EXCLUSIVE from HOLLYWOOD, California – Love and fashion, not passion, are sometimes strange companions. But in the case of rising fashion model Rachel Donaire and Nonito Donaire, Jr., they come along at the same time. It is hardly the ideal situation in which to meet one’s life partner. But, that’s exactly what happens. Rachel is in the midst of controversy.
In a lengthy exclusive interview last June 24, Rachel has revealed the deepest part of her intuitions and ‘fashinations’, both love and business, over Nonito Donaire and her husband’s prospect to become one of the most feared fighters of all time in the little “big” men’s division.
Here’s the raw transcript of the interview with hot twenty power questions:
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: How have you been doing lately?
Rachel Donaire: I’ve been doing great! God has blessed me with alot of love from both Nonito and my family and everyday I’ve been waking up to good news. There’s nothing I would change about my life right now. Sometimes I wish I can multiply myself to help me the the work load. =)
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Could you please tell me about yourself?
Rachel Donaire: I am an American born Filipina to a father who is Spanish, Chinese, Filipino and a mother who is Spanish, Filipina. My moms dad was a lawyer and had 10 kids and my dads mom was an accountant and his dad worked for Philippine Airlines. They had 3 kids. I modeled when I was younger as a Macy’s Caifornia Kid but when my passion for martial arts emerged, I stuck to it from the age of 8 and on. I went to private Catholic school all my life but grew up mostly in a predominantly caucasian community. There were 3 Filipinos in my whole school until 6th grade. There were maybe 10 filipinas in my all girls catholic high school, Notre Dame Belmont.
Taekwondo was an outlet for me. I fought in competitions monthly and my parents would bring me to places like Korea, Puerto RIco, Germany, and the PHILIPPINES to compete. It was in 1998 that I first fought for the Philippine National Team at the Milo competition. I even secured MVP at the tournament and was so proud to get a uniform that didn’t say USA but Philippines on the back.
After high school I went to the US Air Force, much to the displeasure of my mom. But I believed my parents had given me everything this world could offer me, and I had to learn how to pay my own way through college. So I traveled the world and ventured into nursing. Getting accepted into the program was so exciting, until my mom called. After all the prereqs I had done, she explained to me that nursing wouldn’t be my strength and that since I was 16 I was good in business. At the age of 16, I was already a state distributor for a major martial arts company. She was right. I declined the acceptance letter and pursued a business degree. In 2005, before I left the military, I opened up a martial arts school with my family, had my own real estate team, as well as aide Nonito in effectively organizing his boxing career, and it’s been crazy ever since.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: What is your philosophy toward life?
Rachel Donaire: “Love what you have.” It’s simple as that yet has so much meaning. Love what you have is being grateful that God put forth what is on your table. It is not taking it for granted. It’s appreciating everything surrounding you. When you start become jealous of others, when you start asking for money instead of love, when you are ungrateful of the situation you have regardless if it is 10 times better than the jobless man on the street…then that is when God takes it away from you. It’s also very optimistic of embracing oneself.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: How do you feel about having fans and haters out there?
Rachel Donaire: I think it’s fun and interesting. I rarely ever think of me having fans, but more of those that are fans of Nonito that sort of venture over to me =) I think the fans support me because they support whoever supports NOnito the most. I believe, I can count the haters on one hand. I won’t name them but there are 3 that Nonito kicked off his team for bad character–ones that would put Morel’s crime to shame– and then of course ex relationships on both me and Nonito’s end. I’ve seen it since the beginning how they go to EVERY video, EVERY article, EVERY blog to try to ruin us by spamming unfounded lies over and over again with different handles. To them, all I have to say is “your welcome and thank you. I’m glad our lives are such a great interest to you that you stay up late at night thinking of ways to destroy us. And thank you because your ‘rain’ of negativity has only planted more beautiful and positive flowers for us.”
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: How do you put the interests of your husband ahead of your own?
Rachel Donaire: Well, when I wake up every morning I put together a list of things I need to do. Then I number them in priority. Most of the first 5 are things I need to help Nonito that need to be done asap, like his laundry. This guy goes through a whole load in one day. He goes through 3 shirts, 2 sweatshirts, underarmour, 2 underwears, 2 socks, and 2 trunks in ONE workout. LOL But basically I understand how tired he is when he is in training, and if my homework can wait 3 hours to be done so he has clothes for his training, then its a no brainer as to what choices I make.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Describe your ethic in role modeling?
