Some of the most compelling figures in wrestling history never step inside the ring. Teil Runnels is one such person. As the daughter of legendary professional wrestler Dusty Rhodes and the sister of Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes, she was born into one of the most celebrated families in the history of the sport.
Yet she has consistently chosen a quiet, grounded life over the spotlight her family name could easily provide. This guide covers everything known about Teil Runnels, including her background, family, marriage, children, brief AEW involvement, and her place in the Rhodes legacy today.
Teil Runnels: Quick Bio Table
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Teil Margaret Runnels Gergel |
| Date of Birth | 12 September 1982 |
| Age (2026) | 43 years old |
| Birthplace | Austin, Texas, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Ethnicity | White American |
| Father | Dusty Rhodes (Virgil Riley Runnels Jr.) |
| Mother | Michelle Rubio |
| Siblings | Cody Rhodes (full brother), Dustin Rhodes (half-brother), Kristin Runnels Ditto (half-sister) |
| Husband | Kevin Gergel (married 1 November 2008) |
| Children | Kellan Gergel (son), Maris Gergel (daughter) |
| Profession | Private individual, occasional media appearances |
| Known For | Daughter of Dusty Rhodes, sister of Cody Rhodes |
| TV Appearances | Rhodes to the Top, American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes |
| Residence | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Social Media | Not publicly active |
| Estimated Net Worth | Not publicly confirmed |
Who Is Teil Runnels?
Teil Margaret Runnels Gergel is an American private individual born on 12 September 1982 in Austin, Texas, United States. She is the daughter of Virgil Riley Runnels Jr., known worldwide as Dusty Rhodes, and his second wife Michelle Rubio. Her full birth name is Teil Margaret Runnels, and she later took the surname Gergel upon marriage.
She is the younger sister of Dustin Rhodes and Kristin Runnels Ditto, and the older sister of Cody Rhodes. Teil has no professional wrestling career and has never performed as a full-time on-screen personality. She is best known to wrestling fans through her appearances in documentaries and television programmes connected to her brother Cody’s career.
Early Life and Childhood in a Wrestling Household
Teil Runnels was born and raised primarily in Marietta, Georgia, during the years when her father was actively working in both WCW and WWE. Growing up inside a household where professional wrestling was not simply an entertainment genre but a way of life gave Teil a perspective that few people share.
She spent portions of her childhood backstage at wrestling arenas, witnessing the preparation, travel schedules, and intensity that her father’s career demanded. Her mother, Michelle Rubio, created a stable and grounded domestic environment that balanced the unpredictability of Dusty’s schedule. This combination of wrestling culture and strong family values shaped Teil’s character in lasting ways.
Her Father: Dusty Rhodes, The American Dream
Dusty Rhodes, born 12 October 1945 in Austin, Texas, is regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers in history. His ring persona, the American Dream, portrayed the common working man, and his natural charisma made him one of the most beloved figures the sport has ever produced.
He was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007, introduced by his sons Dustin and Cody. Beyond his in-ring career, Rhodes was a significant backstage producer, trainer, and creative contributor to WWE’s NXT developmental territory. He passed away on 11 June 2015 at the age of 69. His impact on wrestling storytelling and character development remains deeply felt across the industry.
The Rhodes Family: Brothers, Sisters and Legacy
Teil Runnels is one of four children born to Dusty Rhodes across two marriages. The family structure is important for understanding her place within it.
| Family Member | Relation to Teil | Known For |
| Dusty Rhodes | Father | WWE Hall of Famer, NWA World Champion |
| Michelle Rubio | Mother | Private individual, homemaker |
| Dustin Rhodes | Half-brother | WWE career as Goldust |
| Kristin Runnels Ditto | Half-sister | Entrepreneur, former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader |
| Cody Rhodes | Full brother | WWE Champion, AEW co-founder |
| Kevin Gergel | Husband | Vice President at GoPivot |
| Kellan Gergel | Son | Part of her immediate family |
| Maris Gergel | Daughter | Part of her immediate family |
Teil sits at the centre of a family story that spans two generations of wrestling royalty, while personally representing a quieter and more private path.
Marriage to Kevin Gergel
Teil Runnels married Kevin Gergel on 1 November 2008. Kevin works as a Vice President at GoPivot and has no professional connection to the wrestling industry. Their marriage represents a deliberate step away from the entertainment world that defined Teil’s childhood.
The couple settled in Atlanta, Georgia, where they have built a private family life largely away from public attention. Kevin’s background in business rather than entertainment reflects Teil’s consistent preference for a grounded, normal domestic life over the celebrity adjacent world she grew up in.
Very little public information exists about the details of their relationship or their life together, which is entirely consistent with how both have chosen to present themselves.
Children: Kellan and Maris
Teil and Kevin Gergel are the parents of two children. Their son Kellan Gergel and daughter Maris Gergel are both named in public wrestling records through references made in Dusty Rhodes’ Wikipedia entry and family documentation.
Teil has spoken about her role as a mother as the most important work she does. After the birth of Maris in particular, she stepped back entirely from any public-facing activities connected to wrestling or entertainment.
