Kriti Mehrotra
If there’s one thing absolutely nobody can deny, it’s that the leading man of ABC’s ‘The Golden Bachelor’ season 2, Mel Owens, is quite a polarizing figure in the world of reality television. He did have an incredible career in the NFL back in the 1980s and has since also evolved into a successful attorney. However, the thriving personality came under fire for reportedly making ageist remarks following his casting, which left his fans concerned. These comments even made them wonder more about the 66-year-old’s previous union as well as family, especially since he is a divorced father of two, so here’s what we know about them.
Fabiana Pimentel and Mel Owens Were Together For At Least 18 Years
While it’s unclear precisely when and where Mel Owens first met the woman he has often described as his “first love,” we do know he was serving as a lawyer in Orange County at the time. On the flip side, being 19 years younger than the former NFL linebacker, Fabiana Pimentel was seemingly a Business major at the Faculdade Cristã da Cidade private university in Brazil. As if that’s not enough, from what we can tell, she was even working as a Marketing professional at VARIG, only to leave upon completing her studies in 2002 so as to be with the man she loved.
Fabiana and Mel actually tied the knot in a beautifully cozy ceremony that same year — on May 17, 2002, to be exact — following which they happily settled in Laguna Niguel, California. He was 43 at the time, whereas she was 24, yet they appeared to be genuinely head over heels in love at the time; full of affection, care, support, trust, as well as understanding. That’s how he passed the bar exam in 2003 while she pursued a Master’s in International Marketing from the University of California – Los Angeles before they began growing their family.
According to records, Fabiana and Mel welcomed their first child into the world in 2005, a son they named Lucas, followed by another son two years later in 2007, whom they named Andre. It was around the time the latter was born that the mother returned to work as a part-time Assistant Manager at NBO Law, the law firm her husband helped co-found a year prior. She actually served here until May 2016, just for things to soon take a turn as she filed for divorce four years later, citing “irreconcilable differences” – this was finalized in December 2024.
Fabiana Pimentel and Mel Owens Seemingly Didn’t Part Ways on Good Terms
Since Fabiana and Mel were legally together for almost two decades before separating and also shared two young teenage sons, they had seemingly decided to remain amicable co-parents. However, it doesn’t appear as if their split was on good terms, considering the details of their settlement in their final divorce papers and the rare comments that have been made since. The mother of two waived her rights to ongoing alimony/spousal support payments, but her ex-husband was ordered to pay her around $1 million — $980,000 to be exact — as a settlement.
According to records, this specific amount was determined by previously “unpaid child and spousal support that accumulated over time, potential child and/or spousal support owed after December 2024, the division of non-retirement community property assets and debts, prior monetary sanction against (Mel) by the court, and contribution to Fabiana’s attorney fees and costs.” It’s imperative to note that per the divorce, the former athlete got to keep the family’s Orange County home (worth over $2 million) as well as all the bank accounts under his and his firm’s name. As for the aforementioned comment, when asked about her ex’s casting on ‘The Golden Bachelor’, Fabiana simply said, “Good luck. I mean, it’s going to be bad. But anyway, I don’t want to be involved in this.”
Fabiana Pimentel, Luke and Andre Owens Are Pursuing Their Passions Today
When Fabiana filed for divorce in early 2020, she was a homemaker who knew she had to figure out a way to support not only herself but also her two teen sons, so she chose to chase her passion. In April of the same year, she co-founded a highly in-demand professional organization company called Final Touch Organizing, which she proudly operated until she just couldn’t anymore, until May 2023. Then, she joined the renowned hospitality business Preferred Hotel & Resorts as a Director of Experiences to challenge her skills and embrace new experiences, and she happily serves here even today.
Still using the last name Owens, the late 40-something-year-old Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, native turned Corona del Mar, California resident is also a dog mom, a travel enthusiast, and a rising content creator. She is an artist, a crystal lover, as well as a Reiki and Theta healer. Coming to Luke, from what we can tell, he graduated from Santa Margarita High School earlier in 2025 and is now enrolled at Orange Coast College in Aliso Viejo, California. He is a rising baseball athlete who is determined to play in college while also being a part of the Southern California Renegade team. As for 18-year-old Andre, it appears as if the Santa Margarita High School senior has followed in his brother’s footsteps as a baseball athlete.
After all, Andre is not only a part of the Southern California Renegade but has also committed to attending Oklahoma State University on a baseball scholarship. He is on track to join them as soon as he graduates in 2026. These young men share a close relationship with both their mother and their father, since they even agreed to be a part of the reality show. While Mel revealed he coached his sons growing up, Luke said, “Dad, I think you’re loving, caring,” to which Andre added, “Showing up for our games, helping us train, making breakfast, lunch, dinner, just showing love for us (meant a lot).”
Read More: Mel Owens’ Net Worth: How Rich is the Golden Bachelor?
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