Background and Early Life

Thomas Matthew DeLonge Jr. was born on December 13, 1975, in Poway, California, to Thomas DeLonge Sr., an oil company executive, and Connie DeLonge, a mortgage broker. He grew up with an older brother named Shon and a younger sister named Kari.

As a child, DeLonge enjoyed skateboarding and aspired to become a firefighter. To pursue this interest, he joined the San Diego Cadet Program. He initially attended Poway High School but was expelled in his junior year in 1991 after being caught intoxicated at a school basketball game. He later enrolled at Rancho Bernardo High School and graduated in 1993. Despite his expulsion, DeLonge remained popular among students, even being voted Homecoming King during a return visit to Poway High during his senior year.

Music Career and Blink-182

Tom DeLonge rose to fame as a founding member of Blink-182, which became one of the most influential pop-punk bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Alongside Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker, the band released several successful albums, including Enema of the State and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.

While still a member of Blink-182, DeLonge launched a side project called Box Car Racer in 2001, collaborating primarily with drummer Travis Barker, guitarist David Kennedy, and bassist Anthony Celestino. Their sole, self-titled album was released in 2002 and explored darker, more experimental themes than Blink-182's typical style.

Angels & Airwaves and Tour Collaborations

After temporarily parting ways with Blink-182 in 2005, DeLonge founded the band Angels & Airwaves, where he served as lead vocalist and guitarist. The band's sound is more atmospheric and space-rock inspired compared to his earlier work. Their debut album, We Don't Need to Whisper, was released in 2006.

In 2019, Blink-182 invited rapper Lil Wayne to co-headline a summer tour. The collaboration received mixed reactions, with some audiences expressing disappointment at Lil Wayne’s shortened sets. During a show at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia, the rapper left the stage after roughly 20 minutes, citing a poor fit with the tour's fanbase.

Marriage and Family

DeLonge began dating Jennifer Jenkins, a high school acquaintance, in 1996. The couple married on May 26, 2001, in Coronado, California, overlooking the San Diego Bay. The wedding reception featured a live performance by the band Jimmy Eat World, and DeLonge gifted Tiffany & Co. silver yo-yos to the groomsmen, including bandmate Mark Hoppus.

The couple had two children: Ava Elizabeth DeLonge, born on July 15, 2002, and Jonas Rocket DeLonge, born on August 16, 2006. DeLonge filed for divorce in 2019. He later married Rita Marie in May 2021.

UFOs, Alien Beliefs, and To The Stars

Tom DeLonge has long been a vocal believer in UFOs, alien life, and conspiracy theories. Even before his musical success, he was interested in unexplained phenomena—an interest that he carried with him throughout his career. Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has remarked that DeLonge would often look out from the tour bus window to check for UFOs and at times organized expeditions to investigate Bigfoot sightings.

In 2015, DeLonge founded To The Stars, Inc., a company dedicated to entertainment and science. In 2017, it was restructured as the To The Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences, which includes divisions focused on aerospace and ufology. One of the Academy’s co-founders is Harold Puthoff, known for research into fringe science. A 2018 financial filing with the SEC reported that the company had accumulated a deficit of $37,432,000 as of June 30, 2018, raising questions about its long-term viability.