Last Updated on February 14, 2026 by Vasid Qureshi CEO & Founder, Strategic Business Contributor
Who is Kimberly Buffington?
Kimberly Buffington is a real estate broker born October 17, 1971, in Austin, Texas, with over 30 years of professional experience in residential real estate sales. She gained wider recognition as the third wife of actor Dennis Quaid (married 2004-2018) and co-founder of The Quaid Foundation, which advocates for healthcare safety after their twins’ near-fatal heparin overdose in 2007.
Kimberly Buffington has built a successful career as a respected real estate broker in Austin, Texas, establishing herself as a professional in her own right—far beyond her public association with Hollywood actor Dennis Quaid. Despite significant personal challenges and high-profile media attention, Buffington has remained focused on her real estate career, demonstrating resilience, business acumen, and dedication to her clients. This article provides a comprehensive overview of her life, career, and the personal circumstances that shaped her journey.
Kimberly Buffington Quick Profile Overview
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kimberly Kathryn Buffington |
| Date of Birth | October 17, 1971 |
| Current Age | 54 years old |
| Birthplace | Austin, Texas, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Professional Title | Real Estate Broker/Agent |
| Current Company | Buffington Signature Homes |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches |
| Children | Thomas Boone Quaid and Zoe Grace Quaid (twins, born 2007) |
| Marital Status | Divorced from Dennis Quaid (April 27, 2018) |
Kimberly Buffington’s Early Life and Background
Kimberly Kathryn Buffington was born on October 17, 1971, in Austin, Texas. Growing up in the Texas capital, she developed a deep connection to the region and its real estate market. From an early age, Buffington demonstrated a passion for design, architecture, and creating beautiful living spaces—interests that would ultimately shape her career trajectory.
Her journey into real estate began with a passion for interior design and architectural aesthetics. Recognizing that her love for design could extend into helping clients find and develop their ideal homes, Buffington pursued a career in real estate, where she could combine her creative vision with practical business skills.
Kimberly Buffington’s Real Estate Career: Professional Achievements and Recognition
Early Career Success
Kimberly Buffington’s entry into real estate was remarkably successful. When she initially took a position in New Home Sales, she achieved an exceptional milestone: she won the top sales award in her very first year at age 20—a rare accomplishment that demonstrated her natural talent for understanding client needs and closing transactions.
This early recognition set the tone for a career built on excellence, client relationships, and market expertise. Her keen eye for detail, stellar negotiation skills, and dedication to her clients have made her a sought-after professional in the competitive world of real estate.
Professional Expertise
Throughout her career, Buffington has developed a distinctive approach to real estate that combines business professionalism with personal service. Her ability to connect with clients on a personal level, understand their preferences, and guide them through the process of buying or selling a home has set her apart from others in the field.
Key professional strengths include:
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Strong negotiation and deal-closing capabilities
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Deep understanding of market dynamics and trends
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Extensive network within the real estate industry
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Personalized, detail-oriented client service
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Expertise in luxury and residential real estate markets
As a real estate broker, Buffington brings a unique perspective to her work, combining her passion for design with her deep understanding of the market. Her impressive track record in real estate speaks for itself, as she has consistently delivered exceptional results for her clients.
Buffington Signature Homes
Buffington operates as a real estate agent in Austin, Texas, for Buffington Signature Homes. The firm specializes in residential real estate, with a focus on helping clients navigate the Austin market. Her business reflects her professional philosophy: combining design sensibility, market expertise, and client-first service delivery.
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Kimberly Buffington’s Personal Life: Marriage to Dennis Quaid
The Meeting and Wedding
Kimberly Buffington met actor Dennis Quaid in 2003 when a mutual friend introduced them at a dinner in Austin, Texas. The connection was significant enough that the couple decided to marry relatively quickly. On July 4, 2004, Dennis Quaid and Kimberly Buffington were married at his ranch in Paradise Valley, Montana, in a private ceremony. Quaid’s 12-year-old son, Jack Henry Quaid, stood as the best man, and Buffington’s brother served as her attendant. This was Dennis Quaid’s third marriage.
The Twins and the Heparin Incident
One of the most defining moments in Kimberly Buffington and Dennis Quaid’s life together occurred shortly after they welcomed their twins. After struggling with infertility and repeated miscarriages, the couple decided to use a gestational surrogate to carry their children. Their fraternal twins, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace, were born via surrogate on November 8, 2007, in Santa Monica, California.
