When Fernando Mendoza was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night, his mother Elsa was watching from a wheelchair, her multiple sclerosis a constant presence in their lives. On Friday, the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion quarterback sat at a podium in Henderson with his family behind him, including his father Fernando Sr., brothers Alberto and Max, and Elsa.

Mendoza transferred from California to Indiana after his third year, following his mother’s advice to chase his NFL dream. “She always saw more in me than I saw in myself,” he said. “She (challenged) me to take a swing at becoming a great NFL player by transferring and challenging myself in an uncomfortable environment.” The move paid off: a 16-0 season, a national championship, and the Heisman Trophy.

The quarterback has also launched the Mendoza Family Fund with a $500,000 donation to support multiple sclerosis research. His mother penned a piece for The Players’ Tribune before the Heisman ceremony, writing, “You are already everything I could have hoped for as a mother. And that has nothing to do with the miles you throw or the touchdowns you score.”

Mendoza will wear No. 15, the same number worn by Raiders legend Tom Flores, and has already received congratulatory texts from Maxx Crosby, Tyler Linderbaum, Kolton Miller, and Kirk Cousins. He acknowledged the responsibility of representing the Hispanic community, pointing to Jim Plunkett and Tom Flores as inspirations.

“You’ve never once looked away,” Elsa wrote. “You’ve never once treated me like I’m embarrassing, or deficient, or anything other than someone you love and are standing by.”