Rachel Donaire: My ethic in role modeling is to be myself. To be the best me, but still me. I think alot of these role models these days try to portray a persona of a perfect person. I’m not perfect, I’ve made mistakes, but my drive and determination is what allows me to soar above and beyond what is expected of me. I also stick to my beliefs. If I believe, for example, that people shouldn’t get plastic surgery unless they have really tried to change their eating habits, diets, and as well as see a therapist to examine why it is necessary, then I stick to that. Same with domestic violence. I am against domestic violence, and no double standards. I don’t believe a wife should be hit as much as a husband should not be hit either. My ethic is NEVER pretend to support something you either don’t practice yourself or believe in because in the end you are fooling yourself. BE true, no matter if people agree or not.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
Rachel Donaire: I don’t think I really have any. At first I wanted to go Air Force career which meant becoming an officer. But when I decided to go into business management, I didn’t look back at the decision I made to leave the military. I think God has guided me to where my strengths are.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Could you please tell me about the most fun you have had with Nonito, Jr?
I believe that our wedding was fun. All the emotion was there, happiness for each other, grateful that God had our paths cross, and everyone that was close to us was there. It was only 50 people invited and it was intimate. We were ourselves with the people close to us and the excitement of getting married was just filling the air.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: What qualities do you see in Nonito that attract you most?
Rachel Donaire: He’s strong, he’s a gentleman, and he’s secure in himself. He doesn’t go out there and try to prove anything to anyone. You could actually talk crap to his face all day and he would just brush it off because it doesn’t bother him. He’s happy go lucky and such a clown. He doesn’t worry or care about any gossip or intrigue or haters. He just is him and is satisfied with that. Lastly, and definitely not the least, he is romantic AND he is loyal and trustworthy.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: What have you done to improve your relationship with your father-in-law or in-laws? Do you have ill-feelings about them?
Rachel Donaire: Well, I think one of them is not saying anything about them. People, ok well the haters, have scrutinized us for not “Honoring his parents”. Honor means respecting them and protecting them. It doesn’t mean obeying their every command but it means respecting their opinion. How have we honored them? By not saying a harsh word about them. You can’t find one article where we have said an unkind word. Besides that, I called to give Nonito Sr his fight tickets for Flash and the Furious. I even pleaded on the interview to just drop the argument and remember that regardless his son is in that ring. Nonito even dedicated his fight to him. We’ve been working on bridging the gap but it takes time. We send money and presents over there with letters and cards. We are reaching out but I think it just needs to be settled away from the media, behind closed doors.
I have no ill feelings towards them. It upsets me that they have to bring my parents into this mess but I understand. I understand even though Nonitos upbringing is 180 degrees from mine. The thing is that even though we are both filipino families, our outlook is different. But I was prepared for this already. When Nonito and I were only dating someone had went up to my mom and said that she was stealing Nonito away from their family. And we were only dating. I knew then that Nonito was the last person they would ever think of getting married so they never had to let him grow up. And when we got married, it would be difficult to make decisions on our own as husband and wife. I wish it could be settled easier, but I know in time God will find a way. I don’t care who thinks they know what is going on. All I care about is that God knows what we have been doing to reach out to them, regardless of the attacks, and as long as he knows that we are trying our best, he’s the only one I care about judging us.
HOLLYWOOD, California – Rachel continues to reveal her intuitions, passion and ‘fashinations’. One strongest point she has is that she never settles for less. Let us see more of what the following questions can elucidate about those three as mentioned above.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: If you had enough money, would you retire right now?
Rachel Donaire: If I had enough money for my kids and their future as well, yes.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Explain how you would be an asset to Nonito, Jr.’s career?
Rachel Donaire: Well, I don’t manage his career so I think my asset to him is my honesty. He trusts me as far as my perception of other people. I’m pretty intuitive when it comes to feeling if a person is not a good person and to date I have not been wrong yet. I’m also really good at keeping him focused on just boxing. All his interviews are scheduled as his sleeping time, etc. I keep any distractions away from him and its worked so far.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: What irritates you most?
