It has been a roller coaster ride for Cincinnati Reds' shortstop Elly De La Cruz. On Sunday, Cruz hit a home run in honor of his sister, who passed away the previous day. 

When he touched home plate, he made a heart gesture, likely in tribute to her. 

As he deals with his grief, Cruz has put forward a plan of action, per Fox Sports: MLB. He intends to go home following Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers to be with his family. 

Cruz's sister, Genelis, passed away from health complications in his native land of the Dominican Republic. He is batting .258 with 60 hits, 12 home runs, and 42 RBIs. 

In addition, Cruz has 17 stolen bases and 45 runs scored. Before Sunday, Cruz hit a two-run homer against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning of a 6-4 win on May 24. 

On Monday, Cruz had a hit in four at-bats as the Reds lost to the Brewers 3-2. 

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Playing through pain is always a challenge, especially when grieving the loss of a loved one. For Cruz, his loss is tough.

Elly De La Cruz's bond with his sister 

Cruz was extremely close with Genelis. Throughout his baseball journey, she was by his side. In light of his passing, Cruz made it a point to play Sunday's game.

In addition to the home run, Cruz went 2-for-3 with two hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored. However, the Reds lost to the Cubs 7-3. 

Cruz honored his sister by writing “RIP Manita” on his cleats, which means “little sister' in Spanish. He also wrote “RIP Genelis” on his cap.  He also made it a point not to talk to the media before or after the game to protect his and his family's privacy. 

The Reds organization and manager, Terry Francona, have made a conscious effort to support Cruz during this challenging period.