Earlier than Lauren Sanchez grew to become an Emmy-award successful journalist, traversed outer house, or was engaged to billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, she was identified to her family and friends as merely ‘Wendy.’
The highschool cheerleader was at all times destined to make it massive, those that lived in her hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, instructed the Each day Mail.
Now, she’s set to marry one of many richest males on the earth in a lavish ceremony held in Venice, Italy, with an estimated price of $15 million to $20 million.
It is believed the couple will tie the knot surrounded by A-list celebrities, politicians and world-leading businessmen. Rumored visitors embrace Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.
Bezos, Sanchez and their instant households will reportedly keep on the tech entrepreneur’s $500 million superyacht Koru. In the meantime, the lower than 200 visitors shall be break up between five-star resorts Resort Cipriani and Aman Venice close by.
The ritzy occasion may also name for beefed-up safety, closed streets, monitored airspace and a robust police presence – which has already set off protests from livid locals who say their house is being ‘held hostage’ by the ‘richest and most harmful man on the earth.’
In March 2023, the 61-year-old Amazon mogul popped the query to the 55-year-old former information correspondent aboard his yacht Koru. After 5 years collectively, Bezos proposed to Sanchez with a cushion-cut pink diamond ring, estimated between 20 and 30 carats and value upwards of $2.5 million.
However Sanchez’s star-studded nuptials are a far cry from her humble beginnings as a third-generation Mexican-American and the youngest baby of three, who was solely seven when her mother and father divorced.
Lauren Sanchez (left) and Jeff Bezos (proper) are set to wed subsequent weekend throughout a lavish marriage ceremony ceremony in Venice, Italy
The nuptials are believed to happen in entrance of 200 visitors, with some A-listers staying on the Resort Cipriani in Venice (seen) for the festivities
Rumored attendees embrace Sanchez’s well-known friends Kim Kardashian (left), Eva Longoria (middle proper), and Kris Jenner (proper)
Wendy Lorraine Sanchez was born on December 19, 1969, in Albuquerque. Coincidentally, she was born on the identical hospital the place Bezos was additionally born simply six years prior, although he was raised between Houston, Texas, and Miami, Florida.
Her mom, Eleanor, was clerk of town council, whereas her father, Ray, labored as a flight teacher and mechanic who helped rebuild planes. In reality, it was her dad’s occupation that helped encourage Sanchez’s personal ardour for aviation.
‘I used to be at all times within the hangar rising up however knew nothing about flying,’ she instructed the Hollywood Reporter in 2017.
After her mother and father’ divorce, Sanchez continued to stay in Albuquerque together with her mom, whereas her father later remarried.
Her paternal half-sister, Elena Sanchez Blair, has since change into considered one of Sanchez’s closest confidantes, regardless of their 13-year age hole, and he or she’s typically been described by Sanchez as her ‘finest pal’ and the ‘second mom to her youngsters.’
She was even current for Sanchez’s three-day bachelorette journey to Paris, France, in Might.
Chatting with Elle in 2024, Sanchez revealed that her ‘largest remorse’ was ‘not having the ability to communicate fluent Spanish’ as a result of her mother did not need her to have an accent.
Sanchez shares glimpse of her major faculty yearbook, revealing that she as soon as glided by the identify ‘Wendy Sanchez’
The previous journalist, 55, posed together with her father Ray Sanchez exterior her humble childhood residence in Albuquerque, New Mexico
One in every of Sanchez’s closest confidantes is her youthful half-sister, Elena Sanchez Blair (left), who attended the three-day bachelorette journey to Paris, France
‘The one factor I believe I actually missed out on is my grandmother, Elsie, and mom spoke Spanish on a regular basis,’ she mentioned.
Whereas rising up, Sanchez spent appreciable time together with her grandmother Elsie, who was credited by Sanchez as being one of many hardest employees she’s ever seen.
‘She was a housekeeper, and he or she was a supervisor at a restaurant. She let me work there each now and again. I received my work ethic from her. My mother additionally labored extraordinarily onerous, so I’d spend the evening at my grandmother’s loads,’ she instructed Elle.
Sanchez additionally recalled sleeping behind Elsie’s automobile at 5 within the morning whereas she cleaned homes, and pouring espresso for patrons on the restaurant all earlier than she needed to go to high school.
