Remembering José Fernández's heartbreaking reunion with his grandma
As fans grieved for Marlins star pitcher José Fernández, who died Sunday morning in a boating accident, many remembered his touching reunion with his Cuban grandmother, whom he never thought would be able to watch him play in the U.S.
Fernández, who left Cuba at 15, hadn't seen his grandmother, whose name he has tattooed on his arm, since. As a surprise, the Marlins arranged for her to visit in 2013, a day before Fernández won National League Rookie of the Year. His grandmother, Olga, surprised him during an interview, one in which he said he expressed doubt that she'd be able to come to the States.
Before his grandma enters the room, the interviewer asks Fernández how he feels about her.
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"Everything I do, I do for her," Fernández says, after he calls his grandmother a "baseball freak."
Asked what he'd say if she was here, Fernández replies: "I don't think she would be here."
Enter Grandma and cue tears.
Heather was the Web Trends reporter at Mashable NYC. Prior to joining Mashable, Heather wrote regularly for UPROXX and GOOD Magazine, was published in The Daily Dot and VICE, and had her work featured in Entertainment Weekly, Jezebel, Mic, and Gawker. She loves small terrible dogs and responsible driving. Follow her on Twitter @wear_a_helmet.
