On Monday, November 2, during the final minutes of the Tenerife-Andorra match, Maria was in the stands of the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium, along with her daughter, Carla, aged one year and four months. She saw her partner, Jesus de Miguel, collide with goalkeeper Owono, after which the footballer lay on the pitch for a long time while receiving first aid.
At the same time, nearly 2,000 kilometers away, in Navahermosa, in the province of Toledo, the footballer's father was watching the match in a bar in the city. A neighbor later said that the man burst into tears as soon as he saw the accident. He decided to leave immediately, informed his wife, who was at home, and set off for Tenerife in the middle of the night.
Partner Maria, alone all night in the hospital, waiting for news
Meanwhile, Maria had arrived at the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria hospital, where her partner had been taken to intensive care after being resuscitated on the pitch. Maria spent all those anxious moments in the hospital, alone and waiting for news. This was confirmed by Fernando Román, a defender and friend of the striker since the time they both played for Unionistas de Salamanca. Román told the program “Vamos a ver” that he had spoken to him on the phone, along with his fiancée, throughout the afternoon and all night, until the family arrived. Unfortunately, at 08:00 on Tuesday, November 3, Tenerife announced the death of Jesus de Miguel.
Who was Jesus De Miguel: the dream of living in Tenerife and the trip to Disneyland that remained suspended
Román's story speaks volumes about what the footballer's family missed. Speaking to Radio COPE, he explained that the two couples had planned to take their daughters to Disneyland. The two lived in Madrid and met often, spending time together at dinners and trips. "You weren't just a friend, you were a member of the family," was the sentence he dedicated to her in his posthumous message. It was a bond built on small things, which also comes to light through the memories of people who knew her well.
According to Cadena SER, when he was young, De Miguel dreamed of going to live in Tenerife. His parents had set him a condition: he had to pass all his high school subjects. In the end, he managed to go to Tenerife, but as a footballer, 13 years later. On September 21, on the occasion of his 30th birthday, his sister Marta dedicated a public letter full of love to him, another proof of the extraordinary bond that united the entire family, despite the distances.
The last farewell to De Miguel: the funeral in Navahermosa
The preliminary autopsy has determined the cause of death to be “accidental trauma to the chest”. The Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has authorized the transfer of the body to Navahermosa, where the funeral is scheduled to take place today, Thursday, November 5. In the meantime, the investigations remain open and include verification of the medical care provided, without any negligence having been found so far. On Saturday, at 18:00, the club will also organize an open tribute for the fans at the Heliodoro stadium. Meanwhile, Fran Sol, the Hercules striker, has launched a fundraising campaign in support of the family of Jesus, his partner and little Carla.