She not too long ago shared a glimpse on Instagram on the modest childhood residence the place she spent a few of her childhood, as she posed together with her father in entrance of the quaint yellow one-story home.
Nevertheless, in accordance with a latest report from The Instances, Sanchez truly lived together with her mother within the middle-class Albuquerque suburb of Academy Acres and later Rio Grande Estates, one other prosperous neighborhood.
She attended Our Girl of Fatima Catholic Faculty in Albuquerque for major faculty and Del Norte Excessive Faculty, the place she was identified round campus as a bubbly varsity cheerleader.
Sanchez was on the varsity cheerleading workforce at Del Norte Excessive Faculty in Albuquerque. She graduated in 1987
Photographer Kim Jew, who took Sanchez’s senior portraits in 1987, described her to the Each day Mail as ‘enjoyable’ and ‘very straightforward to {photograph}’
A fellow Del Norte classmate wrote on Fb that Sanchez was ‘form of ditsy, however humorous’
In yearbook photographs obtained by the Each day Mail, Sanchez was the quintessential image of the all-American lady subsequent door, together with her teased black locks and sporty cheerleading uniform.
For senior superlatives, she was voted ‘Greatest Flirt’ out of her practically 500-person graduating class.
And she or he was pictured canoodling with fellow classmate and highschool soccer star Ian Smelser, like one thing akin to the principle character in a teen rom-com movie directed by John Hughes.
Kim Jew, a portrait photographer primarily based in Albuquerque, remembered Sanchez visiting his studio in 1987 when she posed for her senior portraits.
Whereas the negatives from the photoshoot are lengthy gone, the reminiscence of Sanchez’s presence in his studio has by no means left him.
‘I actually bear in mind her vividly,’ he instructed the Each day Mail, describing Sanchez as ‘enjoyable’ and ‘very straightforward to {photograph}.’
‘She simply had, I suppose, charisma and wonder,’ mentioned Jew, who was 35 on the time. ‘I first thought once I photographed her that this lady goes to be well-known sooner or later.’
Her classmates recalled an identical story. In a Fb publish shared by a Del Norte alumnus named Brad, he described Sanchez – or Wendy – as ‘form of ditsy, however humorous.’
In highschool, she had desires of changing into a newscaster however believed she would not achieve success on account of her dyslexia
Sanchez, pictured on the left, was voted ‘Greatest Flirt’ for senior superlatives out of her 500-person graduating class
Sanchez was pictured canoodling with fellow classmate and highschool soccer star Ian Smelser
‘When she laughed, she’d snort at instances. I at all times appreciated her,’ he wrote.
Her putting magnificence additionally led her to compete in pageants as a young person. In unseen photographs revealed by the Each day Mail, Sanchez was seen competing within the Miss Hawaiian Tropic magnificence pageant in Albuquerque someday between 1988 and 1989.
‘Lauren was about 18 or 19 years outdated on the time,’ a supply beforehand instructed the Each day Mail. ‘She gained the native competitors, which is why she’s standing within the center in that picture.
‘I bear in mind her to be very nice. Very well mannered.’
The snaps confirmed a younger Sanchez standing within the middle in a sea of girls and posing in a blinding blue bikini. She was topped winner out of about 30 contestants, and later went on to win the Fashions World Journal Cowl Woman Competitors in 1990.
Linda McNatt, who labored at Plaza 3 modeling company in Phoenix, Arizona, additionally wrote on Fb that Sanchez was signed to the company the place she labored.
‘She was each cute and exquisite, and was candy in addition to pushed to achieve success,’ McNatt mentioned.
Brad and Linda didn’t reply to the Each day Mail’s requests for remark.
The then-college scholar (middle, in blue) was taking part within the Miss Hawaiian Tropic magnificence contest in her hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico
A supply beforehand instructed the Each day Mail he remembers Sanchez (in blue) being ‘very nice’ and ‘very well mannered’
Whereas Sanchez longed to be a newscaster from early on, she doubted she may ever achieve success on account of her battle with dyslexia.
Sanchez has opened up about her expertise with dyslexia up to now, noting that it made her really feel ‘dumb’ and he or she at all times ‘sat behind the category.’
