Filipino-American Rachel Marcial is proud of her achievements – making it to the Taekwondo National Team while being in the Honors Classes in high school; joining the USA National Collegiate Team, the US National Team and the Philippine National Team; enlisting in the military; and being a military taekwondo champion. And, of course, marrying The Filipino Flash, four-weight world boxing champion Nonito Donaire.
Today, Rachel supports organizations the help battered women and children and advocates for women’s rights.
The latest in her list of laurels is the most difficult to maintain. That is, raising two boys every single day.
Rachel and Nonito purposely waited four years before deciding that they had traveled, stayed up late, and lived life enough as a couple, and created the foundation they wanted for their kids before they said they were ready. But even with all the preparation, there were still difficulties.
“It was hard at first to adjust to the scheduling of our first born. We were exhausted most of the time but made it through. It was also hard because we don’t have yayas and maids in the US so we had to ask for my parents and sister to help give us some break time and also cleaning up and doing the added laundry of the kids,” recalls Rachel.
Three-and-a-half-year-old Jarel and one-a-half-year-old Logan are lucky to have hands-on mom Rachel by their side.
“I am the type of mother who likes to be on a schedule so that the kids know what is happening next, whether it is eating, sleeping, or studying or practicing. I give them lots of hugs kisses and love butI also know when I need to sit and talk with them if they are doing something wrong. I try to instill in them patience and kindness by showing it to them. I do brag about them a lot!” shares Rachel.
With her Taekwondo background, Rachel enjoys teaching the boys the basics of the martial arts. She also sits with Jarel three times a day for 10 minutes each for piano, practice his writing twice a day, and plays soccer with the two. She eats all three meals together with her boys who are quick learners, observant and athletic.
Rachel says Jarel got from Nonito his closeness to his parents and his being extremely loud. He has the ear for music and athletic abilities. He also has a sense of awareness of energy of people. Like Rachel, Jarel does not like crowded and noisy places. Logan, on the other hand, is fearless. He tries anything at least once. He is also very strong-willed and does not give up easily.
The Donaires want their boys to grow up kind, compassionate, independent, loving, helpful, considerate, and God-loving citizens of the world.
Rachel would like to see her boys in computer programming or law, but adds that she will support whatever they want to pursue as long as they have the passion for it.
“If they want to go into boxing, I will allow it only if they are completely and fully committed to the sport. You could get hurt in boxing if you don’t take it seriously. But I will not push them or dissuade them otherwise,” says Rachel, who finds happiness seeing that “light bulb” go off in her boys’ eyes when they make a discovery or see something for the first time.
While Jarel and Logan are growing up, they will have Rachel behind and beside them – their fan, their mentor, their mother. And for her, this is the greatest achievement of all.
