Tribute to the 11-year-old ballplayer who died in Villa Clara: "April begins in mourning"

Tributes to the child continue11-year-old Cuban Emmanuel Cárdenas Gutiérrez, who died on Wednesday after several weeks hospitalized for a bacterial infection that he could not overcome.

Emmanuel lived in the Villa Clara municipality of Camajuaní and was part of its baseball team, Team Gafas, where he played as a shortstop and pitcher.

"We didn't have time to see you run and shout your name in the stands," said journalist Niurys Castillo Hernández in the newspaper.Vanguard.

"This Wednesday in April, sadness adorned the streets of San Antonio de las Vueltas. At school, a desk remains empty inside the Camila Sobrado primary school. (...) April begins with mourning," he added.

Sports journalist Pavel Otero also dedicated a heartfelt chronicle to the little player, whom he met personally during a recent visit to Camajuaní.

"I met him, I talked to him and we took a photo that I will cherish with great affection for a lifetime. In the group photo, he is the boy in the red pants whom I casually put my arm on. And not because Enmanuel died, but I can assure you that he was one of the players with the most potential in his category in Camajuaní," he said.

"My deepest condolences to his family and his teammates. I will continue to use the cap that you gave me with a lot of love, and always thinking about Enmanuel," he added.

Hundreds of people accompanied the hearse carrying the mortal remains on Thursday of the child, who suffered a bacterial infection caused by a toenail.

"The news shocked millions of Cubans who expressed our feelings on social networks about the death of the child Enmanuel Cárdenas, from the Camajuaní 11-12 year old team...", wrote journalist Yassel Porto on social networks, who shared a video on Facebook of the farewell that his people gave him.

The vehicle with the coffin was preceded by the parade of several children carrying flowers, school and sports classmates of the minor. Behind the car, hundreds of people walked in silence and with palpable sadness.

The Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation also published a message of condolences on social networks.

Emmanuel was hospitalized for some time, since a publication on March 19 in the Facebook group "Leopardos Azucareros de Villa Clara La Manada" was interested in the minor's clinical evolution.

"He got a nail on his foot, and from there he caught staphylococcus and at the moment he is admitted to Santa Clara receiving antibiotics," wrote Daimany García, who stated that the minor was stable but reported as critical.