‘I used to be quiet and so they pushed me alongside in public faculty,’ she mirrored on Good Morning America in September. ‘It was horrible.’
Upon graduating highschool in 1987, Sanchez as a substitute set her sights on changing into a flight attendant.
At 18, she moved to Los Angeles to use for a job as a stewardess with Southwest Airways. Throughout the interview course of, she was compelled to face on a scale – a typical apply for flight attendants on the time – and he or she was in the end turned away for being ‘too massive,’ regardless of solely weighing simply over 120 kilos.
‘Again then, they weighed you, and I weighed 121 kilos,’ she recalled to the Wall Road Journal. ‘They mentioned, ‘You have to be 115.’
Not sure of the place to show, a heartbroken Sanchez determined to return to high school and enrolled at El Camino Faculty in Torrance, California. It was there that she rediscovered her love for journalism after her professor, Lori Medigovich, inspired her to get examined for dyslexia.
‘I cry each time I inform this story,’ Sanchez instructed the WSJ.
Sanchez, seen in 1999, enrolled at El Camino Faculty in Torrance, California, and later transferred to College of Southern California in 1992. She left faculty in 1994
Sanchez (seen in 2003) rapidly rose via the ranks as a reporter, beginning at a small information outlet in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier than transferring to Additional, adopted by Fox Sports activities Internet and Good Day LA
Medigovich assured Sanchez that she wasn’t dumb and gave her a pocket dictionary, which Sanchez stored together with her always.
‘It modified my life. I went from barely a 2.0 [GPA] scholar to the dean’s record and received a scholarship to [University of Southern California].’
In 1992, she transferred to USC and commenced interning at KCOP-TV in Los Angeles. She left faculty in 1994 to pursue her profession as a reporter full-time after she was provided a job at KTVK in Phoenix.
Within the years that adopted, she moved round fairly a bit – working briefly for Additional earlier than heading to Fox Sports activities Internet. Round that point, she additionally auditioned for a seat on The View. When she did not get the half, she admitted it was one of many ‘most devastating days of her life.’
Sanchez then went on to host Good Day LA in 2003, the place she labored for six years. She additionally obtained her pilot’s license and, in 2016, based Black Ops Aviation – an aerial manufacturing firm.
However Sanchez took a step again from the highlight to concentrate on her household. Lengthy earlier than she met Bezos, Sanchez was in a relationship with NFL tight finish Tony Gonzalez. They welcomed a son, named Nikko Gonzalez, collectively in 2002 earlier than splitting.
Her record of exes and called-off engagements additionally featured a slew of star-studded names, athletes, and the pinnacle of an enormous expertise company.
One in every of her earliest boyfriends was Gavin Maloof, who got here from one of many richest households in Albuquerque and dated Sanchez when she was 19 and he was 13 years her senior.
Sanchez welcomed her first baby, son Nikko, with then-boyfriend Tony Gonzalez in 2002
Sanchez and former NFL tight finish Tony Gonzalez break up shortly after welcoming their son Nikko. The co-parents are seen celebrating Nikko’s faculty commencement in June 2024
Sanchez regarded glamorous in a cut-out glowing pink robe as she shared an Instagram birthday tribute for her son Nikko in February 2024
She went on to this point sports activities broadcaster Rory Markas, who she met when she landed her internship throughout faculty. The 2 even received engaged, however in accordance with Web page Six, she in the end dumped Rory after she switched jobs.
Sanchez then began courting NFL star Anthony Miller, after the 2 met on the 1996 Tremendous Bowl when he was taking part in for the Denver Broncos and he or she was a rising TV reporter. The pair had been collectively for 4 years and engaged for practically two, earlier than Miller claimed that Sanchez broke issues off.
He spoke about their romance – in addition to their break up – completely to the Each day Mail again in January 2019, alleging that Sanchez had cheated on him. Nevertheless, sources near Sanchez disputed his claims and insisted that it was Miller who was untrue.
Her first marriage was to Endeavor expertise company co-founder Patrick Whitesell; the 2 walked down the aisle in 2005. They welcomed a son, Evan Whitesell, in 2006 and a daughter, Eleanor Whitesell, in 2008.
