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The Unknown Teutuls, Part III: Grandma Teutul Friday, June 27 2008

Helen Teutul, known to American Chopper viewers as "Grandma Teutul," is officially Paul Senior's step mother. Paul's birth mother died over 30 years ago, but Senior says, "I consider Helen my real mother. Not my step mother." Born in Pittsburgh in 1918, Helen's mother died when she was only four. She was raised by her dad, a West Virgina coal miner. When she got married, she and her new husband, Joey Malara, moved to Yonkers, Paul Senior's neighborhood.

Helen and Joey became good friends with Senior's parents, Josie and Paul Teutul. Helen and Josie became especially close and they often joked that if one of them died, they'd be sure to marry the other's husband. When Paul Senior was born, Helen became like a second mother to him. Later, after the tragic death of her own husband and oldest son in a boating accident, and the death of Senior's mother from alcoholism and illness, Helen and Paul began to date, and eventually married. Helen became his mom for real.

Helen is proud of her families success. Though she is rarely on the show, she's become a celebrity in her own right and often has to stop and sign autographs. People often tap her on the shoulder and ask for a hug or a kiss. At the recent OCC World Headquarters opening ceremonies she had a seat on the stage and received a standing ovation as she entered.

She has enjoyed some of the benefits of the show too. Helen has always been a die hard Yankee's fan and her favorite bike is the NY Yankee's bike. She got the thrill of her life when she got to meet catcher Jorge Posada after the show. She had her picture taken with Jorge, and later asked Senior to put the pictures in her coffin when she died.
"Why Ma?" he asked.
"So that one day I can show them to your father."