A beloved high school quarterback died just steps from home after being hit by a car just days before Thanksgiving.
Lazaro Martinez, 14, of Princeton — located about 35 miles (56 kilometers) outside Miami — was crossing the street on Southwest 112th Avenue near 232nd Street when a black Audi killed him Tuesday in front of his eight-year-old cousin, according to NBC Miami.
He was walking home from soccer practice with his 10-year-old brother around 6 p.m. when he jaywalked. CBS.
‘This is inexplicable. He was just a kid,” Yoel Diaz, Martinez’s older brother, told CBS. ‘He was playing football across the street. This could have been someone else’s child and I don’t want anyone to go through what we went through.”
Diaz coached Martinez in football and the pair shared a close bond.
‘I was his everything and everything he did, he came to me first. Like I was basically his father and his brother,” he told the outlet. “I was his everything and it hurts me to know he’s gone.”
His death comes just days before Thanksgiving, where his family was preparing for a grand reunion with several relatives they had not seen in 15 years.
“Now we will have to continue without him,” his brother said emotionally.
Lazaro Martinez (center), 14, of Princeton — located about 35 miles (56 kilometers) outside Miami — was crossing the street on Southwest 112th Avenue near 232nd Street when a black Audi killed him Tuesday in front of his eight-year-old cousin.
He was walking home from soccer practice with his 10-year-old brother around 6 p.m. when he jaywalked
The Audi driver remained on site, but was not summoned. The family is calling for more lighting near the busy intersection and for slower driving and caution
The Audi driver remained at the scene, but was not summoned, according to CBS. Harrowing footage shows how badly the front of the Q5 SUV was damaged in the collision with the teenager.
The family is calling for more lighting near the busy intersection and for slower driving and caution.
“My message is, please everyone, especially if you are on major roads or near schools and parks, please slow down,” Diaz told CBS. “There should be more lights there.
“It’s crazy.”
The family started with one GoFundMe to help them through the tragedy.
“His passing has left a void that can never be filled, and his family now faces the painful journey of going through life without him,” the fundraiser said.
“Lazaro Martinez was a 14-year-old full of life, love and promise. He was not only a son, but also a beacon of light to all who knew him.
“He is deeply loved by his parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles and extended family. He loved football and had a special bond with his brothers and sisters. His love for his family and extended family was boundless.
“He was a source of pride for his mother, a single mother who dedicated her life to raising her five children with love, strength and resilience.”
His death comes just days before Thanksgiving, where his family was preparing for a big reunion with some relatives they hadn’t seen coming for 15 years (photo: crime scene)
Martinez’s teammates are also mourning the loss of their quarterback (pictured with his brother). “He loved the quarterback position, he was probably one of the best quarterbacks I played with,” teammate Karem Johnson said.
His mother, Canelee Aguilera, also cares for three nieces and nephews.
The money will go towards Martinez’s funeral and provide counseling for the surviving children.
The fundraiser raised nearly $10,000 of its $50,000 goal as of Thursday afternoon.
Martinez’s teammates are also mourning the loss of their quarterback.
“It just hurts when I think about the pain his mother is going through,” one of the player’s mothers told NBC Miami. “We are down here representing No. 12. We are making sure Lazaro is remembered properly.”
“He loved the quarterback position, he was probably one of the best quarterbacks I played with,” teammate Karem Johnson told the newspaper.