What happened to Octavio Dotel’s father, Emilio Dotel? MLB star’s family tragedy explored  

Octavio Dotel, a former Major League Baseball player, succumbed to his injuries when the roof of a Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic collapsed. He was 51. According to a report in People Magazine, the country's government officials confirmed the news.

He was reportedly alive when he was rescued from the rubble but died on his way to the hospital. The unfortunate incident took the lives of at least 58 people, and more than 160 were injured.

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Dovel was the son of Emilio Dotel and Maria Magdalena Dotel. His father was murdered in a robbery while working his second job as a taxi driver in 1993. During this time, Dotel was only 17 years old, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

According to the outlet, Emilio Dotel was a military officer who moonlighted as a cab driver. His death had a profound impact on his family, including his wife, three sons, and two daughters. Here is everything you need to know.

What happened to Octavio Dotel’s father, Emilio Dotel? Exploring his family’s tragedy

Octavio Dotel's family fell into a tragic phase, particularly with the loss of his father, Emilio Dotel. The event cast a long shadow on his career. He signed his first major league contract with the New York Mets in 1993, shortly before the incident.

According to a report in SF Gate, he shared that his first day at the game was a disaster. He said,

"Unbelievable. Right away, I get in trouble with another kid. I got in a fight, and went home. Everyone came to the house looking for me."

His father denied him permission to play baseball following the incident. Recalling the incident, Octavio said,

"He said, 'You're never going to play again. The first thing you do is fight, so... 'No more baseball.'"

Octavio paused and made a finger-across-the-throat gesture.

This broke him. Later, his older sister, Amelia, encouraged his father to let him live his passion. He agreed, and Octavio followed his dream.

He told the outlet that one night, his father didn’t return home. He said:

"I woke up, and my mother was crying—I guess she knew already, because if my father couldn't come back on time, he always called to tell her."

He also said about his father,

"He's one of those guys that if you leave the house with something, you want to come back with it. Usually, those guys take whatever they want and leave. He resisted them."

He further added that three among those who killed him were captured by the police. The tragedy affected his elder brother, Angel, as his career as a baseball player didn’t take off. He reportedly started working in the Dominican Republic for the Beverly Hills Sports Council agency.

However, according to a report in USA Today, Dotel went on to have a successful 15-year career in Major League Baseball. He played for 13 different teams and achieved notable milestones, including winning the 2011 World Series.

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