Los Angeles Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela’s funeral was held Wednesday at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown L.A. The funeral was open to the public, but seating was limited.
Family, friends, and fans all came to honor the star pitcher remembered for having the “heart of a lion” throughout his career.
“...my earliest memories of Fernando was when he came up from Mexico and was pitching for the Dodgers, and the next thing you know, he was winning everything, and he was the biggest ticket in town,” said Dodgers fan Leonard Tunstad, listening to the memorial service from outside the church. “Everybody loved him, and we all embraced him.”
Among other things, Valenzuela led the Dodgers to their 1981 World Series win against the New York Yankees -- the two teams’ last Series matchup before this year. Valenzuela, who went on to become a Dodgers broadcaster, died Oct. 22.
Wednesday’s memorial came days after what would have been Valenzuela’s 64th birthday, which fell on the same day that Dodgers fans and the team celebrated their 2024 World Series title with a parade in downtown L.A. and an event at Dodger Stadium.
Fans talked about being inspired by Valenzuela, like Esperanza Franco, who said his story inspired her when she first arrived to Los Angeles from Mexico City.
“I have special memories when I arrived to the U.S., that was our first game that my dad took us,” said Franco. “So, you know, it’s kind of touching to be here and at the same time, you know, sadness because of his loss, but he he left a good, good legacy here in L.A. for the Latinos and the sports community.”
Mike Lopez, a Dodgers fan and a former season ticket holder, has a Fernando Valenzuela tattoo on his left arm. He shared that he has signed Valenzuela memorabilia, including a bobblehead, a baseball and a baseball card. Lopez expressed what the loss of Fernando means to him.
“It’s very traumatic, very dramatic, because it was all of a sudden, you know, one day he’s doing good, and he’s in the press office, and all of a sudden you have to rush him off to the hospital,” said Lopez. ”That was terrible. And then next thing you know, he passed away right before the World Series. But they won it for him. They did it for him, for all of us.”