By Mary O’KEEFE

“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again.”

James Earl Jones as Terence Mann in “Field of Dreams”

The film “Field of Dreams” highlights the power of baseball. The sport goes beyond the game into the hearts of families. The film, at its base, shows the deep roots of the simple act of playing catch with your dad.

“Basically, we were born into a baseball family,” said Andrew Aguilar, a sixth grader at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School. “We tried to like other sports but it was obvious we cared for baseball the most.”

To say Andrew’s dad Luis was a baseball fan is an understatement. Spend any time with Andrew, his older brother Adrian, a seventh grader, and mother Delia and it is obvious baseball is the tie that binds the family. The memory of playing the game and watching the Dodgers keeps them close to Luis, who died on March 22. He was 47.

The family has Dodger blue flowing through their veins and that is, mainly, because Luis loved the team. The memories of playing catch together, watching the games as a family, and with extended family, has been a comfort as they all deal with their loss.

On a recent afternoon, Dr. John Rodarte, the kids’ pediatrician, had a surprise for them.

“I had mentioned the story of [the boys losing their dad] to Dodger player Joc Pederson and his wife Kelsey,” Rodarte said. “They had 15 Dodger players sign a baseball [that was given] to his boys in honor of Luis Aguilar.”

The boys had no idea when they walked into their doctor’s office they would be leaving with this treasure. They were overwhelmed.

“Dr. Rodarte has been there for us,” Delia said.

It is often said you can get a glimpse into a person’s life by the company they keep. Luis inspired respect and love not only from his close-knit family but from all those who knew him, including Rodarte.

“He would always come to the boys’ appointments,” he said. “I meet a lot of mothers but not a lot of dads come to appointments.”

That involvement in family can be felt with his wife and children, and friends.

“[Dad] was always supportive in the hardest of times,” Andrew said.

“He was a very nice person. He always did so much for me and my family,” Adrian said. “He always tried to help us and make life easier for us.”

“He was a very, very respected man,” Andrew added.

Luis had been sick for about three years prior to his death. Before his illness he was the type of parent every teacher and school principal dreams of.

“Luis was always super willing to jump in and help any time a parent was needed,” said Evelyn Cortes, principal of Our Lady of Lourdes School.

He volunteered to chaperone field trips, help out in class and do anything that would help the school.

“He was very much a family man, very involved in his children’s education,” she added.

Cortes said Luis would send emails of encouragement to teachers after school events as well as sending positive emails to her when his illness kept him from participating in person.

“He had the [most] beautiful smile,” she added.

When Luis became very sick, she said, his wife was caring for him and the boys’ grandparents and uncle would pick them up from school.

“It was so impressive how the family worked to maintain normalcy,” she added. “It is such a testament to [Luis].”

Deila made certain to keep teachers and Cortes updated on her husband’s condition. When he died, it hit the students and school staff hard. The school set up a gofundme page, which is still active, to help with the mountain of medical bills.

“We did Laps for Luis [to raise money],” Cortes said. “It was a fun run.”

The school invited the family to Laps for Luis and played Luis’ favorite music during the fun run.

“And we all wore Dodger blue,” Delia said.

The family maintained their strong bond throughout Luis’ illness. The boys stopped playing Little League to stay home and help with Dad. Andrew played shortstop and Adrian played third base.

“He was a really good third basemen,” Andrew said of his brother.

They plan to return to Little League.

Although their father left them early, it is obvious he gave them a strong foundation of what they will need to grow into manhood – traits that include integrity, kindness, respect and, of course, the love of baseball and Dodger blue.

  Mary Okeefe