QB Fernando Mendoza just donated $500K to a Miami-area health system. Here’s why
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has donated $500,000 to help fund research and support programs at the University of Miami Health System for patients who, like his mom, are living with multiple sclerosis, a chronic condition that attacks and damages the body’s nervous system.
The donation to UHealth and the university’s Miller School of Medicine was announced Thursday by The National Multiple Sclerosis Society as the graduate of Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School waits at home with his family for the results of the 2026 NFL draft, where he’s projected to be the overall No. 1 pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. The donation is part of a new partnership between the organization and Mendoza’s family, which launched the Mendoza Family Fund to help raise money for research, treatment and support for multiple sclerosis, or MS.
“This fund is about my mom and the millions of people living with MS,” Mendoza said in a statement. “My mom has taught our family strength, resilience, and positivity. My brothers Alberto and Max, my dad, and I — we’ve all learned from her example. She’s the reason we fight, and the reason we believe we can do something bigger than ourselves.”
MS is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system “mistakenly attacks healthy cells,” according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. MS symptoms vary by person and can depend on where in the nervous system — and how severe — the damage is, though common symptoms include numbness, vision changes and difficulty walking, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Researchers don’t know yet what exactly causes MS, a condition that is estimated to affect 1 million people in the country. There is no cure yet, though treatments do exist to help manage symptoms.
“We’re grateful for the support of the National MS Society and the Mendoza Family Fund. The University of Miami Health System and 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,” UHealth CEO Dr. Dipen Parekh told the Miami Herald in a statement.
Mendoza, his brother Alberto and their family have previously helped raise over $360,000 through “DIY” fundraising efforts, including partnering with a California restaurant to launch a “Mendoza Burrito” to help raise funds for the National MS Society and raise awareness about the disease, according to the National MS Society. The new Mendoza Family Fund is expected to help accelerate their work and channel the movement they’ve created “into critical research and programs that will change lives and ultimately help us end MS,” Tim Coetzee, president and CEO of the National MS Society, said in a statement.
Mendoza’s decision to select the University of Miami to be the fund’s first official recipient also seems to be another full-circle moment for the South Florida native and Heisman Trophy winner. His mom, Elsa, once played on the Miami Hurricanes women’s tennis team, according to USA Today.
Mendoza has his own history with the U.
Mendoza, who was denied a walk-on spot to play for the Miami Hurricanes, earlier this year led the Indiana Hoosiers to victory against the Hurricanes, defeating the team 27-21 during the CFP National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium, securing Indiana’s first national title.
Mendoza said Thursday that “partnering with the National MS Society through the Mendoza Family Fund gives us the opportunity to turn inspiration into real impact by advancing groundbreaking research and helping families like mine navigate this disease.”
That sounds like a good consolation prize for the Canes.
This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 5:01 PM.
