Watch CBS News

Mother Of Jose Fernandez Visits Crash Site On What Would've Been His 25th Birthday

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Last summer's tragic boating accident that took the life of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez and two other men is still fresh in the minds of many south Floridians.

Fernandez was just 24 when he died.

Jose Fernandez Mom
Maritza Fernandez sprays 'JDF16', the initials of her son Jose Fernandez, who died last September in a boating accident on the Miami Beach Jetty. (Source: Facebook.com/gomez.maritza)

Already one of the top pitchers in baseball, Fernandez was entering the prime years of his career.

Monday would have been Fernandez's 25th birthday.

His mother Maritza Fernandez Gomez visited the crash site to mark the occasion, spray painting several massages to her son on the rocks of the Jetty on Miami Beach.

She worse a #16 hat tossed flower petals into the ocean while writing the kind words to her son.

Maritza posted several pictures on her Facebook page.

She also placed 25 candles on the rocks.

Later in the day at Marlins Park, second baseman Dee Gordon held Fernandez's six month old baby girl and brought her around the batting cages and inside the team's clubhouse.

It was an emotional moment for the team and for the little girl, who started crying in front of Fernandez's former stall.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.