Family and friends of former political reporter Carlos Hernández Gómez gathered at the corner of Racine and Grand Avenues to commemorate his legacy with a street naming Aug. 27.

Gómez would have turned 37 on this date, but after a long battle with colon cancer, he past away Jan. 17. He was a well-respected journalist that covered news and politics for EXTRA Bilingual Newspaper, The Chicago Reporter, WBEZ, CLTV and Café Magazine. He also appeared as a recurrent guest on WTTW’s TV program, “Chicago Tonight.”

“Chicago lost a great reporter,” said Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. of the 27th Ward, adding that Gómez was the type of reporter that was trusted with information when spoken to off the record.

Burnett sponsored the resolution to dedicate the stretch of Racine Avenue between Grand and Odgen as “Carlos Hernández Gómez Way.”

Gómez’ wife, Randi Belisomo Hernández, a broadcast journalist for the Tribune Co., lives down the block from the honorary street name. She reminisced how Gómez would buy pizza at Salerno’s, chat up the workers at the nearby car wash and how they spent their last anniversary at Bella Notte Restaurant.

“The tomorrows we so trusted would come, never came, but I can now live my today’s knowing he’s watching over me right here on this corner,” Belisomo Hernández said.