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Fernando Mendoza's mother, Elsa, is in a wheelchair but has been a constant supporter of her son's journey. She played a significant role in his success as he prepares for the NFL Draft.
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Fernando Mendoza's mom has supported him every step of the way.
Elsa Mendoza is her son's biggest fan, and along with his father, was there every step of the way as the Indiana Hoosiers made a run to the national title and Fernando won the Heisman Trophy.
Mendoza is heading to the NFL now, the expected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Elsa is a former college athlete herself, and she's an inspiration to her son.
"Your sacrifices, courage and love, those have been my first playbook and the playbook I’m going to carry by my side throughout my entire life," Mendoza said during his Heisman Trophy speech. "You taught me that toughness doesn’t need to be loud. It can be quiet and strong."
Raiders fans will notice that Elsa is in a wheelchair, but she hasn't let that define her story.
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Elsa Mendoza has battled multiple sclerosis since 2007.
Elsa wrote about the diagnosis in a Players' Tribune article. She didn't want to tell her sons about it, but she eventually felt that she had no choice.
The article does not specify the reason why Elsa Mendoza is in a wheelchair.
Fernando Mendoza is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, heading to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and helped the Indiana Hoosiers make a run to the national title.
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"I kept doing fine until about 10 years ago, when we went skiing and I broke my ankle and knee," Elsa shared in 2025.
MS damages the protection around nerve fibers, which can disrupt communication between the brain and the body. It's also a progressive disease, meaning that it can take over more parts of the body over time.
There is no cure.
Elsa Mendoza was a tennis player at the University of Miami for the Hurricanes.
She wanted Fernando to play tennis, too.
"My dream was for you to play tennis like I did," Elsa wrote in the Players Tribune. "And at UM there was this drill they’d run us through, where we’d practice throwing a ball across the net, to work on our serve," she added, alluding to that helping Fernando be good at throwing.
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Mendoza launched a foundation in honor of his mother with a post on his LinkedIn on NFL Draft day:
Elsa and Fernando will begin this NFL journey together.