At 24 years old, and breaching the peak of his powers, Jose Fernandez left this world too soon at the hands of a freak boating accident the morning of September 25^th.  Feelings of shock, sadness and disbelief permeated the world when it discovered the tragedy surrounding the Miami Marlins ace.  Having recently found out he was going to be a father, Fernandez seemed to be entering the most beautiful experience life has to offer.  Before anyone could intervene, this fairy tale story adopted a nightmarish ending.

A young man was living a glorious life after a difficult childhood in Cuba, and soon he would be able to give everything he never had to a new baby.  In one of his last Instagram posts before his death, Fernandez showed off the mother of his child and her baby bump, seemingly giddy about the upcoming journey.

Fast forward to Monday the 26^th, and the Miami Marlins had to muster the strength to take the field to honor the late Fernandez the only way they knew how: play ball.

The entire Marlins team, minus a pitcher, surrounded the mound donning Jose’s #16 prior to the start of the game.

Batter up: Dee Gordon takes the first strike and something doesn’t feel right.  He throws his batter’s helmet aside and puts on a secret weapon -Fernandez’s batting helmet.  Gordon proceeded and the events that followed were surreal.  The next pitch sailed off Dee Gordon’s bat for his first home run of the season.  It was as if Fernandez reached down, and in that moment, he was in the stadium for one last game with his brothers.

As Gordon rounded the bases, tears streaking down his face, I couldn’t help but feel the heartache.  This will probably be the most emotional moment in sports I will ever witness, and I am still having a hard time processing it.  The memorial service held on the 27^th was just as beautiful; the entire team surrounded the hearse with their hands on the vehicle as they walked alongside down a road near the Marlin’s stadium.

In what can only be described as a freak accident, the passing of a young man is reminding the world of the beauty of sports.  Fernandez was honored by teams across the MLB, including the New York Mets before Monday’s game against the Marlins.  One of a kind moments continue to surround a one of a kind person, and as the actions of the Marlins have shown, Jose Fernandez will never be forgotten.

As a father of two beautiful babies myself, this may be the saddest part of the whole thing.  Baby Fernandez is going to enter the world with nothing more than legends of the man that was her father.  In the meantime honor Fernandez in a simple way; go home and tell your children you love them.  This story has shown, as beautiful as life is, it can be stripped away in the blink of an eye.