Joseph Baena Shares Heartbreaking News of Nephew’s Passing

“It’s been a week since my nephew, Vicente, left us and it’s been the most difficult and confusing week of my family’s life,” Joseph wrote. He described Vicente as “a kind, funny, caring and smart kid” and expressed the deep love his family holds for him.

He concluded the post with a tribute to his nephew, “We miss you Vicente. Rest in peace.” The touching Instagram post included a series of heartwarming images. One photo featured Joseph standing proudly beside Vicente, seemingly at his college graduation.

A family portrait also appeared in the collection, including Joseph’s mother, 64-year-old Mildred Patricia Baena. That particular moment seemed to be taken during one of Joseph’s soccer practices.

One more photo showed Joseph, Vicente, and other family members gathered together in support of Joseph during his time on “Dancing With the Stars” in 2022.

Additionally, an image captured Vicente sitting on Joseph’s shoulders, both smiling brightly with arms lifted high in front of a fountain.

While Joseph has now stepped into the public eye with heartfelt openness, sharing moments from his personal life and his loved ones, his early years were marked by secrecy and distance — especially after news broke about his father’s identity.

The couple welcomed their first child, Katherine, in December 1989, followed by Christina in July 1991, Patrick in September 1993, and Christopher in September 1997. Years later, it was revealed that their youngest half-sibling, Joseph, was born in October 1997.

Joseph’s arrival was the result of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s affair with Mildred Baena, the family’s housekeeper. In his 2012 memoir, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story, he admitted to sleeping with her in 1996 in the guesthouse of his Pacific Palisades home while his wife, Maria Shriver, was on vacation with their children.

Initially, Joseph’s birth raised no suspicions, as Mildred listed her husband, Rogelio Baena, as the father. Arnold admitted he “wanted” to believe it. However, as Joseph grew older, his striking resemblance to the Terminator star became undeniable.

By the time Joseph was eight, Arnold recognized the truth—his son bore an uncanny likeness to him. As the resemblance became more apparent, Maria grew suspicious. Her doubts culminated when she confronted Mildred, who had worked for the family for nearly two decades and had even invited Maria to Joseph’s christening.

Overcome with emotion, Mildred broke down and confessed. Despite the betrayal, Maria urged her not to leave immediately. Later, during a couples therapy session, Maria directly confronted Arnold.

Recalling the pivotal moment in his book, Arnold wrote, “The minute we sat down, the therapist turned to me and said, ‘Maria wanted to come here today to ask about a child—whether you fathered a child with your housekeeper, Mildred.'”

Without hesitation, Arnold admitted the truth: “I told the therapist, ‘It’s true.'” He initially tried to justify keeping Joseph a secret with what he later called three “lame” explanations—embarrassment, a deep-seated need for secrecy, and a desire to keep Maria from informing her influential family.

For 15 years, the affair remained hidden, known only to those directly involved. That changed in 2011 when the Los Angeles Times broke the story, igniting a media frenzy and deeply affecting Arnold’s family.

In the wake of the scandal, he addressed Maria and their children directly, expressing remorse. The father of five publicly stated he was “truly sorry” for the affair, acknowledging the pain he had caused.

As Arnold took responsibility, Joseph’s world was also turned upside down. In an interview, he recalled the moment his life changed forever:

“I remember the day vividly. I was in eighth grade, fifth or sixth period, and I get called out of class. My mom was there, and she said, ‘We gotta go—everyone is finding out about you and who your father is.'”

Their home quickly became a target, with news trucks parked outside and photographers relentlessly pursuing them. At just 13, Joseph was already navigating adolescence, but overnight, his reality shifted. To escape the media frenzy, he and Mildred fled to Texas, seeking refuge with family.

Despite the chaos, they leaned on each other for support. “She was really the only person I had, and I was really the only person that she had,” Joseph shared. “No one knew, and everyone wanted details. We had each other’s backs.”

As Joseph and Mildred sought privacy, the fallout continued to reshape the Schwarzenegger family. Maria separated from Arnold shortly after the affair and Joseph’s parentage became public, bringing their 25-year marriage to an end.

The separation marked not only a turning point for their family but also a deeply painful chapter in Arnold’s life. Reflecting on the impact during The Howard Stern Show podcast, he called it “without any doubt, the biggest setback and the biggest failure” of his life.

The former California governor acknowledged that it was not just a failure but a moment of personal accountability, admitting that he alone was to blame and had no one else to fault for what happened.

Arnold continued to reflect on the consequences of his actions in the years that followed. In a 2017 interview, he said the affair and its aftermath as a “major screw-up.”

Maria’s divorce filing was finalized in December 2021, with little legal activity in between. The settlement details remain private, and with their children now adults, no custody or child support was required.

Although the marriage ended, Arnold and Maria have maintained a friendship, and his relationship with their children remains strong. They have continued to support him, even praising him as the “greatest dad.”

Meanwhile, Joseph attended the event alone. Despite Arnold maintaining a close bond with all five of his children, his four kids with Maria continue to keep their distance from their younger half-brother.