It was last month that 63-year-old Fernando Valenzuela, the beloved Los Angeles Dodger pitcher who sparked Fernandomania, died of a mysterious illness.
A recently published copy of his death certificate dispels much of the mystery: According to the document, Valenzuela’s primary cause of death may have been related to liver and liver disease.
The diagnosis, first reported by TMZ, lists septic shock, decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis cirrhosis as underlying causes. The certificate also mentions that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may have contributed to his death. A rare and fatal brain disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob causes changes in brain tissue and affects muscle function and memory, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
The latest information comes three weeks after Valenzuela’s death and days after a public funeral Mass was held for him at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles.
Since his death on October 22, Dodgers fans have been celebrating the life of the legendary pitcher who meant so much to Angelenos, especially in the Latino community.
An informal memorial was erected outside Dodger Stadium after his death was announced. Dodgers fans placed blue and white flowers and held up his No. 34 jersey in front of the stadium. The Dodgers, who retired his number last year, honored his memory before Game 1 of the World Series three days after his death.
A mural honoring Valenzuela was recently unveiled in Boyle Heights. A large mural by Robert Vargas presents three different views of the pitcher, including a unique high kick and a celestial view during his breath.
