Maybe it’s because the weather is cold, maybe it’s because there is lots of crazy in the news, but two very popular human interest or social media stories caught my eye this week…
Fernando Mendoza! I do not know Fernando, yet after his Heisman win in December, naming him the top college football player of the year-he won by several votes, his Indiana University Hoosiers Big Ten victory, the Rose Bowl win and eventually this week, leading his team to a National Championship after a last minute touchdown run by himself that was breathtaking to see this young man take hits, almost go down and eventually reach across the goal line, bring his knees in and score the winning touchdown. The story itself, of how Fernando came to this point, is worthy of a Big Screen movie. As a senior at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, his dream was always to play for the University of Miami. Fernando was unable to secure even a walk on spot at Miami, or a starting spot on 130 other schools. He was set to go to Yale when an offensive coach at Cal Berkeley gave him a call last minute to come visit. They had a spot after a player who had given a verbal, changed his mind. He was the third string QB and played on the scout team. When he eventually got a chance to play, he didn’t have a good showing, nor a good defensive line. Eventually he went back into the portal and ended up at Indiana University, with coach Cignetti. Not known as a football powerhouse, Indiana was an interesting choice. With his brother as the back up quarterback, Fernando and coach Cignetti, led the Hoosiers to a winning record and you all know it from there. How ironic that Fernando’s team the Hoosiers played the University of Miami Hurricanes, the team he originally had hoped to play for and to play that game in his home town. You couldn’t write this story…
In Fernando’s Heisman acceptance speech, he mentions the influence his Mom has had on him. Mrs. Mendoza lives with M.S. She has not let that get in the way of cheering on her sons in their sporting events.
Interestingly, Fernando’s football successes are to be commended and equally impressive is the humbleness of this young man. When you hear how he has accepted awards for himself and on behalf of his team, he give the honor and glory of his victory to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He thanks his parents, grandparents and extended family, for their support. Both sets of grandparents are immigrants from Cuba. At age twenty-two, this young man appears to be level headed, poised, hard working, optimistic well spoken and grateful for his success. How refreshing to not only read about this remarkable family but to see the positive reaction from people across the board. Fernando’s presence on any NFL Team will be a bonus. To have this very coachable down to earth young man would be a gift, not to mention the fans he will draw…
If you haven’t heard about the turmoil in the David and Victoria (Posh Spice) Beckham Household, you must not be on social media. From what I gather, the rift began leading up to the wedding of the Beckham’s son, Brooklyn, age 26 now, to American actress, Nicola Peltz, age 31, back in 2022. Both families are in the billionaire range with the Beckhams hailing from Great Britain. Remember Victoria as Posh Spice and David a celebrated, world famous soccer/football player. Victoria has gone on to create her own fashion and make-up line. Nelson and Claudia Peltz have eight children together and Nelson has two children from his first marriage. Nelson own a variety of companies from Proctor and Gamble to Wendy’s after decades in finance. Apparently, Brooklyn has decided to separate from his family due to their lack of support for his wife and feels that his parents have tried to control him. According to posts on Instagram-shouldn’t everyone air their family grievances on social media?-Brooklyn states that his mother had agreed to design the bride’s wedding dress, then dropped her, leaving her to seek another designer and Victoria performed an inappropriate Mother/Son dance at the wedding. Any communicate from this point on with his parents, should come through his attorney. Wow!
Now, none of us knows what really happened or what led up to this break in the family. The Beckhams have lived so much of their life in front of the camera and for their four children, this has been their entire life. Interestingly, Brooklyn is known for his cooking show, he photographed a campaign for Burberry-which was criticized by photographers in the biz saying that at age sixteen, he got the gig because of his name. He started a four year program in photography at Parsons School of Design and left after year one. His book of photography, published after his Burberry shoot did not received favorable reviews and pros mocked it, stating that he most likely got the book deal, also, due to his last name. Brooklyn has done some modeling and is the brand ambassador for a few products. At twenty-six years old, it’s hard to see what Brooklyn’s future path will be professionally; possibly a future famous restauranteur from his cooking experience, a fashion photographer or roving eye for National Geographic, it’s hard to tell…..
