Black River mourns death of 8th-grader Cody Velez

SULLIVAN — Black River students are reeling after the unexpected death of a classmate. Cody Velez, 13, died Monday. The cause of death has not been released. "When I got the phone call Monday, I was devastated. I was in total shock, and it's hit a lot of his friends the same," said Judy Martin, a close friend of the family. The district delayed the start of school Tuesday by two hours and made both grief counselors and ministers available. Counselors returned Wednesday morning. "A small district like ours, everybody is like family," Superintendent Chris Clark said. Losing Velez has created a void at the middle school and students will need time to find closure, he said. "I think time heals all wounds. That void is probably always going to be there, it's how we're going to deal with it," Clark said. Velez played the bass drum and was one of a few eighth-graders allowed to join the Pirates marching band. He was also active in Boy Scouts, the middle school symphonic band, was interested in sports and was a student council member, Principal Cathy Aviles said. She described the teenager as someone who was always at the center of activity, outgoing, constantly smiling and "had a certain charm." Aviles said he loved wearing shorts, no matter how cold it was outside. When there was a project to be done, Velez volunteered. When a younger student needed a mentor to look up to, Velez was by their side. "He was just kind of that student who you knew you could count on him," Aviles said. Many of her young students had never experienced the death of a close one before, she said. They are having trouble understanding why they want to laugh one moment and cry the next. Martin said her sons are also reeling — they played basketball and baseball with Velez since they were 4. His father, Isaac Velez, has been a baseball coach for Spencer Hot Stove and Black River Youth Sports, and Cody would help him out on the diamond, she said. "Anything you needed, he would be there for you. He was just an all-around good kid. Little kids looked up to him in Scouts and he mentored a lot of kids," she said. Black River Youth Sports secretary Nikki McConnel went online to offer a tribute to Velez. "So many of our coaches, players and parents have had their lives touched by Cody's kindness. We will forever miss his earthly presence and will forever be grateful for the cherished time he shared with us," she wrote on social media. Another family friend, Nichole Adkins-Bentley, started a fundraiser through GoFundMe to help the Velez family pay for funeral expenses. "Cody was a sweet and hilarious kid and an amazing big brother who was adored by all who knew him. He had a tremendous love for sports, band, family and friends," she wrote on the donation page. As of Friday morning, more than $11,000 in pledges had been made. Martin said a funeral service is being planned and will be held at the school. A March 14 fundraiser is also in the works to help the Velez family. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.