Phoenix Rising FC makes 10-year-old honorary member following sudden death
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - During the Phoenix Rising FC’s 8th Annual Holidash Fun/Run fundraising event Sunday morning, the soccer franchise had a minute’s applause for 10-year-old Julian Delgadillo Castro. Julian was the PRFC West Valley 13B Copa’s team captain and goalie before suddenly dying on Nov. 27, 2023.
“Of all the joys we have in our organization, sometimes you have a blip and a hurdle and a very tough loss,” said Chris Brown, the PRFC Youth Soccer program’s Executive Director. One week ago today, Julian was pulled out from the net to play on the field. He scored the winning goal.
Officials with the Phoenix Rising tell Arizona’s Family that Julian had been feeling sick days before the Sunday game. He was taken to the hospital and was released. We’re told he began feeling sick during the game and was taken to a hospital the next day. Later that night, he died from sepsis.
“I’m getting through it. It’s very, very hard. But these little boys behind me, there’s his team. And I feel like they’re my second family. They’re my second family because each and every single one of them loved Julian and they still love him,” said Rosa Castro, Julian’s mother.
Castro was holding on tight to a framed picture of Julian. She said he loved soccer. “That was his life. He slept, he breathed, he ate--he did every single thing for soccer,” she said. “I truly, truly believe that he was going to be a pro star one day. And his love for soccer was just the most, most purest love.”
The Phoenix Rising FC helped Julian reach his goal Sunday morning. “This jersey is from the Phoenix Rising. They’re honoring Julian as a pro. That’s what he wanted to be when he grew up, and that’s what he is now. He’s a professional player,” said Castro.
The fundraiser raised more than $80,000, which will go directly to helping boys and girls play with the Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer program.
Tibor Pelle, the Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer’s Director of College Advising and Financial Aid programs, said the franchise is planning to establish a Julian Castro foundation, to help more kids with a dream of playing competitive soccer and going pro.
Julian’s family is also raising money to help cover medical and funeral costs. If you would like to donate, click here.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
