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Fernando Garcia

"Tito! NO!"[]

~Fernando's last words.

Fernando Garcia was a young Latino boy and a friend of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. His only appearance was in the season 8 episode "Gang Wars" (which aired on May 18, 1985).

Fernando wore a blue baseball cap turned to the side, a yellow polo shirt, white sneakers, and a mauve vest with matching pants. He is the second character in the series to die (the first being Uncle Monty), but the first and only character to die on-screen.

"Gang Wars"[]

As Fat Albert and the Gang are helping to clean up a vacant lot for a new park that will be a safe place for young kids to play, Fernando shows up and volunteers to help. Fernando aspired to be a comedian, sharing some of his jokes and impersonations which impresses Fat Albert and the gang, and they decide to make Fernando the emcee for the park's grand opening.

But Fernando's older brother Tito is a member of the 33rd Street gang and pressuring Fernando to join alongside of him as they are presently engaged in a turf war with the Green Street gang who are trying to take over. Fernando is torn between what to do; he would much rather be a comedian than a gang member, but Tito is using their blood connection to coerce him to join the gang. Fat Albert becomes greatly concerned after three members of the Green Streeters harass Russell, and then has to calm the rest of the Junkyard Gang who are ready to go after them, and then later still when he is unable to convince either Tito or the Green Streeters to stop the violence.

The night before the park dedication, the situation between the two gangs takes a deadly turn. Fat Albert and Fernando are out looking for Tito when they're spotted by members of the Green Streeters who start chasing them. Fat Albert and Fernando run into police Sergeant Hernandez who orders them into his police cruiser for safety while he and the police take up the search for the gangs. But when Fernando spots Tito and sees that he is about to be shot, he runs out of the cruiser and throws himself between Tito and the shooter, taking the bullet meant for Tito, but Fernando is immediately killed by the gunshot.

Enraged over his brother's death, Tito vows revenge against the Green Streeters, but Fat Albert angrily rebukes Tito, reminding him that Fernando died to save him, but his sacrifice will be worthless if Tito gets killed too. The police catch the shooter and the other Green Streeters, but then Sergeant Hernandez points out to Tito that he does bear some responsibility for Fernando's death, in that he used his familial loyalty to pressure Fernando to join his gang.

The next day, during the park's opening ceremony, Fat Albert's dedication speech becomes a eulogy for his fallen friend, and the park is renamed in Fernando's memory.

Bill's Lesson[]

"Tito learned what he should have known before, but what a terrible price that lesson cost: Tito lost a brother, Fat Albert and the guys lost a friend, and the whole world lost, too. It would've been a happier and better place if Fernando had lived. Every human life is precious and none should be wasted."

- Bill Cosby explained about Fernando's death

Fat Albert's eulogy for Fernando[]

"Thank you. This was supposed to be a funny speech by a funny person, a guy who liked to make people laugh. But instead, here I am, crying. His name was Fernando and... he... was killed last night, trying to stop a gang war. Fernando used to joke that he wouldn't forget us... when he became famous. All he wanted was a chance to grow, but a bullet took away that chance. Well, maybe he won't become world-famous, but he'll always be famous to his friends. That's why we're naming this: the "Fernando Garcia Park."

- Fat Albert's speech at the park's opening ceremony.

Trivia[]

His voice was unrightfully uncredited on the show.

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