Alex Rodríguez' first days of 2023 have unfortunately not been the most celebratory, as he mourns the death of a dear friend.
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The former baseball player took a moment out of the first week of the new year to honor the life of Paul DiMare, who he says "changed the course of my entire life." The 81-year-old passed away on 30 December.
Paul, according to Growing Produce, was a "tomato industry groundbreaker and longtime leader of DiMare Fresh," a distributor of fresh produce credited as the largest grower of fresh-market tomatoes in the U.S.
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A-Rod took to Instagram to share with fans a little bit about Paul's life and how much he meant to his own, posting a photo of the two together looking dapper in black suits.
"Paul DiMare was my friend, mentor and hero. He was a giant in every aspect of life," he wrote, adding: "Brilliant businessman, mogul, titan of the ag industry... the title he preferred was farmer."
The agriculture mogul had earned the nickname "Mr. Tomato," and the athlete's tribute perfectly explains why, as he wrote: "Humble and kind but tough as nails, Paul got his start in business by selling vegetables out of his family's neighborhood produce cart. He's always had the heart of a pioneer."
Alex honored Paul's life in a heartfelt post
Alex also revealed not only the impact Paul had on the farming and produce industry, but in his own life, revealing that he had a huge hand in his success early on in his life.
"I recently found out that Paul and his wife Swanee financed my education at Westminster Christian School, a high school my family couldn't afford," he confessed.
© Photo: Getty ImagesA-Rod and Paul's wife, Swanee, in 2014
The father-of-two added: "That one act of kindness would change the course of my entire life. And I was not alone. The generosity of the DiMare family continues to affect countless numbers of kids and organizations."
He ended his post detailing the recent "magical" hours he got to spend with Paul and his son, Gino, concluding the tribute endearingly with: "Mr. DiMare, I love you. I miss you. I honor you. And I thank you. Rest in Peace, Alex."
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