Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to ball out tonight (January 19) at the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship, where his team will be playing against the Miami Hurricanes.
While watching, the camera may pan to Fernando‘s parents, Elsa and Fernando Sr., who are often seen in the crowd cheering him on.
Fans have noticed that Elsa is in a wheelchair, and Fernando Sr. always remains seated by her side, even during major touchdown celebrations. Elsa is in a wheelchair due to a condition called Multiple Sclerosis (aka M.S.)
Fernando has spoken about his mom being his best friend amid her battle with the central nervous system disease.
Keep reading to find out more…
“At this point, she has a tough time moving around and stuff like that, but her happiness, her joy and her determination is what inspires me every single day and that’s what pushes me. You know, if I’m in a workout and I’m feeling tired, you know, a little thought in my mind goes, ‘Maybe you should skip out on this set’ or something like that, I’ll be like, my mom is out here every single day putting a ton of work, a ton of dedication and still with a great attitude, a great positive attitude in everything she does,” he said in a video for Hoosiers Connect.
Elsa has spoken about the condition, too.
She wrote for The Players’ Tribune, “I was diagnosed about 18 years ago, but of course you never knew that. You and Alberto were so young, and I was doing fine … and mostly I didn’t want you to worry. It just felt like this impossible thing to place on you guys.”
About her diagnosis, she said that Fernando made things “so much easier” in the “sweetest, strongest, most Fernando way possible — by making me feel the exact opposite of embarrassed….You’ve made me feel seen.”
The Mendoza brothers have a fundraising page for their mom, where you can donate if you have the means.
