The Truth About Peter Weber's Mom

Bachelor Peter Weber and his mom, Barbara Figarola Weber, are close. So close that he seems to go to her for dating advice, as seen in the now-viral Bachelor clip of Barbara crying. "Don't let her go," says Barbara in the tear-filled teaser that left people thinking she was rooting for her son to choose Madison Prewett. "Don't let her go! That's what love stories are made out of and God has placed her there for you. Bring her home, bring her home to us."

While many assumed this clip was about Madison and that the clip hinted at her winning The Bachelor, part one of The Bachelor finale revealed to fans that Peter's mom was actually rooting for Peter's other finalist, Hannah Ann Sluss.

While Reality Steve has said that Madison captured Peter's heart, there's still a chance things could go in another direction — especially if Peter's mom is rooting for her rival. How much do we know about Barbara, and how much influence does she have on her son?

Like many of the women who have caught Peter's eye, including Hannah Brown and three out of four of Peter's final four, Barbara is a beauty queen. Peter revealed his mother is a former Miss Illinois while he was competing on The Bachelorette (per the Chicago Tribune).

Barbara is also an immigrant, having been born in Havana, Cuba before moving to the United States at the age of 3. At the age of 18, she became an American citizen. That same year, she became the queen of Chicago's Lakefront Festival. Barbara was a member of the Chicago Honey Bears cheer squad, but left the squad in 1978 after winning the title of Miss Illinois World-America. She went on to compete in the Miss World-America pageant, but did not win.

Peter Weber followed in his father's footsteps to become a pilot, but his mother also has a lot of experience flying high. Barbara worked for United Airlines from 1986 to 1996. "My dad was a pilot as well," Peter once said. "My mom was a flight attendant, and she was on his flight one time. He was walking back to the cockpit, and he walked past her, and she just saw his butt. And she goes to her friend, she's like, 'That's the guy I'm gonna marry.'"

It's a romantic story, and it's one that set the stage for Peter's own romantic dreams. In fact, Peter's parents are part of the reason that Bachelor host Chris Harrison said that Peter was such a good pick for The Bachelor. "He's a good guy," said Chris on Larry King Now. "He's that all-American guy next door. He has these great parents who have this great example of what love is."

Peter Weber is close with both of his parents, which is why he still lives with his mom and dad at the age of 28. "It's all good," he told ET (via YouTube) in December 2019, although he did say that if he found his future wife on The Bachelor he would move out.

In January, Peter's mom explained on the Bachelor Party podcast (via Bustle) that part of Peter's reasons for staying at home is cultural. "First of all, we are a very, very close family," she said. "Very close... we're basically one. We support each other in every which way, and we're each other's best friends, not just parents." Barbara added that it's common in Cuban culture for kids to stay at home before marriage, and that in "old time Cuba" they would stay at home with their spouses and raise their children in "one big happy family."

She added that, since Peter is a pilot and is gone from home so much, it doesn't make financial sense for him to move out until he buys his own house. Barbara said that she raised her son to be financially responsible. "He can buy a house tomorrow if he wanted it," she said. "Responsibly, he can do it, but I'm just looking for the right place for him when we do decide that he's going to take that step."

Hannah Ann isn't the only girlfriend of Peter's that Barbara has bonded with. Peter told ET, "I've brought girls home, and it's not weird. The next morning, I'll wake up and the girl is making breakfast with my mom, and they're chatting it up. I know it's not normal."

It seems that Peter is truly a mama's boy, which could spell trouble if he doesn't take her advice and choose Hannah Ann, who is clearly his mother's choice to win The Bachelor. It looks like we'll just have to wait and see who Peter chooses — and how his mom reacts to his decision.