Rachel Donaire: Stupid people. LOL Well, people who are smart and yet act stupid just because it is easier for them to pretend they don’t understand. Those and people who are fake and can’t tell you to your face they don’t like you and would rather go comment hi jack the comment section under fake names. I give more respect to those who can look me in the eye and tell me what’s wrong. Thats a grown up.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: What is your greatest strength?
Rachel Donaire: I’m a very strong willed person. As long as I can correct in the stance I am taking, I can take debates head on and stand my ground. If Im wrong, then I won’t fight it, I’ll admit it.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Tell me about your dream project with Nonito, Jr?
Rachel Donaire: My dream project would be to own a combined boxing and taekwondo gym. I saw that dream forming when Nonito came to High Velocity and helped my students with punching. I thought it would be great to have a school that encompasses Nonito’s passion for boxing as well as mine for taekwondo.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Why do you think you would do well at this project?
Rachel Donaire: Its both our passions. I love taekwondo and business. He loves kids and teaching and boxing. When you find a project that you love to do, it doesn’t become a job anymore. Besides that we both have high competition level experience in both our fields that I believe we could produce elite fighters.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: What kind of person would you refuse to be with?
Rachel Donaire: A chauvinistic pig. We don’t live in the 1700s. I think men who can’t stand independent and strong women, are not even men to begin with but cowards. They are the type that need self assurance daily that he is a man by trying to silence women and make her fit a ‘role”.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
Rachel Donaire: For some reason I love to work under pressure. I think I get more a kick out of it when the result is accomplished and I see the outcome and I can say, “Wow, we did that.” I think working under pressure shows my ability to multitask.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Now that you are popular out there, what motivates you to do your best on the project?
Rachel Donaire: What motivates me is the fact that being under the microscope, people watch you. Mostly other wives watch me and women. I want to show them that hey, just because you are a wife doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to stand next to your husband. I want to change that view that some people have and make women understand they should be respected as much as men and are equal to their husbands. When I succeed on any project, I want women to know they can do it to even when people say she should just stay home a cook. That’s what empowers me to do my best.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Do you have any blind spots?
Rachel Donaire: If you mean weaknesses, yes. Nonito and my family. Anyone tries to hurt them in any way, physicially or emotionally, I get very defensive. I’ll do everything to protect them from getting hurt.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others.
Rachel Donaire: Well it was a team effort actually. NOnito and I had visited one of his friends and his friend and his girlfriend were arguing. Sometimes arguments between couple escalate to a level where no one is listening anymore. Basically we offered our guidance AND reiterated the other person’s opinion without all the miscommunication. I remember saying, “What she means to say is that she is hurt…” instead of the whole “you did this and you did that and you don’t care…” I think helping them get through their argument also helped us because it just proves to us further that in order to work through a problem, both parties must be calm or nothing will get solved.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: What business do you have lately?
Rachel Donaire: Actually I’m super excited about this because it has taken awhile to develop. I am leaving for Manila to launch the store opening of Vera Coulture. I am relaunching a purse line across the world that puts Philippines on the map as far as handbags. June 10 is the store opening in Manila, but it is also launching in a boutique in 5th Avenue New York, a boutique in Florida and one in LA. I already have buyers as far as department store distribution with a million dollar contract on the table. Manny Pacquiao has put Philippines on the map. Now I think its time the rest of the world sees what else Philippines has to offer. Designer made purses are the first step because its a necessary accessory. =)
Besides that, I work with Mikaela on the endorsement and the education of the Philippines about Health and Wellness. Together we are working on something (I can’t tell you yet) that empowers stay at home moms and helps them earn an income.
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Rachel, it’s a long day for you. You’re so quick in aswering my questions and brilliant, in fact, in answering them.Thank you very much for your time and energy.
Rachel Donaire: Quick? You’re welcome, Granville! By the way, Nonito thought it’d be funny if the headline was “Rachel Donaire leaves Nonito…”
Celebrity Headlines Examiner: Yeah, I will do that. Hm…that is a stroke of genius!
To my readers, thank you for your time. I wish you the best of your weekend.
