How José Fernández came to epitomize 'The American Dream'

Love of baseball turns Cuban migrant into beloved Miami icon

MIAMI – José Fernández was born in Santa Clara, a city in the province of Villa Clara, where the remains of Ernesto "Che" Guevara remain. 

Fernández attempted to defect from the Communist island three times and succeeded the fourth. 

Fernández was a boy with big dreams who became a symbol of pride for Cubans and Cuban Americans, who knew the sacrifices he had made. 

While at sea on his way to Mexico, a wave crashed over and swept a woman out. In an impulsive move, Fernández jumped out to battle the waves of the Yucatan Channel.

When he reached out to the woman, he realized he was rescuing his own mother.

He shouted: "Grab my back, but don't push me down." His mom held on to his left shoulder. And after about 15 minutes, the two made it out and with the help of a rope, they were back in the boat.   

An unsuccessful attempt to leave the Communist island, landed the teen in jail for about a year. The Cuban Coast Guard shot at his vessel. He made it to South Florida on his fourth attempt and was reunited with his dad, who had been in Tampa for about two years. 

Fernández graduated from Alonso High School in Tampa. After watching him pitch at the Tropicana Field, the then Rays manager said, according to the Tampa Bay Times, he "might be the best young pitcher I've ever seen, at that age. I believe he will go far."

The Marlins drafted Fernández in 2011. And he made it to Major League Baseball two years later. The Marlins had great expectations for him.

His team helped him bring his grandmother Olga Fernandez Romero to the U.S. The emotional reunion touched hearts all over the country. 

Fernández won the NL's Rookie of the Year award in 2013. During his four seasons with the Marlins, he went 38-17. 

In Miami, many Cuban-Americans saw him as the epitome of the American dream. Last year, he became a U.S. citizen and he was about to be a father. He left his last public words to his baby Sept. 20 on Instagram. 

"I'm so glad you came into my life," Fernandez wrote in a post with a picture of his pregnant girlfriend. "I'm ready for where this journey is gonna take us together."

It is rare for MLB players to die in mid-career. But tragedy and heartbreak struck. And on Sunday, instead of watching him play against the Braves, his fans were dropping off flowers in front of Marlins Park in Miami's Little Havana. A sign read, "Heaven gained a legend."

The Miami Heat and the Miami Dolphins were in mourning. In tears, Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly said, his voice breaking, he thought of him as a little kid.

"I see such a little boy in him ... the way he played. ... Kids play Little League," Mattingly said. "That's the joy Jose played with."

Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria was also in tears and he remembered when Fernández  would say, "You were born into freedom. You don't understand freedom really."

His 76th and final game was Tuesday. He pitched eight shutout innings, struck out 12 and beat the Washington Nationals 1-0.

"He told one of his teammates that the last game he pitched, against the Nationals, was the best game he ever pitched," Miami third baseman Martin Prado said. "Now he's gone, and it's hard."

The 24-year-old avid boater died along with two good friends when the boat they were in overturned off Miami Beach. 

"Fernandez had found freedom on one boat, and now his life had ended on another," The Miami Herald's Dan LeBatard said in his Sunday column. "There will be uncomfortable questions about that in the coming days, and an investigation, but nobody wants to hear about that during the grief of the eulogy.

"This feels so cruel, so wrong, so unfair."


About the Authors:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

Will Manso came back home to South Florida when he joined Local 10 in March of 1999. During his time here, Will has kept busy by working in sports, news and he's even dabbled in entertainment. He is now Local 10's sports director and also enjoys the chance to serve as host for special shows on Local 10.