Dolphins helped save superfan’s family in California

MIAMI – A Miami Dolphins’ super fan credits members of the franchise with helping save a family in southern California.

The family’s breadwinner died in a car crash and left grieving children worried that they would lose their home next.  Instead, 1,700 surprises showed up. None were bigger than the tear-jerker Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa tossed.

Gloria Palafox wants her son back more than anything.

“It’s been very difficult,” she said.

Days after Eric Carmona’s death, what is happening online for his widow and four children is no small comfort, especially the compassion shown by the team and quarterback Carmona loved.

“I am thrilled,” Palafox said.  “I can just imagine how Eric would feel if he would see this and I am so grateful.  There are no words to express my gratitude for what they’ve done for the family because I know his family is going to need it.”

Eric was 30 years old and the provider for Vanessa, his wife of 11 years, and their four children.  Carmona made bedtime stories fun, played dress up, made faces and the Navy veteran turned aviation electrician did everything he could to help his family.

“Even if he had to struggle to make sure that the kids had those extracurricular activities after school, he did whatever it took,” Palafox said.

Carmona also did what it took to defend Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa online as the ride-or-die superfan known as “Finsvicious.”  He also created and ran the Twitter feed for TuAnon.  The page had more 23,000 followers who sampled Carmona’s writing, creativity, sarcasm and fierce defense of all things Tua.

Carmona last wrote about the quarterback in May saying, “Tua is jacked.  He will have his best season yet.  Tua has heard the disrespect.  There will be redemption.  There will be apologies.  When Tua takes over as the best quarterback in the AFC East, we will not accept apologies of the fake news sports media.”

“He admired that player, Tua,” Palafox said.  “He loves the Dolphins.  He has a picture of him.  He has a jersey.  That was Eric.”

Though Carmona grew up in Los Angeles and lived near San Diego, he fell in love with the football team that wears teal and all Miami pro sports teams while stationed in south Florida, his mom said.

Players noticed him too.

“He (was) a die hard fan about me,” Tagovailoa said Wednesday.

So after Carmona died in a car crash last Thursday, members of the Dolphins surfed to the GoFundMe site raising money to help Eric’s family.  Tagovailoa donated $10,000.  Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill gave $7,000.  The Dolphins CEO and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkle’s wife gave too.

More than 1,700 contributions later, Carmona’s family has more than $88,000.

“I promised I wasn’t going to cry in front of the camera,” Palafox said fighting back tears.  “These donations have been a blessing.  For Vanessa, they do own a home and she was so worried what am I going to do.  My granddaughter, the eight-year-old, she was really worried about losing the house because dad is not around.  He would want them to be safe at home and this is really going to help Vanessa to make sure they have that safety net.”