Early Sunday morning, Sept. 25, José Fernández, star pitcher of the Miami Marlins baseball team, died in a boating accident.
Fernández, who was 24, was one of three men found dead when Coast Guard personnel found the boat at the entrance of Miami Harbor, according to CNN.
According to The New York Times, the boat capsized after hitting a rocky jetty at full speed, and officials believe that Fernández and the two other men died on impact. According to ESPN, there was no evidence of alcohol or illegal drug use linked to the cause of the crash.
Because of the unexpected tragedy, the Marlins cancelled their scheduled game against the Atlanta Braves.
Even though Major League Baseball has experienced a lot of tragedies in the past few years, Fernández’s death has hit many fans especially hard. He was the ace of the Marlins’ franchise, a 2013 National League Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Star.
“José Fernández was an amazing player and a role model to many young, aspiring baseball players. He has already managed to achieve so much in his career, but I think that it is devastating that he died before he achieved all that he could have,” said junior Mitchell Plane.
Just days before his death, Fernández announced that he and his girlfriend, Carla Mendoza, were expecting a daughter. Because of the accident, Mendoza is left to raise their child alone.
“I think that it’s horrible that he died so young with so much left to live for, especially since his daughter will have to grow up without ever knowing her father,” said sophomore Izzy Bruguera.
Fernández’s death shattered the baseball community, leaving many shocked over the loss of the amazing player.
“José Fernández was truly one of the Miami Marlins’ best players, and not only is it going to be hard for them to recover from his death emotionally, but they are going to have to work hard to make up for the loss of a great player,” said junior Jordan Brandenburg.
