Early Sunday morning on September 25, Major League Baseball lost one of its most promising young athletes in a boating accident in Miami. Jose Fernandez, who was only 24, and two other men were found dead after their boat crashed into a jetty.

Fernandez, who was born in Cuba, made his way to America at the age of 15 after his fourth attempt to defect from the communist country. He came to America to pursue his dream of being free and to play major league baseball.

Life in Cuba

Before Fernandez became a pitching sensation in America, he lived in the communist country of Cuba for 15 years. Baseball was always part of his life. He started playing the game at a young age with Aledmys Diaz, who currently plays for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Defecting from Cuba

Jose Fernandez dreamed of a life where he had freedom and where he could pursue his dream of playing baseball. He knew that life didn’t exist in Cuba and America is where he wanted to go.

At the age of 14, Fernandez first tried to defect from Cuba and this attempt failed. When he returned to Cuba after the failed attempt to escape, he was thrown in jail. Throughout the next few years of his life, he continually tried to defect from the country but failed another two times.

It wasn’t until 2008 that Fernandez was finally successful, and he was able to make it to Tampa, Florida with his family. What really stood out about that voyage, though, is the act of courage made by Fernandez.

In a 2013 article written by the Miami Herald, a passenger on the boat fell overboard when they were out at sea. Without hesitation, Fernandez jumped in the water to save the person’s life. That person turned out to be Fernandez’s mother. He had no knowledge that the person drowning was his mother. His instincts told him to save that person’s life, and he did.

New to America

Once Fernandez arrived in Tampa, he struggled adjusting to the American lifestyle. Things like technology and motion activated faucets confused him. He had no clue how to work them. When Fernandez would get new phone numbers, he wrote them down in a book because he wasn’t aware he could just save them in his phone. The biggest struggle for Fernandez, though, was his grasp of the language. His English didn’t extend much beyond curse words.

The one thing that did come easy for Fernandez in America was baseball. While in Tampa, Jose Fernandez attended Braulio Alonso High School. This is where he came to realize he had a special talent, and that was being a baseball player.

Fernandez led his team to two state championships. He instantly became one of the top young prospects in the country, and in 2011, the Miami Marlins selected him in the first round of the MLB draft.

An American ballplayer

After being drafted by the Marlins in 2011, Jose Fernandez spent little time in the minors and made his major league debut in 2013. Fernandez made his first major league start against the New York Mets. Before his anticipated debut, reporters asked Fernandez about making his first start in the MLB.

The bold and always outspoken Fernandez responded, “I was scared when they shot at me. I won’t be scared pitching to David Wright.” That was how he always played the game. Jose Fernandez was fearless on the mound. He played with so much passion and energy, and his opponents struggled.

Fernandez’s rookie year was nothing short of amazing.  He finished the year with a 12-6 record and a 2.19 ERA. He represented the National League in the All Star game and won the National League Rookie of the Year award. In one year, Fernandez inserted himself into the conversation of best pitchers in the league, and became the ace for the Marlins.

When the 2014 season started, the Marlins named Fernandez their Opening Day starter, making him the youngest Opening Day starter since Dwight Gooden in 1986.

On May 12 , it was announced that Jose Fernandez would undergo Tommy John surgery, one of the worst procedures a baseball player can have done. This surgery cut his 2014 and 2015 seasons short, as Fernandez appeared in only 19 games in two years. With the limited amount of time on the diamond, Fernandez was still able to find success.

Being such a determined and courageous person, Fernandez wouldn’t let the injury effect him and his career. His 2016 season was one for the ages, as he became one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball. Fernandez was once again elected to the All Star team, and his name floated around the Cy Young conversation. Fernandez finished his phenomenal season with a 16-8 record and a 2.86 ERA.

Losing a Superstar

All around the world, people still mourn the loss of beloved Jose Fernandez. While the baseball world lost such a superstar athlete, the world has lost a superstar of a person. The way Jose Fernandez lived his life was like no other. He lived with such happiness. He always had that iconic smile on his face that lit up the room.

On the field, Jose Fernandez was just so unique. He played with such passion, and whenever he stepped on that mound, he put on a show. Regardless of how good or bad the Miami Marlins were playing, fans packed into Marlins Park whenever he pitched. When he was due to make a home start, that day was known as “Jose Day.” Being a Cuban immigrant and playing in a city with the largest Cuban-American population, just imagine how much Jose meant to that city and the Marlins organization.

In a press conference following the horrific news, manager Don Mattingly compared Fernandez to a little league player because of his passion and love for the game. During the press conference, Mattingly and teammates struggled to fight back tears.

While Fernandez was so valuable to his team, he was one of the most loved and appreciated ballplayers in the MLB. Following his tragic death, some of the MLB’s best players turned to Twitter and other social media to pay their respects to one of the game’s greatest.

David Ortiz, a close friend of Fernandez, stated, “I don’t have words to describe the I feel for the loss of my friend Jose.” “The game and the world lost a great one,” said Jon Lester, a former World Series champion.

When the Marlins first returned to playing on Monday night, emotions filled the ballpark as the Marlins organization paid tribute to Fernandez. Both Marlins and Mets players struggled to fight back tears as they watched video tributes. Soon after this, the whole Marlins team gathered around the pitcher’s mound and wrote number 16 into the dirt.

The most moving moment of all was when Marlins Dee Gordon stepped up to the plate in the 1st inning. Gordon, a left handed batter, decided to take the very first pitch in the right handed batter’s box, the spot where Jose would stand whenever he came up to bat. The first pitch was a strike, and Gordon moved to his normal position.

On the very next pitch, Dee Gordon drove the ball to deep right field for his first home run of the season. As Gordon rounded the bases, he couldn’t fight back the tears that rolled down his face. When he crossed home plate, Gordon pounded his chest twice and pointed to the sky.

After the game, Gordon was mobbed by reporters and was asked about his symbolic home run. He simply stated, “I ain’t ever hit a ball that far, even in BP. I told the boys, if you all don’t believe in God, you better start.”

Jose Fernandez was a once in a lifetime baseball player and person. So many stars will come in go over the years, but we will never see another Jose Fernandez. He was so passionate about life, baseball, and his family and friends. Eduardo Perez, a friend and former coach of his, said Fernandez was “pura vida,” meaning he was pure of life.

Jose Fernandez will always be remembered as the energetic and emotional pitcher who always brought fans to the ballpark. Matt Birnbach, a die hard baseball fan, wrote, “Jose was a reason you watched baseball. He was must-see TV and his personality is what made him great.” All of Major League Baseball, its fans, and the world are still crushed by the loss of one of the game’s best young stars, and he will forever be missed.