Overview
- Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza hugged his mother, Elsa, on the field after the Hoosiers’ 27–21 national title win over Miami on Jan. 19, a moment captured widely as he celebrated with family.
- Mendoza, 22, led Indiana to a perfect 16–0 season and the program’s first national championship following his Heisman Trophy win on Dec. 13.
- Reporting says Elsa has lived with multiple sclerosis for nearly two decades and now uses a wheelchair, a story Mendoza has repeatedly cited as his motivation.
- In a Players’ Tribune letter published the week before the Heisman ceremony, Elsa offered personal reflections on their bond as Mendoza publicly dedicated the award to her.
- Coverage notes that family-led efforts tied to Mendoza’s platform have raised more than $150,000 for MS research and services, with the quarterback also working with the National MS Society.