Daniel "Danny" Martinez

Daniel V. “Danny” Martinez, 23 passed away Sunday night in a one-person car accident. Danny was on his way home from visiting his girlfriend in Manhattan, KS when the accident occurred.  A visitation will be held on Friday, February 2nd from 5pm to 8pm at the Johnson County Funeral Chapel, 11200 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS. A funeral service will be held at the Funeral Chapel on Saturday February 3rd at 1pm. A dinner will be held in his honor at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, 4726 Merriam Dr., Shawnee, KS 66203 from 4 to midnight. The family invites all relatives and friends to come celebrate Danny’s life.

Danny was born March 8th, 1994 and is the youngest son of Donita Martinez of Overland Park and Tony Martinez of Kansas City, Kansas. He graduated from Springhill High School in 2013 but had many friends and was well known in the Blue Valley, Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas areas. He was attending College at JCCC and had a wide range of academic and athletic interests and lettered in Basketball and Football while in High School. Danny and his older brother Michael were the two founding members of the KC Outlaws Youth Basketball and Football Club, a competitive youth AAU program that competed in tournaments as far away as Las Vegas, Tennessee and Texas.  Danny loved all his KC Outlaw team brothers and loved to share his home and family with all his team.  He loved to tell stories of the team antics at home and on the road. Growing up he was never far from his brothers and teammates as most weekends at least 8 to 10 boys would spend the night for the weekend tournaments. During high school Danny developed a love for health and fitness which led him to become a bodybuilder. His dedication to the sport led to his first physique competition at the age of 17 and later he would compete and place in bodybuilding competitions as far away as Nevada, New York and Missouri.  Danny had just qualified and received his Professional Card from the National Physique Committee, (NPC), the largest professional bodybuilding organization in the United States. The Professional Card is awarded to only the top bodybuilding athletes in the United States.  Danny had thousands of social media followers who followed his advice on bodybuilding, nutrition and exercise. Danny’s second greatest passion was his girlfriend Eliza Little of Overland Park, Kansas, whom he loved very much. The two had just celebrated her 21st birthday weekend at K-State in Manhattan immediately before his accident.  Danny loved children and chlidren loved him. Quick with a smile, a joke and a tease he was a prankster who could make you laugh in a second. Danny’s family and friends all loved him very much. Danny is survived by his Mother Donita Martinez, his father Tony Martinez, his Step Mother Angela and his brothers Michael and James Martinez, his sister Emily Martinez, and Patrick “Hawk” Jones, as well as all his many KC Outlaw brothers who are his greatest legacy.  He touched many people's lives. He was extraordinary.