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Eva Mendes is getting real about grief. The "Hitch" actress, 51, took to Instagram to share an emotional tribute to her late brother, Carlos Mendez, ahead of what would have been his birthday on April 2. Mendes' older brother passed away on April 17, 2016, just two weeks after turning 53, following a battle with cancer.
She shared a series of selfies taken in nature in her post, reflecting on the signs she believes Carlos sends her as his birthday approaches. "My brother would've had a birthday this April 2," she wrote. "He passed almost 9 years ago. Then, less than 2 weeks later, I gave birth to our second baby."
That second baby is now eight-year-old Amada Gosling, whom Mendes shares with longtime partner Ryan Gosling. The actress explained how she looks for signs from Carlos during this time of year.
"When his birthday nears, I start to look for signs that could be him," she continued. "Of course, this can all be in my head, but I rather not believe that. It's not as beautiful. So, here I am, starting to see hearts everywhere and feeling him a little extra right now. More to come, I'm sure." Her younger brother, Carlo Mendes, 47, chimed in on the post, commenting: "I miss him so much."
Laura Patricia Gómez, one of HOLA! USA's go-to clairvoyants assured the actress that her brother would manifest as a bird. "As a medium, they always give you signs if you ask them to. They find a way to communicate. Your brother shows a white bird as a sign," the expert said.
A Bittersweet Connection Between Loss and Life
Eva Mendes has previously spoken about the painful timing of losing Carlos and welcoming Amada just days later. In a 2019 interview with People, she called it "tough" but found meaning in the experience. "Thank God I had my baby; it was a week after he passed. So there was something to move forward. There was poetry to it all."
Through the grief, Mendes has held onto cherished memories of Carlos, especially the way he would light up family gatherings with his signature humor. "My favorite memories are when he used to, at Thanksgiving or a big dinner or Christmas dinner, roast everybody — but roast you hard," she said. "Of course, I miss him incredibly, and that's an understatement, but I'm holding on to that tradition."
She added, "I'm so happy that he gave me that. I don't think I could carry it on the way he did, but those are some fun memories because he would really get raw."
Keeping Family Close
Mendes and Gosling are known for keeping their private life very private, especially regarding their daughters, Esmeralda, 10, and Amada, 8. Last year, Mendes revealed that the couple has a strict no-social-media policy for their kids. "Putting my kid on the internet and being like, 'Oh, search something,' that to me is equivalent to telling her, 'Oh, just go down the street in the middle of the night. You'll be fine,'" she told The Times.
She and Gosling also make a point to teach their daughters about gratitude, ensuring they understand their parents' struggles growing up.
"I explain to them what I didn't have, what Ryan didn't have when he was little, how hard we had to fight, the dark days of being paycheck to paycheck," Mendes shared. "But they'll never really know unless they experience that."
On top of that, she encourages them to build confidence through responsibility, assigning them tasks around the house to boost their self-esteem.
Despite experiencing anxiety herself, Mendes credits her late brother Carlos for helping shape her into the person she is today.
While his absence is deeply felt, she continues to honor his memory in the most heartfelt way: through love, tradition, and little signs that remind her he's still with her.