Success and wealth in your own life does not necessarily pass on to your children. Both the Beckhams and the Peltzes weren’t given their money, they worked for it. I heard a young man in his twenties comment recently on how hard it is to make money, telling me that there is so much you need to buy/pay for before you can save or buy something extravagant. Anyone who has lots of money, most likely ‘busted their ass,” paid their dues, took some risks and must have had some smarts. Even if they were given a head start or a few bucks, making and keeping one’s money is no easy task. Hats off to these two very successful families. In addition, I have read nothing to show that any of the children of these successful parents have ever been in trouble or involved with wrong doings.
Top left to right, Brooklyn modeling, the cover of his photography book, a photo from his wedding to Nicola in 2022. Bottom left, and right, photos from their renewal of vows in August, without the Beckhams.
In my opinion, it must be hard to raise kids when you can give them so much. Why wouldn’t you want to give them all you could? When your kids have a lot, they aren’t forced to have a job babysitting, cutting lawns, waiting tables or taking other jobs to pay for their teenage expenses, their first car or college. Maybe these parents simulated these experiences for their kids as teenagers or maybe they didn’t, I don’t know. It would be easy to raise kids that don’t understand the value of money, how hard it is to make money and how to appreciate what they have. The Peltz children (older than the Beckham’s) have have had success in sports, fashion, modeling, ancting and business. Some of their adult children have chosen to live very private lives. I imagine that it is hard to steer your kids when you yourself are so successful at what you do. It takes much time and energy if you are David or Victoria Beckham. They each have their own “brand” to maintain. Consider Victoria with her design company and cosmetics. Even if she does have people running things for her, she must be involved and from what I have seen, she does. How much time is left to do the important job in the world to help nurture and steer children into their own future, helping them find their own path. I’’m not picking on Vee Bee, just using her as an example of how hard it must been. Also, how does a son or daughter have success outside of the lime light of their very successful parents/parents? Consider also the children of Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Steffi Graff, Andre’ Agassi or any other person who one might be considered a superstar in their field? Those are tough shoes to fill. No matter what field a child of any one of these very successful people go into, even if it is not an area their parents’ success, they will be compared to them. Their parents success may have been because of a talent they were born with, maybe they had success out of striving to get out of a tough life or maybe their circumstances led to a ‘killer’ work ethic and maybe the comfortable life their kids were afforded because of their parents hard work, didn’t nurture the same experience for them. That’s not bad, just an observation, and understandable with no blame or judgement towards the parent or child intended.
We see some of these successful families raise kids who have a sense of reality and some who have not. These people are like any other family, they are not immune to the bumps along the way of raising kids. While success and wealth of the parents does not insure the personal success of their offspring, neither does poor circumstance or less money guarantee that a child will be doomed to their parents place in life. We all have seen many rags to riches stories. Everyone can write their own successful biography if they have it in them…
We all can make our own observations as to who is the problem. Releasing the wedding tape would clear things up. For young Brooklyn to disown his parents (and their money) is sad. I heard one commentator remark that he is running from the control and money of his parents to the control and money of his in-laws. To end a relationship with one’s parents is a sad thing, as the family is the most basic unit in society. Yes, Brooklyn is the head of his own family with Nicola, but there is so much in life to enjoy with your family…
Fernando Mendoza grew up sharing a bedroom with his younger brother. His father, a pediatrician and his mother raised their sons in the Catholic Church and instilled the importance of family. For Fernando to have earned entrance into Yale University, they must have stressed academics in addition to sports-Dad was on the Crew Team at Brown and Mom played on the University of Miami tennis team. From all we see, young Fernando has a bright and promising future both in the NFL or in business-he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business in three years and then worked towards his MBA at the famed Kelly School of Business at Indiana University. Or, as one person commented on Instagram, “Fernando could have a career as a Catholic Priest after his NFL career.” Fernando is not the norm is star college football players. He is one of a very few who have the talent, smarts, finesse and humbleness. His parents raised a fine young man and succeeded at the most important job in the world, parenting a child into adulthood…
Brooklyn could surprise us. His actions this week towards his parents could be merely a stunt to garner interest in a new reality show about he and Nicola’s life as a young couple…
Wishing all of these young people happiness, success and harmony with their families. No one wants to see a family divided… Life is hard enough. Money can buy a lot, it can make life easier but money cannot buy happiness and the sense of self esteem a young adult gets from finding their own way and carving out a life for themself. Parents can help, they can support but this they cannot DO this for their child. It has to be done on their own…
All the best to the Mendoza Family, the Beckhams, Fernando and Brooklyn. Wishing them all many Great Days❤️
