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'Nick will never be forgotten.' Taylor soccer player impacts lives 3 years after his death

james weber, cincinnati enquirer
·3 min read
Drew Kantz, left, and Brynn Stokes, 2023 graduates of Taylor High School, present Nick Cordrey's parents, Darren and Aimee, with money they raised to name the soccer field at Taylor High School after their son. Cordrey, a soccer player, died in 2020 and would have graduated with them.
Drew Kantz, left, and Brynn Stokes, 2023 graduates of Taylor High School, present Nick Cordrey's parents, Darren and Aimee, with money they raised to name the soccer field at Taylor High School after their son. Cordrey, a soccer player, died in 2020 and would have graduated with them.

Three years after his death, Nick Cordrey is continuing to impact lives, and his memory is being used to save some.

Cordrey died at age 15 from a ruptured brain aneurysm June 3, 2020. It was the end of his freshman year at Taylor High School, where Cordrey was a member of the soccer team.

He would have graduated from Taylor this month, and friends and associates have been honoring his memory in multiple ways while using his story to raise funds to keep others from suffering aneurysms.

This week, the Bee Foundation for Brain Aneurysm Research and Prevention launched the Athletes for Aneurysms campaign and partnered with the Nicholas R. Cordrey Foundation for the Kicks for Nick initiative.

Taylor goalie Nick Cordrey died June 3, 2020, from a ruptured brain aneurysm.
Taylor goalie Nick Cordrey died June 3, 2020, from a ruptured brain aneurysm.

Show support for Taylor High School's Nick Cordrey by using #KFN2023 on social meda

Throughout the campaign, participants are encouraged to showcase their support by sharing photos or videos of themselves kicking a soccer ball, along with the hashtag #KFN2023.

"We want to celebrate Nick's love for soccer and honor his memory by using this campaign to raise awareness and support brain aneurysm research and prevention," said Erin Kreszl, founder of The Bee Foundation. "By engaging the soccer community and beyond, we aim to continue making a difference in the lives of those affected by this silent killer."

Among the participants is professional goalkeeping coach Bobby Edwards, who posted a video on Instagram and tagged Evan Louro, a backup goalkeeper for FC Cincinnati.

Cordrey served as Taylor's starting junior varsity goalie as a freshman in 2019. He began playing soccer in 2010 and played club ball for Cincinnati West and Total Futbol Academy. Cordrey would have likely been Taylor's starting varsity goalkeeper for the next three seasons, according to Taylor's head coach Bill Buelsing.

Cordrey was an organ donor, and seven of his organs went to five different people.

Taylor High School graduates Brynn Stokes, left, and Drew Kantz attend a fundraising event for Nick Cordrey, where they raised money to name the school's soccer field for Cordrey, asoccer player who died in 2020 and would have graduated in 2023 with them.
Taylor High School graduates Brynn Stokes, left, and Drew Kantz attend a fundraising event for Nick Cordrey, where they raised money to name the school's soccer field for Cordrey, asoccer player who died in 2020 and would have graduated in 2023 with them.

'We are doing this for Nick so that his legacy will forever be remembered'

The Taylor High School soccer field was recently named for Cordrey. That was the result of a campaign by former classmates and Taylor soccer players Drew Kantz and Brynn Stokes, who raised $25,000 for the name change and lobbied the administration.

Kantz and Stokes just graduated from Taylor themselves. They helped lead the Yellowjackets’ girls soccer team to a share of the Cincinnati Hills League championship last fall, going 11-2-4 overall. Stokes was the team’s leading scorer with 17 goals and Kantz had five.

“We are doing this for Nick so that his legacy will forever be remembered at Taylor High School and as a part of the soccer program,” Kantz said. “Naming the field after Nick is like our graduation present to him, as he should be graduating with us. We are also doing this to spread awareness about what Nick loved to do and that was to give. Nick was an organ donor and would love for everyone to be, too."

'We lost a great human being' Cleves community mourns Taylor student Nick Cordrey

Kantz said Cordrey would likely have been preparing for a college soccer career and majoring in political science.

“He was always the kid that was known for being funny, and super smart,” she said. “Nick was obsessed with geography and politics. He could always make a room light up and make your day a lot better. Nick will never be forgotten as a great classmate, teammate, and friend, at Taylor High School.”

Nick Cordrey (left) stands with his older brother, Richard, right. Both played soccer at Taylor High School.
Nick Cordrey (left) stands with his older brother, Richard, right. Both played soccer at Taylor High School.

How to support The Bee Foundation, Nicholas R Cordrey Foundation

Participants are encouraged to make a donation to The Bee Foundation, with funds directly supporting critical preventative research initiatives.

They can also support the Nicholas R Cordrey Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to graduating high school seniors each spring who will be attending college or trade school that fall. The foundation also raises awareness regarding both organ and tissue donation and brain aneurysms.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kicks for Nick initiative aims to save lives, remember Taylor athlete