A ROCORI High School junior midfielder remains in critical condition after a serious car accident the morning of November 1 in Cold Spring, Minnesota, and in the days since, his hometown has rallied around him with remarkable speed. Juan Cortez, known on the soccer pitch as one of the Spartans' leading goalscorers last season, is now the focus of a GoFundMe campaign that has already raised more than $21,000 to support his family.
The fundraiser was organized by Karla Velasco, identified as the sister-in-law of Cortez's mother, Viridiana Media Acosta, according to St. Cloud Times. The campaign raised over $21,000 in less than 24 hours, a reflection of how quickly word spread through the Cold Spring area and beyond. Per the GoFundMe, the funds will help Cortez's parents cover food, transportation and a rental car while their son receives treatment two hours away from home.
A Coach's Bond Going Back to Fourth Grade
ROCORI boys soccer head coach Chris Stavros has known Cortez since the player was in fourth grade, a relationship that predates his time on the varsity roster by years. Stavros described Cortez as skilled, valued by his teammates, and, in his words, a great young man. That long history has made the outpouring of support feel personal to those closest to the team, even as it has spread well outside it.
Stavros said the response from the Rocori area has been amazing, extending not just within the soccer family, but within the school district and the whole community here. He added that he has been sent messages from other schools, players, teams and clubs, a sign of how far the news traveled through Minnesota's high school soccer circles. Community members have offered donations, generosity and compassion in the days since the accident, the coach said.
Remembering a Reliable Scorer on the Field
On the field, Cortez has become a reliable contributor who loves playing soccer, and his production backs that up. He was one of the Spartans' leading goalscorers this past season, building on a 2023 campaign in which he led ROCORI in assists with seven while also scoring a goal, according to an earlier St. Cloud Times report. That same report noted ROCORI had leaned on a young lineup in 2024 after losing most of its goalscorers to graduation and players moving, a rebuilding stretch Cortez helped carry the team through.
His speed and scoring instincts showed up in big moments, too. In a Section 8AA playoff game against Willmar, Cortez scored in the fifth minute as ROCORI won 2-0, with Aidan Boeckmann adding a second-half goal, per a recap from Yahoo Sports. ROCORI entered that playoff matchup as the second seed with a 13-2-2 record, underscoring the kind of team success Cortez was part of building.
Community Asked to Keep Family in Their Thoughts
The ROCORI team account has asked people to keep Cortez and his family in their thoughts and prayers and to consider donating to the GoFundMe. Stavros said the accident is a reminder that soccer is not the whole world, and that Cortez's teammates consider him family above all else. As the Cold Spring community continues to lean on each other, the focus for now remains on Cortez's recovery and the support flowing in from across the region.
