Watch: Jorge Masvidal talks about the time he found out his father was in prison
While UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal was busy street fighting in Miami backyards, his father was serving a twenty-year-long prison sentence on account of manslaughter and drug trafficking. Masvidal was 13 years old when his mother revealed his father's tribulations with law enforcement to him.
After Masvidal got kicked out of summer school in the 5th grade, his mother had had enough of her child's behaviour. Gamebred's mother was worried that Masvidal would end up in the penitentiary, just like his father. In an emotional outburst, she revealed to her son that his father, Jorge Masvidal Sr, was not in the army and, in fact, serving time in jail.
In an interview with ESPN's Brett Okamoto in 2019, Jorge Masvidal revealed how he found out about his father being a convicted felon.
"I didn't see him till I was thirteen. That's when I found out. From four to thirteen, the relationship was a little weird. Never saw him once. They told me he was in the army," said Jorge Masvidal.
My mom was like, 'You're going to end up just like your dad!' I still remember like it was yesterday. My mom was balled up in tears. She thought I was headed down the worst of paths. That's when I found out," Masvidal revealed.
Jorge Masvidal finally met his father after almost a decade
The fact that his father was serving time in a federal prison was hidden from Jorge Masvidal as a child. Masvidal often left confused by the idea that his father was an army man who left his family while trying to make ends meet.
However, Jorge Masvidal's worldview changed when his father's real identity was revealed to him. Masvidal became more appreciative of his father and went to visit him many times in prison. By the time he was 16, Masvidal regularly visited his father at least once a week.
"In those times, I did not know what was going on so I did not have an appreciation for him. I thought, 'You're in the army going all over the world making money.' Cause I saw all these army movies. And when I found out... I remember a lot of those visits," said Masvidal.
The relationship between father and son blossomed as the years passed by. After coming out of prison, Masvidal Sr. has started helping his son in his goal to secure the UFC welterweight championship.
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