The passing of Jose Fernandez

On September 25,2016 the Miami Marlins lost someone who was extremely close to the team. Star pitcher Jose Fernandez  was lost to a boating accident at 3 am early Sunday morning along with two other victims.

Jose was only 24 when he was killed in the boat crash. His boat was found flipped over on the rocks near a Miami Harbor. Two bodies were recovered, but the other one was found mangled on the rocks.

Jose was not just another pitcher that comes and goes; he was family, constantly bringing joy to the field. “You see that little kid you see playing little league that’s the joys you get when you see him play, he has a passion to play the game and constantly brought life to the field,” said Marlins Manager Don Mattingly.

The game that was scheduled for Sunday against the Mets was cancelled. The game they had on Monday September 26, 2016, was a very sad day at Marlins Park. To honor the life they lost that was so special to them, every single Marlins player wore the number 16 and Fernandez on their jersey, along with the number 16 in the pitcher’s mound, since he was their star and phenomenal pitcher.

They had an extra moment of silence for Jose’s family, friends, and teammates in his honor. When the game started  the first batter up for the Marlins was number 9 Dee Gordon who is a lefty, but in Jose’s honor he wore his helmet, his jersey and started off righty to take the first pitch of the game which was a ball. With the count of 1-0 Dee switches back to going lefty and the next pitch is absolutely rocked to right field and gone! He runs around the bases and on his way home he breaks down in tears remembering the lost of his teammate after the joy of hitting the bomb. “I told the boys, if ya’ll don’t believe in God, you mine as well start, I ain’t never hit a ball that far, even in batting practice, for that to happen today, we had some help,” said Dee Gordon after the game. The Marlins would go on to win the games over the Mets 7-4.

After the game Yoenis Cespedes came over to the Marlins dough out and gave them his sympathy. Soon after everyone came out onto the field to pay Jose a tribute. Every single player on both teams came out to the mound and put their hats down on it with every hat having a “JF-16” on it for Jose Fernandez.

That night was a very emotional night for everyone even the people in the stands. On Thursday, September 29, 2016 came the day for Miami and all of Jose’s friends and family to say their final goodbye to the person that was special in everybody’s heart. Jose’s memorial service was so stunning with people walking the streets all around the hearse Jose was in. All of Miami was shut down for that day. Jose will never be forgotten and will always be in everybody’s heart as that little boy having fun doing what he does best, pitching.