Inside the last dance of AB Hernandez

California community members including a family friend, recount the story of AB Hernandez that has shaken the state, as the issue of trans athletes in girls' sports has emerged as an election-year hot topic.

CLOVIS, Calif. – A man standing in line for the ice cream stand nudged his friend when AB Hernandez walked by.

"Hey, that's AB Hernandez," he whispered to his friend on top of the ramparts at Veteran's Memorial Stadium in Clovis, California.

"I don't know who that is," the friend responded, before the other man filled him in.

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AB Hernandez Jumping at the CIF State finals (Fox News Digital)

Hernandez was in between qualifying for events in the final round of the state championships in high jump, long jump and triple jump on Friday.

Whispers, rumors and attention had become the norm for the well-known transgender athlete. Hernandez summoned national media hurricanes to two high school track seasons and a volleyball season in the span of one year.

Daisy Gardner, a local pro-LGBTQ activist says she has known Hernandez and the athlete's mother Nereyda Hernandez since 2024, when news about the trans athlete's identity and participation in girls' sports began to garner local attention.

"I think the two of them have walked through fire. I don't know anyone else who's a high school kid who has been targeted by President Trump... I have seen death threats and threats, wishing physical injury upon AB," Gardner told Fox News Digital.

"Every single time, Nena and AB Hernandez brush it aside, and just go and do the thing that all great athletes do, which is put it out of their mind and focus on the game."

AB lived up to that reputation in one last high school competition this