Jan Gyurina - Rocky Bleier's wife
In the initial stages of my research of Jan Gyurina, I understood that she is one of those extraordinary women who does not want to be at the center stage but helps her family work in the background. You see the kind - strong, devoted but not desiring fame to herself.
Who is Jan Gyurina?
Jan Gyurina is a household name in Pittsburgh who got married to NFL legend Rocky Bleier almost thirty years ago, in 1996. And this is the interesting part, as her husband was scoring touchdowns and earning Super Bowl rings, Jan Gyurina was creating an equally significant base, a family.
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jan Gyurina (also referenced as Jan G. Bleier, née Gyurina) |
| Known for | Spouse of Rocky Bleier (former Pittsburgh Steelers RB, author/speaker) |
| Marital status | Married |
| Marriage date | April 13, 1996 |
| Children | Two adopted daughters, Elly and Rosie Bleier |
| Residence | Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania (Virginia Manor area) |
Family Background of Jan Gyurina
Jan Gyurina is the daughter of the well-established Gyurina family in Pennsylvania. Her dad was John J. Gyurina, who died in January 2020 at an incredible age of 89.
Here is what I learned about her dad:Jan Gyurina had three siblings: Jacqueline (Gerry) Dudley, James (Susie) Gyurina and John (Kelly) Gyurina.
Her mother was Rosalie C. (DeGrazia) Gyurina, who died before her husband.
| Relation | Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | Rocky Bleier | Former NFL player, author, speaker; married April 13, 1996 |
| Father | John J. "Jim" Gyurina | Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania (deceased); obituaries list Jan as daughter |
| Children | Elly Bleier | Adopted daughter (sometimes reported as Notre Dame graduate) |
| Children | Rosie Bleier | Adopted daughter |
| Residence | Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania | Virginia Manor area; long-term family home |
Marriage to Rocky Bleier
Here is where the tale gets truly lovely. On April 13, 1996, Jan Gyurina got married to Rocky Bleier. The second marriage of Rocky to Aleta Giacobine Whitaker (1975 to 1996)
What interests me about the relationship between Jan Gyurina and Rocky is that she entered his life when he was in transition.
By 1996, Rocky was more than 15 years out of football and he was establishing his post-NFL career. Jan Gyurina was not marrying a sports star - she was marrying a man who had already established himself in several fields: sport, military service, business.Their wedding date April 13, 1996 is the start of a 29-year relationship (as of 2025).
That is not only impressive in Hollywood or sports terms, that is impressive in any sense.
Children - Elly and Rosie by Jan Gyurina.
She and Rocky chose to adopt their family by adopting two sisters (Ellen and Rosie Bleier) of Ukrainian descent around the year 2000 after hearing about international adoption by a neighbor who had adopted in Moscow.
Would you think how daunting it is to take the plunge of international adoption? Jan Gyurina and Rocky did not simply talk about wanting to help children, they did it.What I like about the approach taken by Jan Gyurina to motherhood is what Rocky tells us about their daughters: They are my daughters.
They are not my adopted daughters. They are your children or they are not your children. Such attitude is obviously a result of the influence that Jan Gyurina had on the family structure of this family.
Personal Life and Family Values
The family of Jan Gyurina resides in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, in the Virginia Manor neighborhood. It is not a flashy celebrity-hood, this is a solid, family-oriented community where Jan Gyurina could bring up her daughters and give them regular lives.
She would have advocated a more visible way of life, and capitalized on the popularity of Rocky. Rather, she preferred content over focus.
She picked community over celebrity.Rocky has frequently said that he has four Super Bowl rings but what he values most is his family with Jan Gyurina. That does not come by chance - it comes when you have a partner who keeps you straight in your values.
The Gyurina Family
LegacyJan Gyurina continues a family business of service and hard work. The 45-year career of her father in construction, his military service, and his commitment to his family plainly impacted how Jan Gyurina views her own life.At the time of his death in 2020, the family obituary said that the source of his joy and focus was always his family.
Sound familiar? Jan Gyurina has established that same family-centered atmosphere in her own family.The Gyurina family is not limited to the direct household of Jan Gyurina. According to the obituary of her father, he had eleven grandchildren, among them Elly and Rosie, so it is possible to see that Jan Gyurina has been close to her extended family.
Residing in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Jan Gyurina has chosen to make Mt. Lebanon her base, and to be honest, I believe that it is the best place that her family can call home. The decision to keep living in the suburbs of Pittsburgh also indicates how deeply Rocky is tied to the Steelers organization and the city in general, which Jan Gyurina realizes.
She has established a grounding that enables Rocky to hold onto his business interests and keep their family down to earth.
Frequently asked questions:
Q: What is the age of Jan Gyurina?
A: No public records exist of the exact age of Jan Gyurina, but according to the family records and her marriage history, she is between 50 and 60 years old.
The professional history of Jan Gyurina is not very popular. She is seen to be more family oriented and to support Rocky in business ventures.
Q: Jan Gyurina has how many children?
A: Jan Gyurina is born in Ukraine and has two adopted daughters, Elly and Rosie Bleier.
Q: Of what country was Jan Gyurina born?
A: Although it is not known where Jan Gyurina was actually born, she was raised in the Pittsburgh region due to the longstanding Pennsylvania family background.
Q: How long has Jan Gyurina been married to Rocky Bleier?
A: Jan Gyurina is married to Rocky Bleier and they have been together 29 years by 2025.
Q: Does Jan Gyurina use social media?
A: Jan Gyurina does not seem to have much social media activity and leads a rather private life, but what impresses me the most about her is her consistency.
Conclusion:
She has developed a life that is centered on family principles, community, and helping others to be successful instead of the need to be in the limelight.
In an era when all of us appear to be striving to achieve our fifteen minutes of fame, Jan Gyurina has found something far more valuable a life of being able to make a difference in the lives of those who are most important to her. Her experience with Rocky, their daughters Elly and Rosie, and her long Gyurina family legacy reveals that occasionally the best stories are told off camera, during the silent scenes of the day to day family routine.