Her focus on raising her children with the same grounded values her own parents instilled in her reflects a deliberate and considered approach to parenthood. Dusty Rhodes reportedly adored his grandchildren, and Teil has described his relationship with Kellan and Maris as one of deep warmth and playfulness.
Brief Involvement with All Elite Wrestling
Despite her general preference for privacy, Teil Runnels made a limited number of appearances connected to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the promotion co-founded by her brother Cody Rhodes and his wife Brandi Rhodes in 2019.
She appeared in the reality television series Rhodes to the Top, which aired on TNT and documented Cody and Brandi’s lives during their time with AEW. She also appeared in content connected to the documentary American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes.
These appearances gave wrestling fans a rare glimpse into the personal and family dimensions of the Rhodes story. However, Teil never pursued a regular on-screen role and stepped back from any AEW involvement after the birth of her daughter.
The Tension Over the Rhodes Name
One of the most discussed moments connected to Teil Runnels came through an episode of Rhodes to the Top. When Brandi Rhodes, Cody’s wife, began using the Rhodes surname professionally in wrestling, Teil expressed her discomfort with the decision.
She sent a message to Brandi before Brandi’s first live match, stating that she felt the family name should have been discussed with family members before it was adopted publicly, particularly following Dusty Rhodes’ death in 2015. Brandi later shared this on the reality programme, describing how the message affected her on such an important day.
Cody acknowledged that Teil and other family members had needed time to fully embrace Brandi as part of the family. The incident highlighted how seriously Teil regards the emotional weight of her father’s name and legacy.
Honouring Dusty Rhodes: The Emmy Campaign
In 2015, following Dusty Rhodes’ death, Teil demonstrated a fierce and loving commitment to her father’s legacy. She took to Twitter under the handle @TeilMargaret to campaign for Dusty’s inclusion in the annual Emmy Awards memoriam tribute.
She argued publicly and passionately that Dusty was a television pioneer who had spent decades entertaining millions of viewers and had contributed to cable television at its earliest stages as a writer, producer, and performer. Her brother Dustin retweeted her messages in support.
The campaign attracted significant attention within wrestling circles and illustrated that while Teil avoids public life generally, she is willing to step forward when her father’s legacy is at stake. It was one of her most visible public moments outside of family-connected programming.
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Teil Runnels and the Dusty Rhodes Foundation
Part of how Teil Runnels honours her father’s memory is through her connection to the Dusty Rhodes Foundation, a charitable organisation focused on supporting young athletes. This allows her to maintain a meaningful link to her father’s values and impact without requiring a full public profile.
Dusty Rhodes was known throughout his career for being a mentor and a source of encouragement for younger wrestlers and performers. The foundation reflects these values in a practical and community-focused way. Teil’s involvement, though understated, is consistent with the approach she applies to every aspect of her public life: meaningful contribution without seeking personal attention or recognition.
Who Should Know About Teil Runnels?
Wrestling fans interested in the personal histories behind famous on-screen names will find Teil Runnels’ story genuinely compelling. Those who follow Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes closely will understand that Teil is a central figure in the family dynamic that shaped both men.
Viewers of Rhodes to the Top and American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes will recognise her warm and direct presence in those productions. Additionally, anyone drawn to stories about people who maintain privacy and personal identity despite extraordinary family fame will find Teil’s choices thoughtful and admirable.
She represents a dimension of wrestling culture that rarely receives attention: the families who carry the weight of legendary names without seeking any of the rewards.
Where Is Teil Runnels Today?
As of 2025 and 2026, Teil Runnels continues to live in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband Kevin Gergel and their two children Kellan and Maris. She does not maintain an active public social media presence and rarely appears at public events.
She makes occasional appearances at major wrestling events when her brother Cody is in the spotlight, and she participates in documentary content connected to her father’s legacy when appropriate. Her daily life is focused on family, home, and the values her parents instilled in her from childhood.
She remains one of the most grounded and quietly dignified figures connected to a wrestling dynasty that has produced some of the sport’s biggest names across multiple generations.
Conclusion
Teil Runnels is a woman whose significance to one of wrestling’s greatest families is not measured in championship titles or television ratings. She is the emotional core of the Rhodes family story, a person who remembers Dusty Rhodes as a father rather than a legend, and who has passed those memories and values on to her own children.
Her brief appearances in AEW content and documentary programmes gave fans a small window into a private world that she carefully guards. Her willingness to speak when her father’s legacy was at risk, combined with her consistent choice of family over fame, reflects a character of genuine depth and quiet strength. Teil Runnels is a rare figure: someone born into the loudest world imaginable who simply chose peace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Teil Runnels?
Teil Runnels is an American private individual born on 12 September 1982 in Austin, Texas, best known as the daughter of wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes and the sister of Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes.
How does Teil Runnels connect to professional wrestling?
She made limited on-screen appearances through AEW-related content and documentaries about her brother Cody’s career, but she has never pursued a professional wrestling or entertainment career of her own.
Is Teil Runnels married?
Yes, Teil Runnels married Kevin Gergel on 1 November 2008. Kevin is a business executive and Vice President at GoPivot, with no connection to the wrestling industry.
Who can find Teil Runnels’ story interesting?
Wrestling fans, followers of the Rhodes family legacy, and anyone curious about the private lives behind famous entertainment families will find her biography both informative and compelling.
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