Ricky Martin became a father for the first time in 2008 when his twin sons were born through surrogacy. Soon after that, he came out to the world.
Ricky Martin stole the hearts of women the world over when he serenaded us with hits like Maria, Living la vida loca, She bangs, etc. He made a name for himself with his good looks, musical talent, acting, and being a celebrity ambassador for charities like Jeans for Genes and Alzheimer's Society. But what makes him the happiest is being a dad to his four kids with his husband of 3 years, Jwan Yosef.
Martin revealed his love for his family during the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner in September 2019 where he announced the impending arrival of his fourth child while giving a speech. He said, "And by the way, I have to announce that we are pregnant. We are waiting! Alright! I love big families," reported Oprah Magazine.
On October 30, 2019, the family of five turned into six after he shared the first image of his newborn son on Instagram captioning it, "Nuestro hijo Renn Martin-Yosef ha nacido," which translates to "Our son Renn Martin-Yosef was born." Yosef shared the image on his Instagram account too and wrote, "Our baby boy is here ❤️"
Back when his twins Matteo and Valentino, now 12, were born via a surrogate in 2008, he was still in the closet. In an interview with Oprah after he opened up about his sexuality in 2010, he revealed that his sons were the reason for him accepting himself completely. He confessed that he "couldn't take it anymore."
He said, "When I was holding them in my arms, I was, like, 'What, am I going to teach them how to lie?' Before I decided to become a father, I already accepted who I was and I was happy with who I was, and when I was holding my children, I said, 'OK. it's time to tell the world.'"
While talking to ET Online, the Livin' La Vida Loca singer revealed how his twin sons were growing up and asking questions about their birth. "One thing I promised myself is to be completely honest with them. Whenever they ask me a question, I will answer with the truth," he said. He also added that he wished for a little sister for the boys and a "daddy’s little girl" for himself. "Not one, not two, maybe three! I don't know, but I'm really looking forward to it," he added.
Before the addition of one more little one, he had another addition in his life. After his breakup with Carlos González Abella in 2014, he met Jwan Yosef in April 2016. Love brewed between them and in 2017 the duo secretly tied the knot. He later confirmed the news when he spoke to E! Online in 2018.
By the end of 2018, their daughter, Lucia Martin-Yosef, 1, was born. The extremely happy fathers announced her welcome on their Instagram pages. Martin wrote, “We are beyond happy to announce that we have become parents to a beautiful and healthy baby girl, Lucia Martin-Yosef.” He continued, "It has been a special time for us and we can’t wait to see where this stellar baby will take us. Both her beautiful brothers, me and Jwan have fallen in love with Lucia.”
Giving details about fathering three kids, he told ET Online at Golden Globes 2019, "I haven't slept for 15 days. Nobody sleeps in the house, it's really cool. It's insane but it's beautiful. I'm so happy." He further added that even though award shows are fun, he feels "tranquility" only when "you open the door of your house and they run toward you and they say, 'Daddy, Daddy, welcome home!' It's the best thing."
The Assassination of Gianni Versace actor wants to be an inspiration for all the nontraditional families out there in the world. In an interview with Out Magazine in 2018, he said, "I want people to look at me and see a family and say, ‘There’s nothing wrong with that.’ It's part of my mission. It’s part of my kids’ mission as well. My kids ask me about having two daddies and I tell them we are a part of a modern family. This is a beautiful sense of freedom."
At the end of the day, Martin has only one wish and that is to be there for his kids all the time. His career sure is his priority but his family comes first. He said, "I'm a hands-on dad. ... I want them to be 15, 16 and say, 'Daddy, you were always there with us and for us.'"
References:
https://www.oprahmag.com/life/a28660432/ricky-martin-kids/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oBraB9goXI
https://www.etonline.com/inside-ricky-martins-life-as-a-father-of-four-
