ICSD CEO Ralph Fernandez loved spending time with his wife and two children.
Sadly, Ralph Fernandez, the CEO of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf/Deaflympics, passed away on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 60 due to an undisclosed reason.
Highlights
- ICSD CEO Ralph Fernandez took his last breath on January 5, 2024, due to an unidentified reason.
- Fernandez had two children: Ryland and Sophia Fernandez.
- His son Ryland is also a member of dVELO, a cycling group founded by Ralph in 2005.
ICSD President Dr. Adam Kosa said in a Facebook post that it is “with deep sadness” that they have to announce that Ralph died at his home in Washington, D.C.
USA Deaf Sports Federation President Jeffrey Mansfield poured a small tribute, saying,
Ralph was one of a kind” and was a “dedicated and tenacious engine for the Deaf sports movement, often working in the trenches unseen, and going above and beyond for Deaf athletes…”
Jeffrey Mansfield
A notable person in the Deaflympics community, Donalda Ammons, a former president of ICSD, said,
“Knowing Ralph for more than 40 years, I can say he was a statesman in both USA and international sports world with many immeasurable contributions…”
Donalda Ammons
Ralph has been involved with the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) since 2004.
He was a member of the Games Organizing Committee for the 2007 Salt Lake Winter Deaflympics.
His tireless work for UCSD earned him the organization’s highest honor, the ICSD Medal of Honor, at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics in Samsun.
In addition to his cycling expertise, his skills as an artist also led to his creation of the USADSF and the current Deaflympic logos.
He also founded dVELO, a cycling group for deaf members in Washinton, D.C. However, he will be missed for his unforgettable contributions to the deaf people through cycling.
Late ICSD CEO Ralph Fernandez Kept His Relationship Private But Shared Two Children
Born in 1964, Ralph Fernandez has maintained a private personal life, so no information about his wife was publicly available.
However, Ralph had one son, Ryland Fernandez, and one daughter, Sophia Fernandez, with whom he shared a close bond. This suggests that he had a past relationship.
Currently, they are mourning the tragic loss of their supportive father. Ralph’s close ones have poured their heartfelt condolence to his family to stay strong in this challenging period.
His son Ryland is also a member of dVELO, a cycling group founded in July 2005.
Ryland also participated in the first trip, which traveled nearly 30 miles from the Gallaudet University Tower Clock to Mt. Vernon and back.
The purpose of the ride was to raise funds for the Laurent Clerc Cultural Fund of the Gallaudet University Alumni Association (GUAA).
Ryland studied electrical engineering with a minor in robotics at the University of Maryland.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he has worked as a part-time Intramural Supervisor at the Department of Recreation and Wellness since September 2022.
Earlier, he was an Electrical Engineering intern at Baltimore Gas and Electric. He was also an Engineering technician at ECS Limited from May 2022 to August 2022.
On June 18, 2018, an Instagram handle named Aquahands posted a photo of Ryland and Sophie and said they were getting certified for scuba diving. They wrote,
Ryland and Sophia are about to get certified in next two days!!! Let’s the ultimatum fun begins! Yes, it’s Ralph Fernandez’s kids! They are going CUBA🇨🇺!!!
aquahands
Moreover, Ralph frequently posted pictures of his children on his official Facebook account. On May 27, 2015, he went on the trek with his two kids at McAfee Knob on the Appalachian Trail in Catawba, Virginia.
On April 5, 2020, he posted a photo of them enjoying their time on Fernandez’s rooftop. Ralph wrote,
Their first time on the Fernandez rooftop to enjoy the view of the National Capitol and Washington DC.
Ralph Fernandez
Recently, Ralph went on a vacation with his children in Reykjavik, Iceland, where they soaked themselves in a naturally hot river at freezing temperatures of -10°C.
Additional Information
- Ralph Fernandez earned his undergraduate degree in business management from Gallaudet University.
- As a cyclist at his first World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles, Ralph competed in the 1,000M Sprint and earned the silver medal.
- He won gold at the 1987 World Championships in Belgium and competed at the 1989 World Games for the Deaf in Christchurch.
