Why Am I Reading The Texts That Foreshadowed The Boating Accident That Took The Life Of José Fernández And Friends?

"Trust me it's not my time yet"- 1 of last texts Eddy Rivero sent before dying on boat w/Jose Fernandez. Story @ 11. pic.twitter.com/y6aTNZVTVs

— Erica Rakow (@EricaRakow) September 26, 2016

Local10- Rivero's friends said Fernandez was stressed out about something and needed to blow off steam on the water.

They said Rivero messaged another friend and was hesitant about going out on the boat, but went anyway to keep Fernandez close to shore.



Let me start by saying that I am completely aware of what year it is so I know that nothing that makes it's way into the cloud is off limits. As someone that writes about sports, 99% of the time I don't want it to be. However, I can't be the only person that doesn't feel right reading these texts, can I? It's not even solely because of the fact that the content of them provided an eery premonition that immediately sent a chill down my spine. It's because I didn't feel like I needed to know - in detail - what happened the night José Fernández and his friends were taken from us. That shouldn't have been any of my damn business, and - considering what led to their tragic passing was a 3AM boat ride - I didn't particularly want it to be.

Did we really need to see private texts to conclude that some poor decision making took place? Was a short backstory about José Fernández feeling stressed out not enough to piece together this tragic event? Why are we privy to the frantic messages being shot back and forth between friends immediately before one of them lost his life? I know the incessant need for more information drives the current state of media, but - goddamn it - is anything sacred? I can't - for the life of me - understand why this is a "Story @ 11" instead of a story being privately told to the grieving loved ones of three young men that met an untimely demise. I guess it means that the concerned person on the other end of the phone was complicit in creating an unnecessary news leak, but - I have to be honest - it feels like this is a disservice to the affected families. I'd imagine they'd probably like to mourn without being questioned on the intricacies of a life-altering catastrophe for the "benefit" of people that don't really need to fucking know. Being a public figure leaves every aspect of your life open to public dissection, but - christ - can't that invasive search for info end in the afterlife?