Lauren Sanchez is experiencing mixed emotions as she sends her son, Evan Whitesell, off to The University of Miami to start his first college year. She describes feeling both ‘heartbroken’ and ‘proud’ as she reaches this significant moment.

On Monday, the newlywed, 55, took to Instagram to share a sweet photo of Evan putting together a piece of furniture in his dorm.

‘Today, I dropped Evan off at college. After 18 years filled with early mornings, late-night snacks, and family meals, I’m now watching him build his own dorm cabinet,’ Sanchez noted alongside a photo.

‘A small thing but in that moment I saw the start of his next chapter. Proud. Heartbroken. Grateful,’ she concluded.

She also shared a photo of Evan when he was just a few years old to her story later that evening.  

Sanchez, who married Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos in a lavish Venetian ceremony in June, shares son Evan with her ex-husband, Patrick Whitesell.

She also shares 17-year-old daughter Ella with Patrick, as well as son Nikko Gonzalez, 24, with ex Tony Gonzalez.

Last year, Sanchez revealed that Whitesell had been accepted to The University of Miami and would be studying business there.

In 2023, the former journalist admitted that her blended family with Bezos was like ‘the Brady Bunch.’

Bezos shares four children – three sons and one daughter- with his ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott. 

‘On any given Saturday, we spend time together, having dinner with the kids, which is always entertaining because you never know where the conversation may lead with so many kids,’ Sanchez shared with Wall Street Journal Magazine.

‘We are the Brady Bunch!’ she shared.

During the interview, she also shared co-parenting advice for other parents, explaining that she has a great relationship with her ex Tony.

She admitted that it took them about five years to reach such a great place, but it was well worth it.  

The children’s book author also remarked on her co-parenting experience: ‘My greatest lesson comes from the relationship I have with my eldest son’s father, Tony. Collaborating with him on parenting taught me a lot, so I have more experience than Jeff in this area,’ she told the publication.

‘Tony and his wife [October “Tobie” Gonzalez] are my best friends. It wasn’t always that way. There was friction [at the beginning]. But Tony and Tobie were at Thanksgiving with us [this year], and we’re really good friends,’ she explained.

Sanchez shared that one of the most important things in a co-parenting relationship is communication. 

‘I’m not saying that being best friends with your ex is the end-all be-all. But you do need to be able to communicate,’ she said.

It’s something that her son, Nikko, is especially grateful for, she says.  

‘I’m so proud of it. My son looks at me, and he’s like, “I’m the luckiest boy in the world because I can have Thanksgiving with both my parents and they don’t have to be married.”‘