By: Juan Ignacio Riquelme / PHOTOS: David Gonzalez / PHOTOS: Chepe Jose / Image consultant: Denise del Pino
The esteemed author and celebrated radio/television journalist from Pennsylvania, Myrka Dellanos, was born to Cuban parents and was their only daughter. Following her college graduation, she quickly ascended to fame, commencing her media journey as the host of the renowned television program «Primer Impacto» on Univision Station. Despite her impeccable professional career, she has always maintained that her family and faith take precedence.
As Mother’s Day draws near, Hola Latinos Magazine is honored to showcase one of the most cherished and respected figures in media, Myrka Dellanos, in an exclusive interview.
You recently shared a beautiful celebration of life together. Can you give us insight into the lives of Grandmother, Mother, and Daughter?
It’s always a blessing for us to cherish life together. Our family holds firm to our faith, and I deeply believe that good health is a daily gift worth celebrating. Like my daughter Alexa, I’m also an only child, and the three of us share an incredibly close bond. Though we’ve always lived together, there was a time when I resided in Los Angeles, while Alexa pursued her career as a model and influencer there. Despite the distance that separated us during that period, I’m grateful that we’re back together in Miami now, enjoying every moment.
My mom adds an extra dose of joy to our lives by often treating us more like sisters (laughs), which is a real blessing. Not everyone has the privilege of having both their grandmother and mother around, and unfortunately, I didn’t have mine. Last December, my mom was very ill, so we recently celebrated both Alexa’s and my mom’s birthdays together for the first time. Having my two treasures together for that special occasion was amazing.
Who is the most flirtatious of the three?
My mom is obviously the most flirtatious (laughs). She’s the one who welcomes everyone into the house with makeup, dressed up, and looking beautiful. She always looks gorgeous. You’ll always see my mom look beautiful when we go to the mall or for dinner. I love to see her like that. I used to go to school well-dressed, but never like my mother. Alexa is also fascinated with fashion and makeup, but for sure, the queen is grandma.
Besides the evident beauty, what do you think you inherited from your mother?
Well, as the years go by, I resemble my mom even more. She has those beautiful blue eyes that I unfortunately didn’t inherit. I always told her when I was little that I wanted her eyes and that she should give them to me (laughs). The most important thing is personality. I inherited her strength of character to move forward in adversity, along with her nobility. She taught me to be humble in life and accept that I make mistakes. I inherited her dedication to hard work, and commitment as a mother. She fought hard as a single mother, as she divorced my father when I was very young. The same happened to me when I was raising my daughter. I always say Alexa is blessed with two mothers.
Your mother is a source of inspiration, what is her legacy?
My mother’s legacy is that of FAITH. Since I was little, I saw my mother praying for me. She will also leave a legacy of hard work. She was always a hard worker, kind and charitable, and always there for the family.
You have a mother who worked tirelessly and is your role model. Your family is a matriarchal family of strong women. Do you think Alexa sees herself reflected in you?
We for sure have a matriarchy. My parents divorced when I was 3 years old, and I grew up alone with my mom in Pennsylvania. Then we moved to Tennessee, we worked hard, were strong yet vulnerable, but we always had relentless faith in God.
What is the best thing about being a mother?
The best thing is that I have a friend, sister, daughter, and a little bit of everything. Seeing her grow with her unconditional love for me gives me a lot of excitement to have a loving, affectionate daughter next to me. She always holds my hand.
Could you say that your life changed when Alexa was born?
My priorities changed with the birth of my daughter. I didn’t stop working when she was born, but when I got married and decided to have my daughter, I thought, ‘Okay, my career is important, of course, and I’m not going to abandon it, but the main thing in my life is family, motherhood, and faith, and that’s exactly how it went’.
How did you find a balance between the professional, successful woman you are and the dedicated and loving mother over the years?
Balance is exactly that. I love journalism and going out to cover different stories. Still, my priority is my daughter, and thankfully, my mother helped me a lot raising Alexa so that I could fulfill my professional goals.»
What did motherhood teach you?
Motherhood taught me to be patient. It gave me a lot of patience (laughs).
What is your favorite plan for the three of you?
To spend time together, go out to dinner, have lunch, travel, go to the mall, sit and talk, and go to church—simple things that make us feel united.
How would you describe the bond with your mother? And with your daughter?
My bond with my mother is very strong. We have lived together almost all our lives. I am an only child, so our bond is very close. My mother has been my assistant and my friend. I can’t imagine life without her. And with Alexa, who is also an only child, we are great friends. I am her mother, but with a closeness that gives us complicity.
Let’s suppose that you write a new book that tells the story of strong women, what’s the title?
It would be called «Three Generations of Love.»
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