“I’m Crushed…. Heartbroken” – When Alex Rodriguez Broke Down Before Sending His Daughter to College

Summer is here, which means the end of the school year. While kids are happy to be away from seemingly endless tests, some just said goodbye to high school forever. Come fall, a lot of young graduates will be heading to universities, hopefully of their choice. While it’s a strange time for teenagers, it’s even stranger for the parents who will be seeing off their baby birds leave the nest. One such emotional parent is former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez.

An A-class athlete, A-Rod has passed down the talent in his blood to his offspring. The former shortstop’s oldest daughter Natasha will head off to the University of Michigan to study theatre this year. And while of course, Rodriguez could burst with happiness, he’s heartbroken too.

Alex Rodriguez admits he bawled like a baby

A-Rod recently appeared on CBS Mornings for an exclusive interview to give details about what he has been up to lately. After an alarming health update, where he revealed he had early-stage gum disease, the conversation turned to parenting. Host Tony Dokoupil mentioned how the former Yankee was sending off his oldest to college, and asked how he was feeling.

“I’m crushed. I’m so excited but then I’m heartbroken,” Rodriguez said. “I mean, it goes by so fast for all those parents out there. It was this last week…I read her a long letter, I broke down crying like a little baby, I couldn’t help it. I have two – Natasha’s 18. I’ll be dropping her off in August in Ann Arbor in Michigan.”

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Rodriguez is a highly successful baseballer-turned-businessman with a billion-dollar empire. Over the course of a decades-long journey, he has received mentorship from many big names. But in the same segment on CBS Mornings, A-Rod revealed a surprising role model – his daughter.

Natasha Rodriguez leaves her dad awe-inspired

The ex-shortstop grew up without his dad and so, when he became a father, he vowed to be better. Two decades later, his daughters can perhaps say he’s done a pretty good job. When host Nate Burleson, who is also a parent, asked A-Rod about the contents of that letter, Rodriguez said he couldn’t even get to the end.

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“I couldn’t finish the letter ’cause I started breaking down. It was at my house – we had a bunch of my family over and I basically said I’m supposed to be your role model. And here you are at 18, and you’re my role model…Just so proud of her. She’s gonna go do theatre,” he said. A-Rod also mentioned how the program only accepted a certain number of individuals but his daughter had made it.