Nick Saban’s daughter Kristen Saban is a wonder woman. She balances between her daughter’s duties and her mom duties like a pro. Kristen never misses a chance to fill the room with the loudest cheer whenever dad Saban receives any award. On the other hand, being a mom to a toddler, she needs to be extra vigilant. But finally, Kristen got lucky to take some time out for herself. And what’s the best way to detox and recharge oneself away from the daily humdrum? A vacation to the sea. That’s when we got to know this adventurous side of Kristen. This left the fans filling up her DMs as they were worried about her daring act. But worry not, Nick Saban’s daughter then came up with a message on IG to relieve the fans of stress. 

Being GOAT Saban’s daughter, there is no sense of mediocrity or settling for less when it comes to Kristen. She loves to live life big way. And definitely, vacationing also falls in that category. On May 31, she dropped a picture from her trip to Georgetown, Grand Cayman Islands. Decked up in a fish-printed dress and a pair of sunnies, with clear blue water in the backdrop, it was difficult to focus on either of the two subjects. But one thing was clear: Kristen had put herself on flight mode. The caption read, “Your call has been forwarded to an automated voicemail. Don’t leave a message. 😎” While fans were waiting for more pictures from the dreamy-vacay, Kristen stunned the fans by going swimming with a stingray.

In another IG post, there was a series of snaps. From the yacht, to Kristen enjoying good local food, her swimming spree left the fans losing their calm. Kristen had posted a video clip where, amidst the turquoise water, under the supervision of an instructor, Kristen was spotted kissing the shark cousin. She felt the chills for sure, but she kept a smile on her face. But the fans were too concerned about her safety. So much so that on June 2, Kristen came up with an IG story with a clarification. Sharing a video clip of her swim with the sting ray, she wrote, “Also, the concerned DMs about me swimming with a stingray…I prevailed. 10/10 recommended. (be for real though, she literally slapped me).” But it definitely was worth it after a tough year for Kristen.

Talking about 2024? Well, Kristen might have had one of the most difficult years in her life. At the beginning of the year, she saw her superhero dad hang up his head coaching boots. That was the end to the Sabans’ 17-year bond with Alabama. This might have left Kristen with an empty feeling, as she was the most common face in every Alabama game, cheering for her dad’s team. But so what if Nick Saban’s head coaching tenure came to an end? This did not relieve Kristen of her cheerleading duties. The GOAT started to make appearances in the award ceremonies, and the proud daughter got lucky to carry out her duties. But then came two losses, one personal. 

Saban’s daughter was one of the biggest fans of her dad’s College GameDay colleague, Kirk Herbstreit’s retriever Ben. But Ben passed away on November 7 after fighting against leukemia. Kristen was yet to recover from the loss when she lost her furry friend and companion, Gunner. So, now she is on a healing journey as she tries her hand at new things. 

Kristen Saban is growing, giving, and glowing

While Kristen’s son, James, must be cruising on a scooter, the 34-year-old proved that age should not stop someone from having fun. Nick Saban’s daughter tried her hand at driving an electric scooter on a driveway. Wobbly but 100% determined to balance herself on her new ride. Maybe she needed this experience that changed her outlook towards life. As she uploaded the video of learning how to tackle a scooty, she wrote, “Most humbling moment of my life.” 

Mind you, this healing process is not only about having fun herself, but giving back to society as well. And in this mission, Kristen got the backing of his parents, Saban and Terry. The power couple has set up a charitable organization named Nick’s Kids Foundation. Their mission is to donate to deserving organizations and causes throughout the state of Alabama and the Southeast. Since the GOAT’s arrival, they have donated $15 million. 

In this initiative, Kristen also plays a big role. The foundation had organized an auction with a special cause on May 19. Saban’s daughter then shared it on her IG story to reach out to a larger audience. “Starting TONIGHT at 5 pm, bid on exclusive, one-of-a-kind items and unforgettable experiences, including signed memorabilia from former players, opportunities to engage with Coach Saban and Coach DeBoer, an ESPN GameDay experience, and much more! All proceeds support our mission to make a lasting impact on children and families.” That is Kristen Saban’s comeback arc- healing hard, growing harder.