MLB star Jose Fernandez was upset and “stressed” in the hours before he insisted on taking the nighttime boat ride that would claim his life at the age of 24, according to a friend who was in contact with one of the two other victims.
Fernandez even tried recruiting Miami Marlins teammates on Saturday to keep him company on the fateful journey, Yahoo Sports reported. Outfielder Marcell Ozuna told the Miami Herald he was one of Fernandez’s friends on the team who declined.
“That night I told him, ‘Don’t go out,’” Ozuna told the newspaper. “Everybody knew he was crazy about that boat and loved being out on the water. I told him I couldn’t go out that night because I had the kids and my wife waiting for me.”
Fernandez wound up accompanied by friends Eddy Rivero and Emilio Macias. After a layover at the waterside American Social Bar & Kitchen, their 32-foot luxury power boat, the Kaught Looking, crashed into a rocky jetty off Miami Beach shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday, killing all three.
Earlier, Rivero had texted another pal, Will Bernal, to share his concerns about the outing. Rivero told Bernal that Fernandez “was upset and just wanted to get away,” according to the Yahoo report. Bernal remembers telling Rivero it was “a horrible idea” to let him get on the water in the dark.
“Whatever he’s stressed out about today he won’t remember a week from now,” Bernal says he told Rivero.
Then came this text message exchange, provided by Bernal, so ominous and heartbreaking in hindsight.
“Yo please be careful bro,” Bernal wrote.
“I will bro,” Rivero replied.
“Try to keep him close to shore if you go out.”
“Trust me it’s not my time yet.”
“I know but try to keep Jose cool, tell him what I said.”
It remains unclear who was piloting the vessel. On other nighttime boat rides, Fernandez had been shepherded by an experienced fisherman friend who insisted on taking the wheel. Rivero did not have much experience driving a boat, Bernal said.