The world fell silent on September 25th to mourn the loss of a legend. On the mound, Jose Fernandez had a presence like no other, and threw with such passion and fire. Off the field, Fernandez was an icon for prevailing through hardships and always having a smile on his face.
I along with millions of others are saddened with the tragic death of the Miami Marlins ace, a man who managed to love the game just as much as we all did when we first picked up a glove in our youth. It is disappointing beyond belief that we will never again see #16 take the mound. His command and liveliness will surely be missed, and the baseball community will never see a player like him for years to come.
It hurts to know that a man who had such a pure heart had to go so soon. He was destined for great things. He was set to have an impact on the world, and now he definitely has.
Unfortunately, often you do not realize what you have until it was gone. We took for granted Fernandez's talent and sportsmanship, we took for granted watching him take the mound. He was only 24. For sure he was on his way to the Hall Of Fame, having his own spot among the greats. He had so much ahead of him.
It is hard to wrap my head around the unfairness of this tragedy. To be taken from this world just months before his daughter is to be born. Especially after all of the hardships he has endured in his life, it is heart wrenching to know that in a time where everything seemed to be looking up, it all had to end so abruptly for him.
My heart goes out to his family, his girlfriend, his teammates, friends and the baseball community as a whole. This is a tragic time, and we must remember to not think of his death in vein, but to remember all the good he brought to the world for the short time he was here.
I have only seen select videos of him interacting with young fans, or his playful interactions with batters while pitching, but those little insights into his life just proves to me what an amazing man he was.
Jose Fernandez will continue to live through young boys taking the mound without a care in the world, just happy to have the opportunity to play the game they love.
From this, I hope we all can reflect on how precious life is, and how we can not take for granted a single second we have with loved ones. You never know when God will call you up home, so live life freely, without regret, and with a love for all that you do.
