A tragic collision on the evening of September 12, 2024, has brought grief to two prominent South Jersey football communities.
The accident, which occurred around 5:53 p.m. outside a sports complex in Vineland, has resulted in the deaths of a young child and a football coach.
The collision involved a motorcycle and a Chevy Traverse. Addiel A. Ortiz, 31, of Millville, New Jersey, was riding the bike when the Chevy Traverse struck him.
Both Ortiz and a 9-year-old boy, identified as Easton Beisler, were declared deceased at the scene. The boy’s mother, Lauren Beisler, who was driving the Traverse, was not injured in the incident.
The Cape-Atlantic Junior Football League confirmed that Ortiz was the coach of the Vineland Blitz junior football team, while the deceased child was an Upper Township junior football player.
According to ABC Philadelphia affiliate WPVI, the Blitz and the Upper Township Indians were playing against each other on the night of the collision.
A GoFundMe campaign established for Easton Beisler has raised $117,728 as of the time of this report. The fundraising effort began on September 13, 2024, and is expected to continue as the community rallies to support the family.
Easton Beisler, a fourth-grade student at Upper Township Primary School, was remembered by the school community, which provided grief counselling for faculty and staff on Friday.
The incident has cast a pall over both football communities, highlighting the tragedy’s profound impact on the local sports scene and beyond.
