Mendoza: Where Keanu goes, so will Mom Nerissa
-A A +AAll Write
Monday, March 18, 2013
NERISSA Jahns (pronounced Yans) is mother to Keanu, a budding golf star.
Nerissa’s hubby is Johannes Jahns and, as you might guessed it, Johannes is German from Munich, the Olympics host in 1972.
But it is the Olympics in Seoul in 1988 that Nerissa considers “my most memorable Olympiad ever.”
Reason?
“My husband gave me the surprise of my life during a dinner in Seoul,” said Nerissa.
“He invited Stefi Graf to dinner.”
It was more than a pleasant surprise as Graf, a German, was Nerissa’s idol—Nerissa being an avid tennis player.
“Stefi swept the four Grand Slams that year, capping her feat by winning gold in the Seoul Olympics,” Nerissa said. “I love my husband.”
Seven years later, on Sept. 22, 1995, Nerissa delivered Keanu at the Makati Medical
Center.
Keanu was Nerissa’s first born and Johannes’s second child. John, now 33 and working at Microsoft Europe in Munich, is Johannes’s son from his first marriage.
“I helped raise John since he was five years old and he grew up to be a good man, thank God,” said Nerissa, nee Meneses, whose father is from Naga City and mother (Tatlong Hari) from Tanauan, Batangas.
These days, Nerissa busies herself attending to the “daily needs” of Keanu, who won the WWW.Express-DHL Amateur Open at Canlubang in Laguna in a stunning feat as he posted a record seven-stroke winning margin over 2011 men’s Amateur Open champ, Rupert Zaragosa.
Only 17 years old, Keanu displayed exceptional maturity and mental toughness, going 10-under-par in his last three rounds of 70-69-67 in erasing the stigma of an opening 75.
“He tried tennis, soccer, swimming and then taekwondo but at age 12, he picked up golf,” said Nerissa of Keanu. “Johannes and I were so happy because we were always worried that he’d be hurt doing taekwondo.”
Because golf has become Keanu’s virtual life (Nerissa has gotten Rick Gibson as her son’s mental coach in January), Keanu is into home study at Abeka of Florida, which caters to kids active in sports, music or arts.
“His Dad is determined to support Keanu’s golf path,” said Nerissa. “And where Keanu goes, I go, too.”
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 19, 2013.
Sports
Forum rules: Do not use obscenity. Some words have been banned. Stick to the topic. Do not veer away from the discussion. Be coherent and respectful. Do not shout or use CAPITAL LETTERS!
