a connection between classmates eventually became a serious relationship. Their shared Rhode Island roots and similar interests helped them build a bond that continued beyond their years at college.
Their college campus remained an important place in their love story. Years after first meeting there, Derrick returned to Mitchell College when he was ready to take their relationship to another level.
Jana Donlin and Derrick Levasseur’s Engagement
By 2010, Derrick Levasseur had decided that he wanted Jana to become his wife. He chose Mitchell College, the place where their relationship had started, as the location for his proposal.
Returning to their old college added personal meaning to the occasion. The campus represented their first meetings, shared classes, growing friendship, and the beginning of the relationship they had built together.
Jana accepted Derrick’s proposal, and the couple became engaged. They soon began preparing for their wedding and the next stage of the life they planned to build together in Rhode Island.
Jana Donlin and Derrick Levasseur’s Wedding
Jana Donlin married Derrick Levasseur on April 30, 2011. Their wedding took place at the Newport Marriott in Rhode Island and brought together more than 200 relatives, friends, and other guests.
The wedding marked a new chapter after several years together. Their relationship had grown from college classmates into a committed partnership, and they celebrated that journey with the people closest to them.
Following their wedding celebration, Jana and Derrick travelled to Aruba for their honeymoon. After returning home, they settled in Central Falls, Rhode Island, and started building their life as a married couple.
Becoming Parents
Jana and Derrick entered another important stage of their relationship in 2012. They welcomed their first daughter, Tenley Rose, approximately one year after getting married and beginning their new life together.
Parenthood changed the couple’s daily responsibilities. Derrick was working as a police officer in Central Falls, while Jana became closely involved in caring for their daughter and managing their growing family life.
The couple later welcomed their second daughter, Peyton, in 2016. With two daughters at home, Jana became an important source of stability while Derrick continued developing his career and public profile.
Jana Donlin’s Children
Jana Donlin is the mother of two daughters, Tenley Rose and Peyton. Tenley was born in 2012, while Peyton joined the family four years later in 2016.
Jana has devoted much of her time to motherhood. Her family life has remained more private than Derrick’s professional activities, allowing their daughters to grow without being constantly placed in public attention.
Derrick has embraced being a father to two girls and has described himself as a “Girl Dad.” Family outings, school activities, hikes, and relaxing time together have formed part of their everyday lifestyle.
Jana Donlin’s Life as a Stay-at-Home Mom
Jana Donlin has mainly focused on being a stay-at-home mother. Raising Tenley and Peyton became an important part of her daily life while Derrick managed demanding professional and television responsibilities.
Her criminal justice education connected her to Derrick during their younger years, but her later life became strongly centered around family. She helped maintain their household while raising their two daughters.
This family-focused role allowed Derrick to pursue opportunities that required considerable time and attention. Jana remained away from the television spotlight while supporting the family through major changes in Derrick’s career.
Derrick Levasseur’s Police Career
Derrick built his professional life in law enforcement before becoming a television personality. He served as a police officer in Central Falls, Rhode Island, where his work sometimes involved difficult and dangerous situations.
One major incident occurred in April 2007 when Derrick responded to a 911 call. A man armed with a knife charged toward officers, creating a dangerous situation that required an immediate response.
Derrick helped control the attacker without firing his weapon. His actions earned him the department’s Medal of Valor, its highest honour, recognizing his courage and quick response during the dangerous incident.
Jana Donlin During Derrick’s Big Brother Journey
Derrick became nationally known when he competed on Big Brother 16 in 2014. His appearance brought greater public attention not only to him but also to Jana and their young family.
During the competition, Derrick received difficult news about the death of his grandfather through a letter from Jana. The loss affected him deeply, and he considered leaving the competition during that emotional period.
Jana encouraged Derrick to remain in the game and continue competing for their future. Her support became especially meaningful when Derrick eventually won Big Brother 16 and received the $500,000 prize.
Why Derrick Dedicated His Big Brother Win to Jana
Derrick’s victory was closely connected to the support he received from his wife. Jana had encouraged him during one of his most difficult emotional moments while he was separated from his family.
Instead of allowing grief to end his experience, Derrick continued competing. Jana’s encouragement helped him remain focused on the larger purpose behind his participation and the future they were building together.
