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“My Life Transformed Before My Eyes”: 13-Year-Old Joseph Baena’s Reaction When He Found Out Arnold Schwarzenegger Is His Dad

Published 08/12/2022, 10:05 AM EDT

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Bodybuilding legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has had a very close relationship with all his children. Although as a family, they have all gone through tough times, their bond with their father remains intact. However, for his youngest son, Joseph Baena, it was not easy to find out that his father was Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Joseph Baena is the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and his housemaid Mildred Baena. The seven-time Mr. Olympia was having an affair with Mildred at the time he was married to his ex-wife Maria Shriver. Which later accounted for their split up after being married for 25 years. However, it was way later that he came to know about his son with Mildred.

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Joseph Baena’s reaction after finding out Arnold Schwarzenegger was his dad

As difficult as it might have been for a little boy to find out the truth about his father, Joseph handled it quite well. He said“I remember the day very vividly. I was in the eighth grade. Fifth or sixth period. And I get called out of class to leave. And my mom’s there, and she’s like, ‘We gotta go—everyone is finding out about you and who your father is.”

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However, what made it more difficult to process was the unwanted attention.

He was not habitual of photographers looming around his house and watching his family on the news. Joseph further added, “I’m 13. Your body’s transforming; your mind is transforming. And now my life transformed before my eyes.”

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How did Joseph handle such a sensitive situation?

As his mother Mildred recalls, “When [Joseph’s] grandmother sat him down to explain that Arnold Schwarzenegger was his father, he exclaimed, ‘Cool!’” To have that level of maturity at such a young age is commendable. Joseph’s entire life changed in front of him in a blink of an eye and he took it bravely as a 13-year-old boy. Perhaps he gets his emotional strength from his father.

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Arnold and Joseph Baena’s relationship is special because the two share a common love of bodybuilding. Subsequently, the 24-year-old son also wants to follow in his father’s footsteps. He dreams of achieving greatness in bodybuilding, followed by an illustrious career in Hollywood, just like his father.

WATCH THIS STORY- Arnold Schwarzenegger Once Sold His BMW To Another Bodybuilder For $2200

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Written by:

Saurav Panwar

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Saurav Panwar is a US Sports writer at EssentiallySports. A postgraduate in Media and Communication Studies, he shares a profound love for creative direction and filmmaking. Saurav is also an avid reader and a literature devotee whose fandom spreads from classics to sci-fi, non-fiction, plays, comics, and much more.
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Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui