Westhill Mourns Death Of 17-Year-Old Jordan Martinez

STAMFORD, CT — The head coaching position for the Westhill High School football team had opened up earlier this year, and Aland Joseph, a member of the coaching staff and a counselor at the school, was interested in the job. But he was unsure if he was prepared to take on the role.

Jordan Martinez, who was a Westhill junior at the time, encouraged Joseph to follow through.

"Jordan was one of the kids that definitely told me to go for it. He said I was well-respected and that he'd love to play for me. It's something I'm always going to remember, because he's one of the reasons I took the job," Joseph said.

That was the kind of kid Martinez was, Aland said. Supportive, positive.

Now, the Westhill community is mourning the loss of Martinez, 17, who died in a single-car accident in Old Greenwich on Sept. 25.

Martinez had played offensive guard, defensive live and special teams for the Vikings. Joseph said he was like a big brother to the other players.

"Jordan was a special kid. It's definitely a big loss. The thing I'll remember the most is just his positive attitude, upbeat personality, and he just always had a smile on his face," Joseph said. "He was a great player for us, but he was a leader. He was a kid that when things were tough, he kept things light. It definitely hurts not having that influence in the locker room and off the field."

In his work as a counselor at Westhill, Joseph got to know Martinez off the field over the past couple years when they'd see each other around school.

"We had some great one-on-one conversations all the time. He'd stop by the office just to say hi. He always used to say, 'Coach, I love you.' It's definitely something I'm going to miss."

Westhill High School Athletic Director Dick Cerone said it's a "very difficult" time for the athletic department and greater Westhill community. Grief counselors were made available to students and staff earlier this week.

"Jordan was a member of those communities, and his loss has been devastating to both," Cerone said. "Jordan was an awesome kid; very personable, a hard-worker, just someone other kids seemed to gravitate to. He was a leader on the football field, and was a great kid in school."

Westhill principal Michael Rinaldi said the impacts are far and wide.

"Jordan was a very personable, positive and very kind young man. The ripple effect of his loss is immense. Our Westhill family, students and staff alike, have begun the grieving process together," Rinaldi said.

💜💛 pic.twitter.com/dFrabWMj0e
— Westhill Football (@WesthillFB) September 28, 2021

The Greenwich Police Department is investigating the accident which occurred on East Putnam Avenue in Old Greenwich around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. Police, who did not release Martinez's identity, said his 2009 Honda Civic was traveling westbound on East Putnam Avenue when it left the road in the area of Wendle Place and struck a wall.

Martinez was taken to an area hospital where he died from injuries sustained in the crash, police said.

The Greenwich Police Crash Reconstruction Team is still in the process of analyzing the evidence collected so far, and is interviewing witnesses. Anyone who may have any information is asked to call Officer Roger Drenth at 203-622-8014.

A growing memorial has been set-up near where the accident happened at the corner of Wendle Place and East Putnam Avenue.

Candles and flowers sit on the sidewalk in the shape of a “J” for Jordan.