In February 2019 , a Panamanian woman accused Rivera of failing to financially support her two children , a boy and a girl then aged 11 and 15 , that Rivera had allegedly fathered out of wedlock . Five lawsuits were filed in his native country , demanding child support that he allegedly stopped paying two years earlier . He called the demands " unfounded . " Rivera is a devout Christian . During his childhood , neither he nor his family attended church , but after a born-again experience around the age of 21 , Rivera became religious and converted from Catholicism to a Pentecostal faith . His parents followed his lead after seeing the difference it made in him . Rivera believes that God has a reason for everything that happens . For example , he found his failure in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series easier to deal with when he learned of the consequences it had for teammate Enrique Wilson . Had the Yankees won the series , Wilson would have remained in New York for the championship parade and would have departed for his native Dominican Republic on American Airlines Flight 587 , which crashed shortly after takeoff and killed all 260 people aboard . Rivera told Wilson , " I am glad we lost the World Series , because it means that I still have a friend . " Rivera 's pitching glove was inscribed " Phil . 4:13 " , in reference to the Bible verse Philippians 4:13 ( " I can do all things through Christ , who strengthens me " )
American Airlines Flight 587
American Airlines Flight 587
Mariano Rivera