Who Is Kimberly Buffington? The Incredible Life Story of Dennis Quaid’s Former Wife

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Kimberly Buffington is best known as the former wife of Hollywood actor Dennis Quaid, but her story goes well beyond one famous marriage. Born and raised in Texas, she built a steady career in real estate long before she became a public name. Her life includes a happy wedding, a frightening hospital scare with her twins, a long divorce process, and a quiet return to her roots. This article looks at her early life, her career, her marriage, and where she stands today.

Table of Contents

Quick Bio Table

Detail	Information
Full Name	Kimberly Kathryn Buffington
Date of Birth	October 17, 1971
Birthplace	Austin, Texas, USA
Nationality	American
Profession	Real estate broker
Known For	Former wife of actor Dennis Quaid
High School	Hyde Park Baptist High School, Austin
Father	Thomas B. Buffington, founder of Buffington Signature Homes
Spouse	Dennis Quaid (married 2004, divorced 2018)
Children	Twins Thomas Boone Quaid and Zoe Grace Quaid, born 2007
Estimated Net Worth	Around $3 million (public estimate)
Current Base	Austin, Texas

Early Life and Family Background

Kimberly Buffington was born on October 17, 1971, in Austin, Texas. She grew up in a family with strong ties to the local business world, as her father, Thomas B. Buffington, founded Buffington Signature Homes, a respected homebuilding company in the area.

She attended Hyde Park Baptist High School in Austin, where she learned discipline and focus from a young age. Growing up around a family business gave her an early understanding of hard work and responsibility, traits that later shaped her own career path.

Building a Career in Real Estate

Long before her marriage made headlines, Kimberly built a career as a real estate broker in Texas. She focused on the property market, working with clients on homes and developments in and around Austin.

Colleagues and clients have described her as professional and reliable, with a calm approach to her work. This career gave her financial independence, something she has held onto throughout the ups and downs of her personal life.

Meeting and Marrying Dennis Quaid

Kimberly met Dennis Quaid in 2003, when a mutual friend introduced them at a dinner in Austin. The pair married on July 4, 2004, making her Quaid’s third wife after his previous marriages to P.J. Soles and Meg Ryan.

After the wedding, Kimberly split her time between the world of Hollywood and her grounded Texas lifestyle. She kept a low public profile during the marriage, choosing to focus on family life rather than chasing fame of her own.

Motherhood and a Frightening Hospital Scare

In November 2007, Kimberly and Dennis welcomed twins, Thomas Boone Quaid and Zoe Grace Quaid, through a surrogate. The arrival of the twins brought great joy to the couple, but it was followed almost immediately by a terrifying event.

Shortly after birth, the newborn twins were accidentally given a massive overdose of a blood thinner at the hospital. The mistake made national news at the time, and thankfully, both children recovered fully. The experience tested Kimberly’s strength as a new mother and brought the family closer together.

Divorce From Dennis Quaid

After almost twelve years of marriage, Kimberly filed for divorce from Dennis Quaid in June 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. Her filing asked for joint legal custody of their twins, who were eight years old at the time, along with spousal support.

The divorce was finalised in 2018. As part of the settlement, Quaid agreed to pay $13,750 per month in child support, with extra payments if his yearly income passed a set amount. In 2026, after the twins turned eighteen and finished high school, Quaid filed to end these payments.

Life Today and Net Worth

Today, Kimberly Buffington lives a private life centred on her real estate career and her now grown-up twins. She stays away from social media and rarely speaks publicly, choosing to keep her personal life out of the spotlight even though her past marriage still draws public interest.

Her net worth is widely estimated at around $3 million, built mainly through her years in real estate along with her divorce settlement. These figures come from public estimates rather than official records, so the exact amount remains private.

Conclusion

Kimberly Buffington’s life is more than a footnote in Dennis Quaid’s story. She is a businesswoman, a mother who faced a real scare with her twins, and a woman who chose privacy over fame after her marriage ended. Her steady career and calm handling of public attention show a person who built her own path, on her own terms.