Former MLB outfielder Gorkys Hernández said that his wife, Deisy Tovar, died after becoming trapped in a hotel collapse caused by the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.
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Hernández confirmed the news in a statement posted on Instagram, days after asking the public not to spread unverified reports about her condition while search-and-rescue efforts continued.
"You are, and always will be, the queen of my life," Hernández wrote in a tribute to his wife. "You will always be with me."
Tovar was inside the Hotel Eduard in La Guaira when powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, causing widespread destruction and multiple building collapses. Rescue crews searched the site for days before her death was confirmed.
Hernández and Tovar were married in 2025.
The 38-year-old Hernández played six seasons in Major League Baseball from 2012-19, appearing with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins, San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox. The Venezuelan outfielder finished his major league career with a .233 batting average, 15 home runs and 81 RBIs before continuing his professional career internationally.
The earthquakes have left more than 1,400 people dead, with thousands injured and tens of thousands reported missing or displaced, according to government officials and published reports. Search-and-rescue operations have continued as crews work through damaged buildings in some of the hardest-hit areas.
Hernández is among several members of the baseball community affected by the disaster, which has claimed the lives of athletes and family members across Venezuela.