However, the joy of their arrival was quickly overshadowed by a terrifying medical emergency. The twins were born prematurely and developed staph infections when they were just 10 days old, requiring admission to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for treatment.
The Critical Medical Error
What happened next became a watershed moment not only for the Quaid family but for healthcare safety nationwide. During their hospital stay, both Thomas and Zoe were accidentally given 1,000 times the recommended dose of the blood thinner heparin.
According to the medical records, Quaid’s twins were administered 10,000 units of Heparin instead of the 10 units of Hep-Lock that had been prescribed for infection prevention. The medication error prevented the twins from forming blood clots, causing them to bleed excessively from any open wounds—a life-threatening condition.
Dennis and Kimberly witnessed their newborns “bleeding out of every place where they’d been poked and prodded.” In one harrowing moment, a doctor placed a clamp on Thomas Boone’s umbilical cord, but a stream of blood shot across the room, splattering the wall.
To reverse the effects of the overdose, doctors administered protamine to both infants. Dennis and Kimberly refused to leave their bedsides for the next 32 hours, gently touching and trying to soothe their babies. For 11 agonizing days, the twins fought for their lives in the intensive care unit.
Recovery and Legal Action
Remarkably, both Thomas and Zoe made a full recovery, with no apparent long-term ill effects. This miraculous outcome was the result of prompt medical intervention and extraordinary parental vigilance.
However, the incident motivated legal action. Dennis and Kimberly reached a $750,000 settlement with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in December 2008 for the medication error. Additionally, they pursued a lawsuit against Baxter Healthcare Corp., the manufacturer of heparin, alleging that the company failed to make the drug’s packaging sufficiently different from the packaging of the children’s version—both drugs were packaged in identically-sized blue vials. The Quaids contend that the company knew other infants had died as a result of errors involving the drug but failed to recall the high-concentration vials.
This medical crisis became a turning point, inspiring Dennis and Kimberly to advocate for healthcare safety improvements.
The Quaid Foundation: A Legacy of Advocacy
Out of their traumatic experience, Dennis and Kimberly founded The Quaid Foundation, dedicated to reducing errors in healthcare and improving patient safety. The foundation’s mission focuses on improving healthcare systems, promoting transparency in medical practices, and ensuring that similar errors do not happen to other families.
Dennis Quaid has become an outspoken advocate for patient safety, speaking publicly about the incident and working to raise awareness about the dangers of medication errors. While the public face of the foundation has primarily been Dennis Quaid, Kimberly’s role in founding the organization reflects her commitment to transforming their personal tragedy into meaningful systemic change.
Kimberly Buffington’s Marriage Dissolution and Divorce Settlement
The Road to Separation
Despite the strong bond forged through their shared trauma, the marriage ultimately became unsustainable. The couple went through multiple phases of separation and reconciliation. Buffington first filed for divorce in March 2012, citing that the marriage had “become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities.”
However, she withdrew the divorce papers on April 26, 2012, suggesting possible reconciliation. In October 2012, the couple again decided to separate, and Buffington filed for legal separation, seeking joint legal and sole physical custody of the twins.
Quaid subsequently filed for divorce on November 30, 2012, asking for joint legal and physical custody of the children and offering to pay spousal support to Buffington. But the story took another turn: the couple reconciled, and the divorce was dismissed by September 2013. As recently as Christmas 2015, the two spent time in Hawaii with the twins and Quaid’s son from a previous marriage, Jack, all smiling together in a photo posted on Instagram.
The Final Divorce
On June 28, 2016, the couple announced in a joint statement that they were divorcing, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason. Buffington asked for full physical custody and joint legal custody of the twins in the filing.
The divorce was finalized on April 27, 2018. The final settlement reflected the complexity and length of their marriage. Although Kimberly and Dennis share joint custody of their now 10-year-old twins, she receives 75 percent of the time with their children.
Settlement Details
The divorce settlement included substantial financial provisions that reflected both the length of the marriage and the couple’s significant assets:
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Spousal Support: Kimberly received a lump sum of $2 million in spousal support.
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Property Settlement: She also received an additional $1 million check to equalize their property settlement agreement.
