Patrick Fernández grew up between Germany and Mexico, carrying both cultures with him throughout his life. Today, Berlin is home, but Mexico remains deeply rooted in his identity. Then there’s Kaya, the dog he found in Mexico and brought with him to Germany, who has since become an inseparable part of his family. We talk to Patrick about home, family, ambition, sport and the special bond between a man and his dog.
Patrick, you grew up between Germany and Mexico. Where do you feel most at home today?
Patrick Fernández: "That’s probably one of the questions I’ve been asking myself my whole life. For a long time, I thought I had to choose: Am I German or am I Mexican? Today I know I’m both. Mexico gave me warmth, emotion, family, spontaneity and this incredible joy of life. Germany gave me structure, discipline and the mentality to build something and keep going even when things get difficult. Berlin is my home today because this is where I’ve built my life, my family and my businesses. But Mexico will always be home as well. I sometimes say: I’m not half German and half Mexican — I’m 100 percent of both. And I think that combination has made me who I am."
You found Kaya in Mexico and eventually brought her back to Germany with you. How did the two of you meet, and when did you realize: She belongs with me?
Patrick Fernández: "Kaya came into my life in Mexico, and looking back, it feels like she was simply meant to be part of my story. There wasn’t this rational moment where I made a list and decided, “Okay, now I’m going to have a dog.” It was much more emotional. There was a connection, and at some point it was completely clear to me: I’m responsible for her now. She’s coming with me. And when my life eventually took me back to Germany, leaving her behind was never really an option. She wasn’t “my dog in Mexico.” She was family. That journey from Mexico to Germany somehow represents my own story as well. We both brought a little bit of Mexico with us to Berlin."
Moving from Mexico to Berlin must have been a major change for Kaya, too. How did she settle into her new life, and how has she changed your own life?
Patrick Fernández: "Imagine going from Mexico to a Berlin winter! That was definitely a cultural shock. But dogs are amazing in that way. Home isn’t necessarily a country or a city for them. Home is where their people are. And Kaya has taught me something very important about life: being present. Dogs don’t care about your career, your followers, your next project or what happened yesterday. They care that you’re there. Especially because my life can be very fast, she has always been this grounding energy for me. She reminds me that sometimes the most important thing you can do is simply walk, breathe, look around and be there."
You’re an actor, presenter, musician, and entrepreneur. Which of these roles comes closest to who you truly are?
Patrick Fernández: "I would actually add another word: creator. Acting is a huge part of me. I’ve been doing it for more than 20 years and I still love standing in front of a camera and telling stories. But I also love building things — a business, a community, an event, a piece of music, an idea. I think what connects all of these things is people. I love creating emotions and bringing people together. So if you ask me who I really am, I don’t want to define myself through one profession anymore. I’m Patrick. Sometimes I act, sometimes I’m an entrepreneur, sometimes I’m a coach, sometimes I create something completely new. And honestly, one of the most important roles of all is simply being a father and husband."
You’re married, a father of two daughters, and a dog dad. How do you balance family life, filming, and your own projects?
Patrick Fernández: "I’m still learning! For many years, I thought balance meant giving everything the same amount of time. Today I don’t believe that anymore. There are periods when work needs a lot of me, and there are periods when my family needs me more. The important thing is knowing why you’re working so hard in the first place. I’m ambitious. I love my work, I love creating businesses and I still have many dreams. But success means very little to me if I’m not there to watch my daughters grow up or if I lose the connection with the people I love. My daughters have changed my definition of success. I still want to achieve a lot — probably more than ever — but I also want them to remember a father who was actually there. That balance is not something you achieve once. You have to make that decision again and again."
What role does Kaya play in your family’s everyday life?
Patrick Fernández: "Kaya is not really “the dog.” She is part of the family. And what I love about animals, especially when you have children, is that they teach without saying anything. They teach responsibility, empathy, patience and unconditional love. My daughters have grown up knowing Kaya as part of their world. She’s simply there in everyday moments, family moments, walks, chaos, quiet moments. And especially as she has gotten older, I think there’s another lesson in that. Our children learn that life has different stages and that when someone has been there for you for many years, you are there for them too."
As the son of two elite athletes, a love of movement and sport was probably instilled in you from an early age. What does sport mean to you today and what is the idea behind your sports club, B-Sport?
Patrick Fernández: "Sport is in my DNA. My father was a professional water polo player, my mother a professional synchronized swimmer. I basically grew up around water, movement and competition. Sport was never something I “had to do.” It was simply part of life. But today my relationship with sport has changed. I don’t see it only as performance or looking good. For me, sport is one of the most powerful tools we have for life. It gives you confidence. It teaches you to fail and try again. It connects you with your body and, most importantly, with other people. That’s exactly the philosophy behind B-Sport. I never wanted to create just another gym where people come in with headphones, train for an hour and disappear. I wanted to create a Social Sport Club, a community. Our philosophy is: “Don’t do sport. Be sport.” Train hard, yes. Become stronger, yes. But also laugh together, connect, support each other and become the best version of yourself. Especially today, when so much of our life happens through screens, I think real human connection is becoming more valuable than ever. Sport can create that connection."
If Kaya could talk, what would she tell us about you?
Patrick Fernández: "Oh, she would probably say: “Patrick, you think too much. You work too much. Put your phone away and let’s go outside.” And she would probably be right. But I hope she would also say: “He never left me behind.” Because in the end, that’s what our story is about. We found each other in Mexico, went through different chapters of life together, crossed an ocean together and became a family. And maybe that’s one of the beautiful things about dogs: They don’t need you to be successful. They don’t need you to be perfect. They just need you to be there."
