Emotional funeral for Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez

Fans say goodbye to Fernandez day earlier during public viewing

MIAMI ā€“ A private funeral mass was held Thursday for Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez.

Family, friends and teammates of the Marlins ace are attending Thursday afternoon's service at St. Brendan Catholic Church in Miami.

Former Marlins outfielder Juan Pierre also showed up to the service, and said he was envious of how much of a hard worker Fernandez was, while still being able to have fun.

"He worked as hard as anybody, but he actually had fun," Pierre said. "He smiled and laughed. I couldn't play like that, but he could."

Pierre said he wanted to come to the funeral to pay his respects to Fernandez and his family.

"Just to pay my respects, man. It's such a tragedy. I still can't wrap my head around it," Pierre, who played for the Marlins until 2013, said. "He was a rookie. It was his first year, it was my last year, so I know the baby Jose in the big league circle. And my heart just goes out to his mom. That's what breaks your heart, is when you see his mom and his grandma."

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and singer Mark Anthony were among the hundreds of people who gathered inside the church.

Fernandez's mother held a cross as she entered the church behind the hearse carrying her son about 1:30 p.m. She was accompanied by relatives, including her mother and Fernandez's girlfriend, Maria Arias, who is pregnant with his daughter.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly took to the podium for the first reading after the priest gave the opening prayer.

Fernandez's agent, Scott Boras, also spoke at the ceremony.

"That smile, Oh that smile -- una sonrisa, said it all," Boras said through tears. "This game. These relationships -- it's so pretty. It's so wonderful. God bless us in this sport. The ability and unity to come together and wear a uniform, travel through life, grow and share, and through it all we meet a man that every time he greeted you, that smile hit you. It was the window of his soul. Oh, he had unbelievable ability, but that smile opened the door to him -- a beacon of light."

The public got the chance to say goodbye to Fernandez Wednesday during a viewing at the church.

A procession preceded the viewing, starting off at Marlins Park, where teammates and fans gathered to honor Fernandez.

File: Funeral program for Jose Fernandez

Team owner Jeffrey Loria and manager Don Mattingly embraced Fernandez's mother and presented her with her son's No. 16 jersey.

The procession left Marlins Park for ErmitaĀ de laĀ Caridad, where a blessing was performed.

"I can relate to the pain of my community, my Cuban-American community and Miami," Onyx Miranda Castro said outside the church. "Jose Fernandez was a figure that we all looked up to as young Cuban-Americans, and being close in age to him, it's devastating knowing that someone who worked so hard for his dream, and he actually did accomplish it, is gone."

The hearse was then taken to St. Brendan Catholic Church for the public viewing.

"It was heartbreaking," 8-year-old fan Cesar Quiroga said. "You're sad, you're crying because I once met him and he was really, really nice. So like, to let him go ... he's history for the Marlins and Ā he will always still be pitching for his team and he will always be here."

Fernandez died early Sunday after his 32-foot boat crashed into a jetty.

Authorities are reviewing surveillance video from American Social in Brickell, where Fernandez and two other men who were on the boat are believed to have hung out before the crash.

Funerals for Emilio Macias and Eddy Rivero were held on Wednesday.

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About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.