Death of Marlins' pitcher Jose Fernandez devastates Florida Cuban community

MIAMI -- When Raul Mas heard the news that Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez died in a boating accident, his first call was to his father.

Mas, a Cuban-American worker for Miami-Dade County, said Fernandez meant so much more to his family than any other athlete. As a Cuban, Fernandez made people in this Cuban community feel as if one of their own was on the mound.

"He was one of us," said Mas, 29. "My father is 45 years older than me, so baseball is our bond. And Jose was all we talked about -- a certain game, a certain pitch. We'd only go to games where he pitched.

"I'm really hurting right now. So is he."

Official: Jose Fernandez died from crash impact, not drowning

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News of Fernandez's death passed through South Florida on Sunday in a way akin to a relative's passing. Text messages and phone calls crisscrossed the region from Little Havana to the Cuban enclave of Hialeah.

Up in Fort Lauderdale, Logan Zuckerman was woken by his father who broke the news. That led Zuckerman, a 23-year-old University of Florida student, to wear his Marlins jersey to the Miami Dolphins game on Sunday.

Like others on Sunday, Zuckerman rattled off a series of moments he remembered of Fernandez's short but meteoric career.

"June 5, it was a Sunday, 'Bark in the Park,' so I brought my dog. He threw seven shutout innings against the Mets and struck out something like 13, 14, 15 people," Zuckerman said. Fernandez struck out 14 that day in the 1-0 win.

But it was Fernandez's background that is leaving so many people crestfallen. Everyone in Miami knows the story of his escape from Cuba on a boat, jumping in the water to save his drowning mother. They remember the moment Marlins executives surprised him by flying his grandmother to Miami from Cuba. They recognize Fernandez's mother and grandmother cheering from their usual seats at Marlins Park, reminding them of their own families.

"It was perfect," said Joe Naya, 53, whose parents are both Cuban. "I was so proud of him. I didn't know him, but I was proud. One of your own was up there."

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Gov. Rick Scott tweeted about Fernanedez, and Miami mayor Tomas Regalado, who was born in Havana, released a statement: "I was honored to give the key to the City to Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez as a rising star and proud son of Miami. My condolences to his family and to the Miami Marlins. His death is a huge loss for our community."

Otto Fernandez, no relation, could barely conjure up the words to describe how he felt. The 40-year-old information technology specialist left Cuba in the 1980s during the Mariel Boatlift, crossing the same waters that the future All Star did as a teen. Both grew up in the same kind of Cuban exile community. And on Sunday, Fernandez said all he could do was take solace in the fact that he had the privilege to watch the young Cuban for as long as he did.

"He's going to be a legend," he said.

PHOTOS:  A LOOK AT THE CAREER OF JOSE FERNANDEZ