On Sunday, Major League Baseball (MLB) lost one of its brightest young stars, Jose Fernandez. Fernandez’s death took the entire sporting world by shock, resulting in days of mourning, sadness and emotion.
But, instead of dwelling on the sad nature of Jose’s tragic death, it’s time to look back upon the great life and American dream Fernandez, 24, lived.
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He would like it that way.
Fernandez’s journey began on July 31, 1992, in the small Cuban city of Santa Clara. Growing up under the communist regime of Cuba, a young Fernandez realized he had a special talent – pitching – but it would never get him anything if he didn’t bring it to the United States.
So he did.
After multiple attempts and an imprisonment, Fernandez finally escaped the island when he was 15-years-old and landed in the United States in a small town on the Texas coast. During his successful defection attempt, Fernandez miraculously saved his mother, Martiza, who fell off the boat as it was leaving Cuba.
Ecstatic to be free in the U.S., Fernandez and his mother moved to the Tampa, Fla. Area, where Jose attended Braulio Alonso High School – just like any other American teenager.
Determined to fit in, Jose quickly learned the English language, and, most importantly, showcased his talent on the pitcher’s mound.
In his sophomore and senior seasons, Fernandez lead his team to state championship victories in Florida, and became one of the nation’s top prospects after showcasing his talent in national showcases, such as Perfect Game America.
With the 14th overall pick in the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the then Florida Marlins selected Fernandez, and he reached the Major Leagues little over a year later.
On April 7, 2013, Fernandez made is MLB debut against the New York Mets, the beginning to a season that saw the All-Star Fernandez pitch to a 2.19 ERA with 187 strikeouts, garnering him the National League Rookie of the Year award.
Fernandez went through his largest obstacle in the game in 2014, when he was diagnosed with a partially-torn ulna collateral ligament (UCL) on May 14, and soon underwent season-ending Tommy John Surgery.
On July 2, 2015, Jose made his return from the surgery, and finished the 2015 campaign with a 2.92 ERA with 79 strikeouts in just 11 games.
2016 was perhaps Fernandez’s best, as the right-handed pitcher was named to his second All-Star team, lead the MLB in strikeouts-per-nine-innings (12.5) and struck out a whopping 253.
Throughout his career, Fernandez was a major part of the Miami community, as he was a role model to the many Cuban-Americans living in the city wanting to pursue the American dream.
Unfortunately, it all came to an end for Jose on Sunday, Sept. 25, when he died in a catastrophic boat crash late at night.
But Fernandez shouldn’t be remembered for a horrific accident on the ocean that brought him to this country.
He should be remembered for bright young star he was.