However it was her headline-grabbing affair with Bezos, which was delivered to gentle in early 2019, that ended her decade-long marriage.
Her romance with the Amazon founder was uncovered by the Nationwide Enquirer in January 2019. On the time, Bezos was additionally married to his now ex-wife, Mackenzie Scott.
Quickly after it was revealed, the billionaire businessman divorced his spouse of greater than 25 years and the mom of his 4 youngsters, whereas Sanchez left Whitesell.
The bombshell report from the Enquirer claimed that Bezos and Sanchez had been concerned in an eight-month affair, which concerned him ‘whisking his mistress off to unique locations on his $65 million personal jet, sending her raunchy messages and erotic selfies, and having secret rendezvous at palatial personal estates.’
Sanchez’s first marriage was to Endeavor expertise company co-founder Patrick Whitesell; the 2 walked down the aisle in 2005
The previous couple (seen in 2011) welcomed a son, Evan Whitesell, in 2006 and a daughter, Eleanor Whitesell, in 2008
Patrick Whitesell and Sanchez pictured with Bezos in December 2016, lower than three years after their affair was uncovered
The outlet mentioned it had tracked them ‘throughout 5 states and 40,000 miles, tailing them in personal jets, swanky limos, helicopter rides, romantic hikes, five-star resort hideaways, intimate dinner dates and ‘high quality time’ in hidden love nests.’
Following the Enquirer’s accusations, Bezos fired again by writing a prolonged essay to the publication’s CEO, David Pecker, by which the mogul accused the corporate of blackmailing him and threatening to publish nude photographs of him.
Issues took a flip, nevertheless, when Sanchez’s household grew to become concerned within the scandal.
When Bezos started investigating who leaked his photographs and texts to the tabloid, Michael Sanchez – his girlfriend’s now-estranged brother – was named as a lead suspect by Bezos.
Michael denied the accusation that he had offered nude photographs to the tabloid, however did not particularly deny leaking textual content messages between his sister and Bezos.
‘I am not saying I did not do one thing,’ he admitted to Vainness Honest in 2019, however mentioned his solely purpose was to guard his sister and Bezos’ relationship.
Michael adopted up with a defamation lawsuit in opposition to Bezos, claiming he had falsely accused him of offering the nude photographs to the Enquirer. In November 2020, Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom dominated in favor of Bezos’s movement to dismiss Michael’s defamation swimsuit.
In keeping with The Instances, Michael mentioned he has not seen his sister since 2019 and never spoken to her since 2020. He instructed the outlet that neither him nor their mom Eleanor are invited to Sanchez’s marriage ceremony.
Sanchez and Bezos’ affair was revealed in January 2019 in a bombshell reporter from The Nationwide Enquirer
The couple had been engaged in March 2023 after 5 years collectively. Bezos proposed with a cushion-cut pink diamond ring, estimated between 20 and 30 carats
Sanchez’s marriage ceremony to Bezos is estimated to price upwards of $20 million, a far cry from her humble beginnings in New Mexico
Certainly, the upcoming nuptials are positive to be a ceremony of epic proportions.
A supply beforehand revealed to the Each day Mail that the Amazon boss has booked the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, one of many largest and grandest buildings within the historic middle of Venice, as a part of the multi-day-long extravaganza of celebrations.
Bezos’s superyacht, the Koru, shall be moored off the coast of San Georgio Maggiore island – residence to the well-known Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore, a sixteenth century Benedictine church.
Plus, round 60 of Venice’s water taxis have been reserved for the week, with a few of the 400 gondolas on the island out of fee as properly.
Whereas spectators are break up as as to if San Georgio Maggiore island or Bezos’s superyacht will function the marriage venue, it is clear the couple have lined all their bases throughout the Italian metropolis.
For younger ladies rising up in Albuquerque, few would ever dream of the opulent life-style that Sanchez has constructed for herself.
But when there’s something to be discovered about this highschool cheerleader and pageant queen turned spouse of a billionaire mogul, it is that she by no means had a shadow of a doubt that this is able to be her destined path.
#Greatest #Flirt #Lauren #Sanchez #excessive #faculty.. #insiders #arent #shocked #hooked #billionaire