After winning the competition, Derrick acknowledged Jana’s important role in his journey. His victory brought major changes to his professional life and opened opportunities beyond his previous career in law enforcement.
Life After Big Brother
Derrick’s career expanded significantly following his 2014 Big Brother victory. Television appearances and podcast work brought him greater public recognition, while Jana continued concentrating on their home and children.
As their circumstances changed, the family moved to Cumberland, Rhode Island. The move provided a quieter environment where Jana and Derrick could continue raising Tenley and later their younger daughter, Peyton.
Their family activities have included ordinary moments such as school events, outdoor trips, weekend activities, and time at home. These experiences show the more personal side of Derrick’s life away from television.
Jana Donlin’s Private Lifestyle
Jana has never pursued the same level of public recognition as Derrick. Although people became interested in her because of her husband, she has generally maintained a quieter presence away from entertainment media.
Her lifestyle largely revolves around her daughters and family responsibilities. Instead of building a public television career, she has remained focused on motherhood and maintaining everyday family life in Rhode Island.
This privacy also means that Jana’s personal and professional activities receive much less attention. Her public identity remains most closely connected with her family, education, marriage, and relationship with Derrick Levasseur.
Jana Donlin and Derrick Levasseur’s Family Traditions
Family time has remained an important part of Jana and Derrick’s household. Despite Derrick’s public career, they have enjoyed simple activities together rather than making every family moment part of his public image.
Derrick has occasionally shared glimpses of activities such as family hikes and school runs. At the same time, the couple has generally avoided placing their daughters’ private lives constantly before a large audience.
Another family activity involves spending time together watching true-crime programs. This interest fits naturally with Jana and Derrick’s shared criminal justice background and adds another connection to the interests that first brought them together.
Relationship Speculation
Jana and Derrick’s relationship attracted renewed attention in 2023. Some followers began speculating about their marriage after noticing details such as missing wedding rings and changes involving living arrangements.
The couple did not turn the speculation into a major public discussion. Their quiet approach was consistent with the privacy Jana had maintained throughout much of Derrick’s increasingly visible television career.
Jana’s personal life therefore remains largely outside public conversation. Her story is better defined by her long relationship with Derrick, their college beginnings, marriage, and years spent raising their two daughters.
Jana Donlin’s Life in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has played an important role throughout Jana’s life. She was born there, shared Rhode Island roots with Derrick, married there, and later built a family life within the state.
After their wedding and honeymoon, Jana and Derrick settled in Central Falls. Derrick’s police career was also connected with the city, making it an important location during their early years of marriage.
The family later moved to Cumberland for a quieter lifestyle. Rhode Island therefore remains closely connected to Jana’s childhood, relationship, marriage, motherhood, and the home she created with Derrick and their daughters.
Final Thoughts
Jana Donlin is best known as Derrick Levasseur’s wife, but her story began long before his television success. She studied criminal justice and met Derrick while they were students at Mitchell College.
Their relationship grew from college friendship into engagement and marriage. They married in April 2011 and later became parents to two daughters, Tenley Rose and Peyton, while building their home in Rhode Island.
While Derrick developed a public career through law enforcement, television, and podcasting, Jana remained focused on family life. Her private approach has made her a quieter figure behind Derrick’s highly visible professional journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jana Donlin?
Jana Donlin is the wife of Derrick Levasseur, a former police officer and winner of Big Brother 16. She studied criminal justice at Mitchell College and is the mother of two daughters.
How did Jana Donlin meet Derrick Levasseur?
Jana met Derrick around 2004 or 2005 at Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut. Both were studying criminal justice, and their shared classes and interests helped their relationship develop during college.
When did Jana Donlin and Derrick Levasseur get married?
Jana and Derrick married on April 30, 2011, at the Newport Marriott in Rhode Island. More than 200 guests attended their wedding, and the newlyweds later travelled to Aruba for their honeymoon.
How many children do Jana Donlin and Derrick Levasseur have?
Jana and Derrick have two daughters. Their eldest daughter, Tenley Rose, was born in 2012, while their younger daughter, Peyton, was born in 2016, four years after her sister.
What does Jana Donlin do?
Jana Donlin has mainly focused on being a stay-at-home mother and raising her two daughters. She studied criminal justice at Mitchell College but has kept her professional and personal life largely private.
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