Most people know Jim Caviezel as the actor who played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ and later starred in Sound of Freedom. Far fewer know much about his wife. Kerri Browitt Caviezel has kept it that way on purpose. She built her own résumé long before Hollywood entered the picture—as a record-setting college basketball player, a Hall of Famer, and a longtime high school English teacher.
This is her story, drawn from the available records rather than the recycled celebrity bios that treat her mainly as an accessory.
Kerri Browitt Caviezel at a Glance
| Full Name | Kerri Browitt Caviezel (née Browitt) |
| Reported Birthdate | September 26, 1968 (Widely reported; matches husband’s profile & unconfirmed by primary records) |
| Birthplace | Mount Vernon, Washington |
| Height | 5′ 9″ (1.75 m) |
| High School | Cle Elum-Roslyn High School |
| College Education | Western Washington University (Graduated 1990) |
| Athletic Honors | WWU Athletics Hall of Fame (Class of 2015) |
| Profession | High School English Teacher; Former College Basketball Captain |
| Spouse | Jim Caviezel (m. July 20, 1996) |
| Children | Three adopted children (Bo, Lyn Elizabeth, and David) |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed (Private income; see Net Worth section) |
Early Life and a Standout Athletic Career
Kerri grew up in Washington state with her parents, David James Browitt and Jean Vandetta, and three siblings—brothers David and Jim, and sister Kristen (who later married football coach Scott Linehan). The family had strong sports roots.
At Cle Elum-Roslyn High School she was a first-team all-state player. She helped the Warriors win state championships and earned tournament MVP honors in 1985. She also played the flute.
At Western Washington University she became one of the program’s most complete players. As a junior in the 1988–89 season she co-captained the Vikings to a 30-5 record—the only 30-win season in school history. That team won District 1 and Bi-District titles and reached the NAIA National Tournament quarterfinals.
When she graduated in 1990 she ranked among WWU’s career leaders in five major categories: points (1,013), rebounds (680), assists (535—still second all-time), steals (233), and blocked shots (62). She remains one of only two women in WWU history to finish in the top 10 in all five. She started all but four games across four seasons (the team went 95-28 during that stretch) and never missed a contest. She was named an NAIA National Scholar-Athlete and earned a spot on the President’s List nine times.
In 2015, Western Washington formally inducted her into its Athletics Hall of Fame. The official announcement and Hall of Fame page remain the clearest primary sources on her playing career.
Choosing the Classroom Over the Court
After college Kerri did not chase professional basketball. She went into teaching. She taught junior high English and assisted with girls’ basketball at Mount Baker Junior-Senior High School, then returned to her alma mater, Cle Elum-Roslyn, as head girls’ basketball coach. In her first season the team reached the state title game.
She has continued working as a high school English teacher in the Seattle area for decades, deliberately staying outside the entertainment industry’s orbit.
Marriage and Family
Kerri and Jim Caviezel met in 1993 on a blind date arranged by his sister Amy. They married on July 20, 1996, at Immaculate Conception Church in Roslyn, Washington. Both are devout Catholics, and that shared faith has been a consistent part of their public comments about the relationship. Jim Caviezel’s Wikipedia entry confirms the marriage details and notes their three adopted children.
They have no biological children. They adopted three children from China—Bo, Lyn Elizabeth, and David—each of whom faced serious medical challenges at the time of adoption, including brain tumors and sarcoma. The couple has spoken publicly about choosing to adopt children others might have overlooked and supporting them through surgeries and ongoing care. They have kept the family’s day-to-day life largely private.
The Birthdate Question
Many biographical sites list Kerri’s birthday as September 26, 1968—the exact same date and place as her husband’s. Independent primary confirmation is scarce. When public records are thin, databases often copy a spouse’s details. Treat the shared birthday as widely reported rather than definitively verified.
Net Worth Realism
Kerri’s individual net worth is not public. High school teachers do not publish financial statements, and she has never promoted a personal brand or business that would generate public numbers.
Online estimates that assign her a personal fortune of $1–5 million (or higher) are unsourced. Broader household figures in the $15–25 million range that appear online almost always track Jim Caviezel’s long acting career (The Passion of the Christ, Person of Interest, Sound of Freedom, and earlier film work). Those are estimates of household wealth, not Kerri’s independent earnings.
The honest answer is that her personal finances remain private, as is typical for someone who has spent her professional life in public education.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kerri Browitt Caviezel
What does Kerri Browitt Caviezel do for a living?
She is a high school English teacher and a former collegiate basketball player inducted into the Western Washington University Athletics Hall of Fame.
When was she born?
Most secondary sources list September 26, 1968, in Mount Vernon, Washington. Because that date matches her husband’s exactly, it should be treated as reported rather than independently confirmed.
Was she a professional athlete?
No. She was an outstanding college player at Western Washington University and a 2015 Hall of Fame inductee, but she chose teaching after graduation.
How did she meet Jim Caviezel?
They met on a blind date arranged by Jim’s sister Amy in 1993 and married in 1996. Details are noted in Jim Caviezel’s Wikipedia biography.
What is her net worth?
Her individual net worth is not publicly disclosed. Any large figures circulating online generally reflect estimated household wealth tied to her husband’s acting career.
