On Saturday, Stratemann’s best friend, Lucas Arellano, asked the owner of the smoothie shop to change the name of the ‘Sunny Day’, Stratemann’s favorite drink, to ‘D-man,’ named after his best pal.
Lucas Arellano, 17, and Donovan Stratemann, 17, were not only best friends, they also shared the same passion to play polo.
“He worked hard every day, up before 6 a.m. and did night checks with his twin sister, Maya,” Arellano told The Palm Beach Post.
Stratemann fell from his horse after colliding with another rider while playing the first chukker of a match at Santa Clara Polo Club near Wellington. He was flown to an area hospital but died from his injuries.
Julio Arellano said his son and Stratemann loved going to the smoothie store in Wellington. He said Stratemann loved the Sunny Day, a smoothie made with mangos, bananas, orange juice and kiwi.
Lucas Arellano felt that a small gesture such as naming the drink in his friend’s honor, was worth it, even if for just a week.
Julio Arellano said they spoke with the store’s owner, Anthony Brown, and “he agreed to run a promotion on it and put up his picture.”
The Tropical Smoothie Café started the promotion Monday and run it for one week, along with a picture of Stratemann.
Lucas Arellano said anyone who knew the young polo player would agree that it wasn’t a coincidence that he always ordered the “Sunny Day.”
“He was sunshine to us all,” he said.