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Child Support: Dennis pays Kimberly $13,750 per month in child support, with the amount increasing if he earns more than $1.3 million in a single year.
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Property Distribution: Dennis retains their Austin home, a 2007 Land Rover, a 2012 Mercedes, and a 2013 Honda, while Kimberly keeps her 2014 Mercedes. They split the proceeds from the sale of their family home.
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Movie Residuals: All residuals from movies Dennis made before their 2004 marriage are his sole property; they split residuals from movies he made after they got married.
Despite the separation, the couple has emphasized their commitment to co-parenting, stating they “will always remain great friends and devoted partners in raising our children.”
Kimberly Buffington’s Life After Divorce: Focusing on Career and Family
Since the finalization of her divorce from Dennis Quaid in 2018, Kimberly Buffington has redirected her focus toward her real estate career and raising her teenage twins. While details about her personal life in recent years have remained largely private, her professional trajectory continues. She remains active as a real estate agent in Austin, Texas, building on the foundation of expertise and client relationships she has developed over decades in the industry.
The resilience Buffington demonstrated during her marriage—navigating the trauma of her twins’ near-fatal medical emergency, managing a high-profile marriage, and handling the complexities of a challenging divorce—speaks to her character. These experiences have likely informed her approach to personal challenges and business relationships.
Key Takeaways: Understanding Kimberly Buffington
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Professional Achievement: Kimberly Buffington is first and foremost a successful real estate broker with a track record of excellence and client satisfaction.
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Resilience Through Crisis: Her response to the heparin overdose incident, both as a parent and as an advocate for healthcare reform, demonstrates remarkable resilience and commitment to turning tragedy into systemic improvement.
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Business Acumen: Having achieved the top sales award at age 20 and building a lasting real estate career, Buffington has proven her business capabilities independent of her personal relationships.
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Family Commitment: Despite the dissolution of her marriage, Kimberly remains focused on co-parenting her twins and maintaining stability for her family.
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Personal Legacy: Beyond her association with Dennis Quaid, Kimberly Buffington’s legacy includes her advocacy work through The Quaid Foundation and her contributions to the real estate industry in Austin, Texas.
FAQs about Kimberly Buffington
What happened to Dennis Quaid and Kimberly Buffington?
[Dennis Quaid and Kimberly Buffington married on July 4, 2004, and had fraternal twins in 2007.] Their marriage ended in divorce, which was finalized on [April 27, 2018.] [The couple announced their split on June 28, 2016, citing “irreconcilable differences” in a joint statement, emphasizing they would remain devoted co-parents.]
Does Dennis Quaid have custody of his twins?
No. [Under their 2018 divorce agreement, Kimberly receives 75% physical custody of the twins, while Dennis has 25%.] [However, in 2022, they modified the arrangement to a 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off schedule for more balanced time-sharing as the twins entered high school.]
What is Kimberly Buffington’s profession?
[Kimberly Buffington is a real estate broker and agent with over 30 years of real estate sales experience.] [She won the top sales award in her first year at age 20] and [currently works in the Austin, Texas real estate market for Buffington Signature Homes.]
Who is Dennis Quaid’s third wife?
[Kimberly Buffington (born October 17, 1971) is Dennis Quaid’s third wife.] [They met in Austin, Texas in 2003 through a mutual friend at a dinner, married in 2004, and divorced in 2018.] [This was Quaid’s third marriage—his previous marriages were to actresses P.J. Soles (1978-1983) and Meg Ryan (1991-2001).]
Conclusion
Kimberly Buffington is a professional real estate broker with deep expertise in the Austin, Texas market and a demonstrated passion for helping clients find their ideal homes. While her personal life has drawn significant media attention due to her marriage to actor Dennis Quaid—particularly the harrowing medical emergency involving their twins—her primary identity and lasting contribution have been built through professional excellence and personal resilience.
From winning top sales awards in her first year to establishing herself as a trusted real estate professional, from navigating a high-profile marriage and co-founding a healthcare advocacy foundation to managing a complex divorce with grace, Kimberly Buffington has demonstrated the qualities that define a successful professional and a dedicated parent.
Today, she continues her work in real estate while raising her teenage twins in Texas, having established a life defined not by celebrity association but by professional achievement, family commitment, and personal integrity.
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