Diego Horacio Gonzalez Miguel

In Loving Memory of Diego Horacio Gonzalez Miguel

October 1, 1954 – July 28, 2026

Born in Barracas, Buenos Aires, Argentina—a place he spoke of con mucho orgullo. Diego was raised by his Argentine father, José "Pepe" Gonzalez, and his Hungarian mother, Rosy, as their only child. He was immensely proud of his Hungarian heritage and of being fluent in Hungarian, a gift from his grandmother, who spoke only Hungarian with him throughout his childhood in Argentina.

Diego was also fluent in French after spending two years living in Belgium as a young teenager. Throughout his life, he treasured every opportunity to return to Hungary, where his mother was born, and Galicia, Spain, where his father's family originated. He had a deep passion for understanding his family's history and the places that shaped his roots.

Diego loved his parents deeply and experienced the heartbreaking loss of both while still in his thirties. Their memory remained an important part of his story throughout his life.

When Diego was 15 years old, he fell in love with polo. That passion would shape the rest of his life. He started playing at Bella Vista Polo Club, where everything changed.

Diego briefly attended law school, but his heart was always with horses. Every spare moment was spent thinking about polo, and eventually he made the decision to leave law school and dedicate himself fully to the sport he loved.

Diego never lived someone else's dream. Once he discovered horses and polo, he never looked back. Every major decision he made—was driven by the same belief: if you are fortunate enough to know what you love, you should have the courage to dedicate your life to it.

At 27 years old, Diego met the love of his life, Mariana Ferrari, and the rest was history. At 29, they were married, and together they followed his passion for polo to the United States.

They arrived with basic English, little understanding of American culture, and a dream of building a life together.

Diego played polo in Columbus, Ohio, throughout the 1980s. He helped lift off the ground the small polo community in Columbus.

The young couple welcomed their first daughter, Josefina, and continued moving between Argentina and the United States, making sure their children remained connected to their Argentine roots and culture. Five years later, they welcomed Camila in Argentina, before returning to Ohio where they completed their family with Matias—the "golden child”...as the family jokes. Diego wanted his children to ride before they could walk. He took his daughters to the barn before school, even if they showed up smelling like manure, hoping they would love horses as much as he did. When Matias fell for the same passion, Diego poured everything he knew into him, wanting him to have every opportunity possible.

After 20 years in Columbus, Diego and Mariana put down new roots in Wellington, Florida.

Wellington was Diego's playground. You could always catch him driving his white dually—slowly, as everyone loved to joke—or riding his scooter or Gator on the way to feed his horses. It was rare to spend time in Wellington's polo community and not know who Diego was. He stayed year-round, and the Florida heat never bothered him. Family jokes that he never crossed 441.

He raised polo ponies, broke young horses, loved his Malbec, and surrounded himself with the things and people that brought him joy.

Above all else, Diego's greatest legacy is the family he built with Mariana. He was a devoted husband for 42 years, a loving father to Josefina, Camila, and Matias, and a proud Abuelo to Kala, Luna, and Milo, with three more grandchildren on the way.

It is impossible to summarize Diego. He was a horseman, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a friend. He crossed continents in pursuit of a dream, built a beautiful life in the United States, and never forgot where he came from.

His final ride may have come to an end, but his spirit will forever remain—in every horse that runs across a field, every shared glass of Malbec, every family gathering, and in the hearts of everyone fortunate enough to have known him.

Te queremos para siempre, Papá.

Thank you for teaching us to live with passion, love deeply, follow our dreams, and never give up.

Buen viaje. Hasta que nos volvamos a encontrar.

In memory of Diego we invite you to the National Polo Club, at the Mallet Grill.

Calling hours at 9am, ceremony, and anyone who wants to share their favorite memories with Diego.

We suggest wearing light clothing, linen, & no black as it will be outside.