If you’ve seen the movie Ride or read the autobiography, you know the broad strokes of John Buultjens’ life. It’s the kind of "against all odds" story Hollywood eats up—a kid from a brutal Glasgow housing estate survives a nightmare childhood to become the global face of Haro BMX. But when people start digging into the family tree, things get a bit murky. Specifically, everyone wants to know about John Buultjens brother Rory.
Here is the thing: if you look at the official records and John’s own accounts, the name "Rory" doesn't actually pop up as his biological brother.
John was born John Craig. He grew up in a hellscape in the Whiteinch and Drumchapel areas of Glasgow. He’s been very open about having an older brother named Thomas and a younger sister. In fact, Thomas is a huge part of the early survival story. While John was the one getting thrown into electric fires by their biological father (also named Thomas), his older brother was the one out there breaking into bakeries just to put food on the table because the cupboards were literally bare.
So, why is everyone searching for a brother named Rory?
The Confusion Around the Buultjens Name
Honestly, it probably comes down to how the story has been fictionalized and retold. When John was seven, his life hit a breaking point. It was Christmas Eve, 1979. He saw his father beating his mother and ran into the room with a kitchen knife to stop it. He got knocked out cold, and that was the end of his time in that house.
He ended up in the Glenrosa children’s home. Eventually, he was fostered and then adopted by Eldridge and Marianna Buultjens.
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The name Buultjens is his adoptive name. It’s an unusual name for a kid from Glasgow, coming from his adoptive father who was an academic from Sri Lanka. When people search for "John Buultjens brother Rory," they are often mixing up the real-life siblings (Thomas and his sisters) with the new life John built after adoption, or perhaps confusing names from the film adaptation Ride.
In the movie, Ludacris plays the role of the adoptive father. The film takes some "artistic license," as John himself puts it. It moves the setting to the U.S. and changes certain family dynamics to make the narrative flow better for a 90-minute runtime.
What Really Happened to John’s Biological Siblings?
While the search for "Rory" might be a dead end, the story of John’s real brother, Thomas, is heavy.
John has mentioned in interviews that his older brother was more of the "protector" in the early days. But the trauma of that household didn't hit everyone the same way. While John found an escape through a BMX bike after seeing E.T. in the cinema at age ten, his biological brother's path was much more difficult.
By the time John was being taken into care on that fateful Christmas Eve, his older brother wasn't even in the house. He was already in jail.
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That is the stark reality of the "two paths" people often talk about with John’s life. One brother found a way out through adoption and a passion for sports; the other was swallowed up by the system and the cycle of violence they were born into. John has admitted he was an "asshole" as a kid too—consumed by rage and, at first, even racist towards his adoptive father. He got lucky. He had a support system that didn't give up on him.
Breaking Down the Family Dynamics
- Biological Father (Thomas Craig): A violent alcoholic who worked in the Glasgow shipyards. John actually played this role in the movie Ride, which he describes as the most draining experience of his life.
- Biological Mother (Margaret): A victim of horrific domestic abuse who eventually made the call to social services that saved John’s life.
- Biological Brother (Thomas): The "provider" who turned to crime to feed the siblings.
- Adoptive Parents (Eldridge and Marianna): The couple who showed John what unconditional love looked like.
Why the "Rory" Mystery Persists
Kinda strange how names stick in the public consciousness, right? Sometimes a "Rory" pops up in a secondary article or a mislabeled cast list and suddenly it’s a top search term.
In reality, John’s life is a story of two families. The first family was defined by "stomach-churning violence" and literal scars—John still has the burn marks on his foot from when he was three years old. The second family gave him the name Buultjens and the freedom to pursue a career that took him from a council estate to California.
If you're looking for Rory to find a "hidden" part of the story, you're better off looking at John's relationship with his biological brother Thomas. It’s a much more complex and heartbreaking reality than any fictionalized version.
Actionable Insights from the Buultjens Story
John’s life isn't just a crazy bio; it’s a blueprint for anyone trying to outrun a bad start. He’s now an ambassador for Adoption UK and spends a lot of time talking to kids in the system.
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If you’re looking to apply the lessons from his journey (and his relationship with his siblings) to your own life, here is what actually matters:
1. Find your "BMX." For John, it was a bike. For you, it might be coding, writing, or woodworking. It wasn't just a hobby; it was "meditation." It forced him to focus on the present moment instead of the trauma of the past. You need a flow state to heal.
2. Acknowledge the "Asshole" phase. John is remarkably honest about how much of a "maniac" and a "racist" he was as a kid. He didn't become a "good human" overnight. If you're struggling with anger or a bad past, don't expect a linear path to being "fixed."
3. Radical Gratitude. John speaks to his adoptive parents every single day. He realized that while he did the work, they provided the "door." Identifying the people who gave you a chance—and actually telling them thanks—is a massive part of closing the loop on trauma.
The search for "Rory" might lead to a ghost, but the story of the Craig/Buultjens brothers is a very real, very raw look at how differently life can go for two kids born into the same room. If you want the full, unvarnished version, skip the Google rumors and go straight to John’s book, Ride. It lays it all out—the murders, the abuse, and the bikes—without the Hollywood filter.
Next Steps:
- Check out the Adoption UK website to see John’s work as an ambassador.
- Watch the 2020 film Ride (starring Ludacris and Shane Graham) for the dramatized version of this journey.
- Read the autobiography Ride: BMX Glory, Against All the Odds for the specific details on his biological siblings that didn't make it to the screen.