This story originally appeared in Mile High Sports MagazineRead the full digital edition.

In May, Mile High Sports Magazine features more than a dozen stories about professional athletes and their relationships with their mothers. Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez shared these five loving thoughts about his mother, Lucila.

  1. “Having my mom around me during my career is special. She’s been there for very important moments since I was a little kid, making sure that I was doing the right things.”
  1. “She taught me everything I know and I’m really blessed to have my mom around me and have her at Spring Training and Opening Day every year. It’s special for me, but it’s even more special for her.”
  1. “She’s very loving to [our] children and always supports whatever [our] kids do. Even when they get in trouble she’s there to give them a kiss or make them feel good. My mom is that person that’s very loving to whoever is around her.”
  1. “She always pushes me to the next level. I remember when I signed my contract as a 16-year-old coming out of Venezuela, I used to tell my mom, ‘I don’t want to go to high school anymore because I’m going to be a big league player.’ But she was there to make sure that I was still going to school and still learning. She was like, ‘This is only a baby step. You gotta promise me that you’re gonna be a big league player.’ And when I made it, she’s like, ‘Okay, this is not over; you gotta be an All-Star now.’ She always reminds me, no matter what I do on or off the field, there are still things that you can do better and help other people. That’s something I always remind myself of.”
  1. “Thank you is not enough. My mom has been there since day one and she taught me everything I know. I’m very thankful to have her around and I thank God for giving me the mother that I have and the grandmother for my children.”