MIAMI — In August, Jose Fernandez nervously cut into a cake with his smiling, pregnant girlfriend, Maria Arias, nearby.
The cake was pink. The two were going to have a baby girl.
"I knew it! I knew it!" Fernandez can be heard saying in a video posted on Facebook by Arias' father, Orlando A. Sanfiel.
It was clear the Marlins’ star pitcher was excited to be a dad.
>> Watch the heartbreaking video here
POR FIN YA ME TOCABA SER ABUELO
Posted by Orlando A. Sanfiel on Thursday, August 11, 2016
On Wednesday, Fernandez's teammates, family and friends celebrated the 24-year-old’s life, which was cut short Sunday in a fatal boating wreck that also killed two of his friends.
The Marlins held a public memorial service for Fernandez, starting with the departure of the funeral motorcade, which was followed by a public viewing at St. Brendan's Catholic Church.
As the motorcade entered the roads alongside Marlins Park, fans could be heard chanting, “Jose!"
Fans chant “JOSE!” as the Marlins lead the memorial procession in Miami (via @KatrinaBush) #RIPJoseFernandez pic.twitter.com/9xwZdBZXqZ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 28, 2016
The funeral motorcade departed from the park at 2:16 p.m., a time set in honor of Fernandez’s jersey number, but not before his teammates had an opportunity to pay their respects and surround the hearse.
A moving scene in Miami.
— ESPN (@espn) September 28, 2016
José Fernández's teammates by his side one final time. pic.twitter.com/IvfmtZHTiN
The procession came with the sobering reality that this would be the last time that Fernandez’s body, a body that just days ago represented the hopes of a fan base and the city's Cuban community, would be at Marlins Park.
At 2:22 p.m., Jose Fernandez's body leaves Marlins Park for the last time. pic.twitter.com/Tm9XD77ZSU
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) September 28, 2016
Following the departure of the hearse, Marlins Tom Koehler and David Phelps went over to the memorial wall that was set up by the Marlins and left their friend and teammate one final note.
Tom Koehler and David Phelps sign the memorial wall. #Marlins #JoseDay pic.twitter.com/RqrPnY7BcF
— Christina De Nicola (@CDeNicola13) September 28, 2016
Several other teammates also took time to sign the memorial wall.
— Craig Minervini (@CraigMinervini) September 28, 2016
Fernandez’s family, including his grandmother, who was wearing a Marlins jersey with pink lettering, arrived at the church a short time after the procession departed.
Jose's grandmother wearing a #Marlins jersey. @HeraldSports @MiamiHeraldLive pic.twitter.com/pAZzbbVXoG
— Andre Fernandez (@FernandezAndreC) September 28, 2016
Following a priest blessing the casket, Fernandez’s family placed his All-Star Game and Marlins jerseys on the casket.
Heartbreaking scene as Jose's family places one of his #Marlins jerseys and his 2016 All-Star Game jersey on the casket. @MiamiHeraldLive pic.twitter.com/dNHyWBq76l
— Andre Fernandez (@FernandezAndreC) September 28, 2016
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