Maritza Fernandez pens heartfelt letter to Miami community

With October baseball quickly approaching its marquee event, it's hard to believe one of the game's brightest stars has been gone for nearly a month.

Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez was tragically killed in boating accident on Sept. 25, and his mother, Maritza Gomez Fernandez, sent a heartfelt letter to the Miami Herald's Editorial Board.

In it, she outlines her "profound pain" for the loss of her only child, and thanks the outpouring of support from not only his Marlins family - including the ownership, front office, coaches, teammates, and trainers - but from the entire community.

The love we've received helps us cope with this harsh reality.

And, in perhaps her most important paragraph, she makes a final request on behalf of her family:

Live out the legacy of my son, Jose Fernandez. Laugh like he did. Live joyfully the way he did. And I ask every little and major leaguer alike to enjoy the game the way he did. Let us continue to love Cuba and the United States as he did. Thank you for loving him, not forgetting him, and keeping his legacy alive.