Meet the newest member of the Gerber family
This week, Gerber has officially named Maddie Mendoza as 2023’s Gerber Baby. She is 10 months old and hails from a military family with roots in the Philippines and has shown all the traits Gerber was looking for in their latest Photo Search.
Maddie’s father has served in the U.S. military for almost two decades. But even when she was very young – still a newborn, even – Maddie displayed a fighting spirit of her own, having struggled physically during her first few days in the world. Get to know Gerber’s new taste tester here.
Gerber held its 13th annual Photo Search and just announced this year’s winner as baby Madison “Maddie” Mendoza from Colorado. Her parents are Jun and Crystal, husband and wife of 22 years. Crystal is a dentist and today Jun is a Lieutenant Colonel physician in the Air Force.
As for Maddie, she’s already conquered some remarkable feats, even before becoming this year’s Gerber Baby. When she was born, Maddie had difficulty breathing and required supplemental oxygen.
But then, a few nights later, she yanked the tunes out herself and breathed totally normally.
“She was able to tell us when she was ready to go home,” shared Jun. “That kind of aligned with her adventurous, independent spirit.”
This story is exactly the kind Gerber wants to share. “Gerber has always believed in the magic of babies, and Maddie’s story, filled with love, resilience, and adventure, embodies the spirit of generations of Gerber babies,” said Tarun Malkani, Gerber President & CEO.
Crystal and Jun kept Maddie’s participating in the contest a secret from friends and family until the news broke on Wednesday. Now, “they’re in tears,” says Crystal.
In addition to her and her family winning a $25,000 cash prize, Maddie will be featured on Gerber’s social media pages and marketing campaigns throughout the year.
Maddie, who also celebrated turning 10 months old this same week, is continuing a family tradition of adventure and boldness. She, now an official Gerber taste tester, has already sampled foods including kimchi and sea urchin. On top of that, says Crystal, “She’s definitely mastered her crawling and getting into things. She’s learned to stand up on her own and I think she’ll be walking soon. Her top teeth started coming in last night.”
Both Jun and Crystal come from military families; each of their families came to the U.S. with very little, then went on to serve in the Navy. Maddie’s parents hope her involvement in Gerber puts a spotlight on military children and all they go through, with parents who may be deployed at a moment’s notice.
Maddie getting involved like this, Jun feels, “really helps highlight how special these children are and how strong and resilient they can be.”
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