Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, has built a career defined by success on the field. 

But his most meaningful fight has never taken place in a stadium. 

It has been watching his mother live with multiple sclerosis. 

Mendoza pledged $500,000 to launch the Mendoza Family Fund in partnership with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The fund consolidates the family’s fundraising efforts into a national initiative supporting MS research, patient services and awareness — with a focus on advancing treatment at the University of Miami Health System and the Miller School of Medicine. 

Mendoza and his family’s roots are in Miami. The quarterback attended Christopher Columbus High School and his mother played tennis at UM. 

His donation will directly support stem cell transplantation research and ongoing clinical trials at the University of Miami Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, giving back to the community that raised him.

The initiative stems from Mendoza’s personal experience and has grown into a broader effort led alongside his brothers, Alberto and Max, to support MS research and services nationwide.  

“This fund is about my mom and the millions of people living with MS,” Mendoza said. “My mom has taught our family strength, resilience and positivity.”

Their mother, Elsa, was diagnosed with MS in 2008. She did not share her diagnosis with her children until she contracted COVID-19 in 2020, when her symptoms became too difficult to conceal. 

Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Elsa has remained a constant presence in her son’s career, traveling to the Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis, the Rose Bowl in California and the National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. 

In partnership with the National MS Society, Mendoza and his brothers have already raised more than $360,000 for MS research, patient services and support programs. The new $500,000 pledge expands those efforts into a long-term initiative. 

At the University of Miami Health System, Dr, Dipen J. Parekh, chief executive officer of UHealth and executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Miami, emphasized the impact of the gift. 

“We’re grateful for the support of the Mendoza Family Fund through the National MS Society,” Dr. Parekh said. “The University of Miami Health System and the Miller School of Medicine share their commitment to a world free of MS, and we value this opportunity to accelerate our work discovering, developing and delivering treatments for all patients.”

MS is a chronic disease of the brain and spinal cord that disrupts communication between the brain and the body. There is currently no cure.

The UM Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, part of the Miller School of Medicine, focuses on advancing research, clinical care and education while developing new therapies for patients living with the disease. 

Led by Dr. Flavia Nelson, the center is actively involved in advanced treatment approaches, including stem cell transplantation for aggressive forms of MS, and is conducting clinical trials aimed at restoring neurological function in patients with progressive disease. 

“Philanthropic investments like the Mendoza Family Fund allow us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in multiple sclerosis research,” Dr. Nelson said. “They accelerate innovation, open doors to new clinical trials and help us bring promising therapies to patients faster, offering real hope to individuals and families living with this disease.”

The fund will also support collaboration with national and international research partners as part of a broader effort to expand treatment options and move closer to a cure. 

For Mendoza, the initiative remains deeply personal. 

“My brothers Alberto and Max, my dad and I, we have all learned from her example,” Mendoza said. “She is the reason we fight and the reason we believe we can do something bigger than ourselves.”

After a standout season that included a national championship and Heisman Trophy, Mendoza was selected first overall in the 2026 NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. Now, he is using his platform to bring attention to a cause that has shaped his family’s life. 

“This is about turning inspiration into real impact,” Mendoza said. “Together, we can bring us closer to a cure and a future free of MS.”