Page 74 - Hola_USA

C OV E R

With his biggest achieve-
ments in life—as he des-
cribes them—sons
Valentino, left, Matteo,
and fiancé Jwan Yosef.

gave up their piggy bank, then I have to It was a moment of certainty that you were We sort of adopted these kids and took
give mine. We’ve raised 4 million dollars doing the right thing. I said, “Here is some- them on tour with us. Then I could
and are still going strong. To help any- thing that has a major impact and that is exchange ideas with kids my own age
one can visit rickymartinfoundation.org. bigger than I am.” If with one or two words but with a very different reality from
Every little penny helps. I accomplished this, then let’s keep going mine. That really shook me. I was a kid,
on. And that is how it all started. but had a special kind of maturity
Do you think you have a noble heart? It’s because I left my home at 12 to work. I
very difficult to answer that question was exposed to a lot of things that, if I
because I’m still going through a pro- “AS A 12-YEAR OLD BOY I had stayed in Río Piedras, in University
cess. Although I’ve gotten on in years SHARED MY SHIRT AND MY Gardens, I obviously wouldn’t have
[46], I’m still learning about myself; I SNEAKERS WITH A STREET KID, known. This was 1984, when we were
still have my doubts. I am very clear on AND I SAID TO MYSELF: ‘THIS IS with these street kids. After my trips to
some things, but there’s always uncer- REALLY NICE.’ AND WHAT IS India, I realized that kids like those
tainty. It exists daily and it doesn’t bother ‘THIS’? WELL, THINKING ABOUT were victims of trafficking. They didn’t
me; on the contrary, I embrace it and OTHERS. AND THAT MAKES ME A tell me at the time. I remember a
move on. What I mean to say is that GOOD PERSON” 12-year-old boy; I shared my shirt and
maybe the moment that I rescued a my sneakers with him, and I said to
group of girls in India and received an myself, ‘This is really nice.’ And what is
award in Washington D.C., and they sur- But you’ve been doing social work for ‘this’? Well, thinking about others. And
prised me when they brought them up 30 years. It’s true. I did my first philan- that makes me a good person [Laughs]. MARC FLORES/GETTY IMAGES FOR DISNEY
onstage from so far away…I saw what lit- thropic work at 12. When I got into
tle work I did created a revolution which Menudo we became UNICEF Ambassa- You didn’t always feel like a good per-
made it possible for these girls to come dors, and the work we did in Brazil with son? I grew up Catholic, and in my
to Washington. street kids had a great impact on me. home we are quite spiritual. I was an

72 H OL A. C O M