Mendoza’s mom is in a wheelchair because she lives with multiple sclerosis (MS), a long‑term autoimmune disease that has progressively affected her ability to walk and maintain balance. Reports explain that as her MS symptoms worsened over the years—especially after additional injuries and illness—she came to rely on a wheelchair for safe, reliable mobility.

Quick Scoop

  • Public stories identify her as Elsa Mendoza, who has been dealing with multiple sclerosis for many years, leading to increasing mobility issues.
  • MS damages the protective covering on nerves in the brain and spinal cord, which can cause weakness, loss of balance, fatigue, and difficulty walking, so many people eventually need aids like canes, walkers, or wheelchairs.
  • Articles describing recent games and awards note that she now typically appears at events in a wheelchair, which lets her keep traveling and supporting her son from the stands despite the progression of her condition.

Some profiles also highlight how her determination to keep showing up for him, even while using a wheelchair, is a major source of motivation in his football career.

TL;DR: Mendoza’s mom uses a wheelchair because her long‑standing multiple sclerosis has progressed to the point that walking long distances safely is difficult, so the chair is now her main way to get around.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.