Victor Martinez graduated from Phoenix High School in 2022 as the school's career leader in goals scored.

A celebration of life has been set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Lithia & Driveway Field 10 to honor Phoenix’s Victor Martinez, who died Friday after being diagnosed with colon cancer in April.

The Martinez family has asked that everyone wear white Saturday for the ceremony, which is open to the public.

“Obviously when this happened, it was unexpected,” said Luis Martinez, Victor’s father, of the sudden turn of events for his athletic and church-going son. “We did not even believe that it was happening, but it was so quick in three months, and everything was looking like this is really happening.”

“Our emotion part, it was hard,” he added, “but obviously we were understanding, it was a process that he was going through and always the Lord was there with us. That’s the biggest strength in our lives, because we know that our bodies are temporary.”

The 19-year-old Martinez finished his Phoenix High School boys soccer career as the school record-holder in career goals, and went on to be an all-region performer for Rogue Community College.

As prolific as Martinez was on the pitch, he was even more so off of it, said Phoenix boys soccer coach Chris Gallegos of the 2022 graduate.

“I’m looking at this as the glass is half full with Vic,” said an emotional Gallegos. “I am sad, but he was brought into our lives for a reason, mine and my family. It’s all positive stuff when I think of Vic, he made a tremendous impact. He was just fun to be around.”

“Besides all of his soccer accomplishments and what a great player he was,” added the coach, “I really got a chance to know Vic on a real personal level. Just like everybody thought who he was and what he was about, that was exactly right. He was sincere and kind and cared for other people.”

Martinez’s life took a dramatic turn in April after not feeling well off and on for a few months.

Gallegos’ wife Roberta, who is a massage therapist, felt a mass while working on Martinez and advised the teenager to have it checked. Soon after, it became clear that action needed to be taken as soon as possible after he was diagnosed with colon cancer.

Martinez underwent surgery on April 19 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center to remove a mass, as well as a portion of his colon, and began chemotherapy on May 8. Gallegos said Martinez was home during most of the ensuing month or so until having to return to the hospital.

“It got a good hold on him and he was unable to come back from it,” said Gallegos.

Up to his final days, Martinez held true to his remarkably positive nature.

“I got to spend some real quality time with Victor in the last few months at his home and then in the hospital and really got to chat with him,” said Gallegos. “Even to the end, he was sad but he knew that he was good with the Lord and he still had funny things to say. He would even tease me a little. He just tried to keep things on the positive side and I thought that was pretty special for the circumstances he was in.”

Luis Martinez said that his second-oldest son often discussed his relationship with God, and spoke of a dream he had four or five times on the Thursday before he died that he was completely healed with no more tumors and was walking around good as new. Two days prior, he had told his brothers that he was ready to see the Lord, although he would miss all three of his siblings, but given the chance he would preach what God has done for him moving forward.

“I just said to him, ‘Praise God, God is in control in everything,’” said Luis Martinez of the Thursday conversation. “That same night is when he just started getting sick bad, and then the next day he walked with the Lord. In the same way I was talking with him, if God heals you here, you’re going to be a testimony here on Earth, but also you’re going to be a testimony if God takes you.”

A four-year starter, Martinez was named Skyline Conference player of the year as a junior and senior and was an all-state pick in each season. One of the brightest stars in Phoenix program history, the playmaking forward and midfielder collected 30 goals and had two assists during a senior campaign that came only months after netting 24 goals in 12 games during the COVID-induced spring season as a junior.

“No matter how all the soccer community really put him up on a pedestal here in Southern Oregon, he would help anybody out,” said Gallegos of Martinez’s humility. “He would do anything for anybody and pass on his soccer knowledge to any kid, and really looked out for others. I think that was the key of Victor, and that’s maybe why he was put in all of our lives, just to share his passion and his kindness with everyone.”

In speaking for his wife Alba and the entire family, Luis Martinez said that they have been extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support from the community here in Southern Oregon.

“We’ve been getting strength from the Lord, that’s the only resort that we have,” he said, “plus the prayers of all the people around us: The people that love us, love Victor, and the church and all of you guys that have been praying. So that’s amazing and it has been a help, because all we need in these moments is the support of prayer and the people knowing that we’re there for them. And all of the community has been there and they’ve said that.”