What to Know About John Sterling's Family, Including the Late Yankees Broadcaster's 4 Kids

John was married to Contreras for 12 years

New York Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling looks out from the broadcasting booth one final time on April 20, 2024, in New York.
Credit: New York Yankees/Getty

Contreras and John married in 1996, almost a decade into his tenure as the Yankees' radio play-by-play announcer. They were together for 12 years and divorced in 2008.

“I waited a long time before getting married and having children so it meant even more to me," John later told the New York Post. "In the newspapers it will read so corny, but what I did was just give them all the love I could every day of their lives."

He added, "If they were going to play in a game or have a part in a school play, I told them how great they were gonna be and why it was a great thing to do."

They shared four children

John Sterling and family visit the Empire State Building on April 22, 2024 in New York City.
Credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty

Not long after Contreras gave birth to their daughter, Abigail, the former couple welcomed triplets, whom the announcer affectionately referred to as "the trips," according to the MLB.

Derek, Veronica and Bradford were born in Englewood, N.J., on Oct. 11, 2000, per the New York Post. His kids told the outlet that they had fond memories of their dad playing Frank Sinatra and taking them to see Broadway musicals.

“When we were little, he said he never minded watching Disney movies with us because the music was so great, and this is a man who sat through many showings of Beauty and the Beast," Abigail recalled.

She continued, "Each year for our birthdays, he would take my brothers to see one show and my sisters to another. I think this was mostly an excuse for him to see two different musicals, but we weren't complaining.”

Bradford pursued a career in finance and moved to Manhattan, while Derek was studying at Ramapo College as of 2024.

John named one of his sons after Derek Jeter

John Sterling speaks as he is honored before a game on April 20, 2024 in New York City.
Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty

John named his son Derek after legendary Yankees player Derek Jeter. He was a fan of the shortstop during his time as a broadcaster and called every inning of his 20-season career, per The New York Times.

"You name something, he's done it, and done it right too," Sterling told the MLB of Jeter in April 2024. "He's gone on from there to have this phenomenal career. We know that he's got [3,465] hits, that's a lot of hits, but he just did it by being consistently terrific all the time."

Sterling’s kids took care of him after his heart attack in 2026

John Sterling and family visit the Empire State Building on April 22, 2024 in New York City.
Credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty

In early January 2026, Sterling told WFAN that he had suffered a heart attack. His legs were affected by the cardiac event, and his children had stepped in to take over "all phases" of his life while he recovered.

“I couldn't have done anything without them,” the announcer told WFAN, per the MLB. “They have been sensational in taking care of me.”

Three months later, the radio station announced that John had died.

"We are devastated to hear about the passing of John Sterling, a WFAN and Yankees radio icon whose voice was synonymous with an entire generation of Yankee fandom," WFAN Sports Radio announced in a post on X. "Rest in peace, John."

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