GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Less than four months after suffering a heartbreaking loss, Alex Vesia put the unimaginable into words.
Speaking on behalf of himself and his wife, Kayla, Vesia expressed his gratitude to the Dodgers and the baseball community for their support after the death of their newborn daughter, Sterling Sol, in late October. An emotional Vesia spoke for more than six minutes on Friday at Camelback Ranch, delivering a prepared statement for his first public comments since his daughter's passing.
"The lessons we've learned from this is that life can change in an instant. For us, 10 minutes is all it took," Vesia said. "Sterling Sol was the most beautiful girl in the world. We got to hold her, change her diaper, read to her and love her. Our time together was far too short. Kay and I will keep those precious moments and memories to ourselves. I hope that anyone listening can empathize and respect our wishes for privacy as we continue to heal and as we navigate the ups and downs of a baseball season."
Vesia, who was arguably the Dodgers' most reliable reliever last season, did not travel to Toronto for the beginning of the World Series and ended up not returning to the team.
Midway through the World Series, Dodgers relievers showed their support for Vesia by wearing hats with his No. 51 emblazoned on the side. A few days later, Blue Jays relievers joined their counterparts in the opposing bullpen in recognition of what the Vesias were going through.
"When Kay and I were watching the World Series, we noticed that there was [No.] 51 on Louis Varland's hat," Vesia said. "I immediately texted Gus Varland, his brother, and I asked him if I was seeing that correctly. He texted me back right away and he said, 'The Varlands love you, dude. The whole Toronto bullpen has it, too. It's bigger than baseball. We love you all.'
"Kay and I, we were very emotional. We were super overwhelmed with emotion and the baseball community, the relationships that you make along the way -- it showed that it's much bigger than baseball."
Said manager Dave Roberts: "What the Blue Jays did speaks to the fraternity of baseball. It's life first. But it still is tough for me to think about Alex not being a part of the World Series run, because he's meant so much to our team. That's still something that I don't talk about much. I don't want to bring that up because I know it hurts."
As much as Vesia would have liked to be with his team for the World Series, he said that stepping away from the Dodgers was not a difficult decision because his family needed him more. He and Kayla watched the entire World Series, which he described as "a light in our darkness."
Not long afterward, Vesia got back in the gym and started throwing. He said his physical work has helped give him "mental clarity." Being back around the team lifts his spirits, and a new baseball season on the horizon has kept him looking ahead to brighter days.
Vesia also shared that he and Kayla are going through therapy as they work to process their grief. Talking through their pain has helped them make sense of their unthinkable loss.
"It hasn't been easy, but talking to someone, it has made a difference," Vesia said. "For those out there who've lost a child or are fighting through any struggle, if you can take anything from this, please seek help. Talk to somebody. It's definitely helped Kay and I. Please don't be afraid to speak up. Your mental health matters.
"I've learned that what has happened to us has also happened to so many families, and realizing that has deepened our empathy and our gratitude for this community. The baseball community is extremely strong."
Vesia paused, took a deep breath and continued.
"I was not prepared to not bring my baby girl home, but we're carrying her with us every day," he said. "It's been hard, but we're doing OK."