Many walked the streets of Las Terrenas in the Dominican Republic to pay respect to fallen Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura on Tuesday.
PHOTO GALLERY | Yordano Ventura laid to rest in the Dominican Republic
Ventura died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic on Sunday. He was 25 years old.
41 Action News reporter Dee Jackson and photographer Giovanni Garcia traveled to Las Terrenas. They shared their experiences following the funeral proceedings on social media.
Right now: @Royals Paying Respect to Yordano Ventura. @41actionnews #RiPACE pic.twitter.com/pX7WP5Run1
— Dee Jackson (@deejackson41) January 24, 2017
Royals players Salvador Perez and Eric Hosmer were seen in the back of a truck with Ventura's casket during the funeral procession.
Traded to Angels above. Ventura's casket being driven to final resting place w/ huge crowd of friends & family walking behind @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/v0jrg99leI
— Giovanni Garcia (@giovanniggarcia) January 24, 2017
The procession stopped at a stadium where Ventura used to play baseball growing up.
Right Now: Hundreds are in the stadium where Ventura played youth baseball. His casket is on the pitcher's mound. @41actionnews #RiPACE pic.twitter.com/JXbb5TWrni
— Dee Jackson (@deejackson41) January 24, 2017
.@deejackson41 inside stadium where #YordanoVentura pitched as child. Casket was placed at the mound for fans to say goodbye. @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/A1kYDqaesr
— Giovanni Garcia (@giovanniggarcia) January 24, 2017
“He was such full of life, he was just a wonderful young man and he was always very respectful,” said Royals manager Ned Yost.
Ventura was born in the town of Samana on June 3, 1991, and quit school at 14. He was working on a construction crew to support his family when he heard about a baseball tryout, which led to a spot in the local Royals' academy. The right-handed wound up pitching his entire career for the Royals, going 38-31 with a 3.89 ERA.
The mayor of Las Terrenas declared a two-day mourning period for Ventura.
Authorities have not determined what caused the accident but suspect speeding. Ventura was driving by himself in a vehicle he had imported from Florida last October after making some modifications to it.
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Dee Jackson can be reached at dee.jackson@kshb.com.
