It was a familiar feeling, the nervous, yet excited energy that Valerie Ramirez had as she saw her husband Christian Ramirez and the Crew go into overtime against FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference finals.
Just a week earlier, she was in the same spot at home when Christian entered Columbus' Eastern Conference semifinal match on Orlando City's home turf as a substitution going into overtime. There, he scored the game-winning goal.
The difference this time for Valerie, she was no longer on bedrest while pregnant with the couple's third child. Following the birth of their son Kash on Monday, Nov. 27, two days after the Orlando match, she was now watching her husband on the field knowing there was a chance that Kash's first soccer game could be at Lower.com Field for the MLS Cup Championship.
"I saw how they were dominating those last couple minutes when Chris was in," Valerie said. "So, I just felt it coming, I was like, 'He's going score or someone's going to score. We're going win this game, and then I get to take Kash to the final.' So, it just was a gut feeling."
Her gut feeling turned out to be correct, as Christian would find the back of the net in overtime once more and send the Crew to the MLS Cup final and an eventual title-winning, 2-1 victory over Los Angeles FC .
But this dream wouldn't have come true without the sacrifices Valerie made.
While Christian was having some of the biggest moments of his professional career during the playoff run, there was also a sense of great excitement in his personal life as he and Valerie prepared to welcome home Kash.
No stranger to experiencing the birth of a newborn during hectic times in Christian's career, the couple had made it work when he was traded two months after the birth of their daughter Zara and when their other daughter, Nova, was born while he was playing in the COVID bubble.
Never letting circumstances cause him to miss the birth of a child before, there was a brief scare that it could be a possibility this time. The Tuesday prior to the Orlando game, Valerie experienced a false labor, and the two were told by the doctor to expect Kash to come sooner rather than later.
When Friday rolled around and the baby still hadn't come, there was a decision that had to be made. Though she was nervous about going into labor while Christian was gone, Valerie still urged her husband to travel for the game.
"I think I just knew that this was super important for him. It's the furthest he's gone in his career. So, I just didn't want him to regret anything," Valerie said. "Him staying here while I'm just having these mild contractions and him watching it here at home on the TV, that would completely kill me."
With Christian making sure to check in with his wife during any down time he had while he was gone, Valerie started to feel peace of mind near the beginning of the match when she realized that she wasn't having any contractions that would indicate Kash was coming. That wasn't the message that came across after the game , though, when it seemed like Christian was announcing that his wife was in labor.
"I texted him immediately and I was like, 'I'm not in like full-blown labor, people are gonna think I'm in full-blown labor,'" Valerie said. "I even got messages saying congrats, and I was like, 'I'm still at home on the couch.'"
It turned out Kash had inherited his father's knack for perfect timing and did not make his way into the world until Christian had returned home to Columbus.
They met back in college at Concordia University, where both played soccer, so Valerie knew from day one the rollercoaster that his life could be.
"She understood the sacrifices that are needed to be able to be successful in this game and she believed in me," Christian said. "Willing to go anywhere and be with me wherever this career would take me, and she understands the emotions of it and lets me in some emotions when she knows I've had a bad day or bad game but knows how to pick me right back up."
The sacrifices that Valerie would make for Christian were especially pronounced after the Orlando game when Kash was born.
Considering Christian was balancing two of the biggest matchups in his life with making time for his newborn and two young daughters, Valerie took on the night shifts so he could rest before the training sessions or the game. There was additional help from their extended support system during this time, with their mothers, Kathy Barrios and Elizabeth Ramirez, coming out from California to help.
"I couldn't be more grateful and thankful for my mom and his mom during this time," Valerie said. "Zara and Nova, who are five and three, are a complete handful themselves, so having the extra hands to help me with not only Kash but with my other two has been everything."
Over 20 extended family members were in attendance for the Crew's MLS Cup final match. That wasn't surprising. Christian has seen similar throughout his nearly ten-year career. Over the course of multiple trades, the birth of their children and every other part of their journey, both the couple's families have been there for them.
"To be able to take pictures with everyone individually and celebrate with everyone, just share a moment and say thank you to them was really special," Christian said. "We're just thankful that we have this support system. No matter where we are, they follow us, and they come visit us and they keep us so close in mind and heart."
There at the MLS Cup championship match, alongside her family, Valerie saw a moment both Christian and she have been long dreaming of coming true. The hard work that she'd seen her husband put into the sport and the sacrifices she had made were paying off.
Now, the couple have a bunch of photos, Valerie's favorites being the ones with Kash in the trophy, and memories from the MLS Cup to tell their children about when they get older, although Zara is already old enough that she realizes how big the moment was.
And Christian realizes he wouldn't be where he is today without Valerie by his side. With preseason starting to get underway, Christian will be away from the family for a little while during training camp, but Valerie is prepared. She's willing to hold down the fort at home when Christian is on the road, because at the end of the day, they are both doing what is best for their family.
"The sacrifices our partners, our families, our kids make ... people don't see that side of it," Christian said. "We rely on our support system to get us through those moments, and they're the unsung heroes."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew's playoff run might not happen without Valerie Ramirez
