CAPE ELIZABETH — A 2011 Cape Elizabeth High School graduate died June 18 after a Florida car accident.

Donal “Donnie” Martin, 22, died from injuries sustained in a June 9 car accident in Indialantic, Florida. Martin had lived in Cape Elizabeth his entire life and in May graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

Martin’s parents and younger brother, Nicholas, still live in Cape Elizabeth, and many of Martin’s friends are still in the area. Fellow CEHS alum Connor McAleney said he grew up with Martin.

“He was the guy I wanted standing at the altar with me when I get married and that day won’t be the same without him up there with me,” McAleney said.

McAleney said Martin played football and ran track at CEHS. He said sports and new things came easily to him.

“He was that guy who no matter what he did he was instantly good at it,” he said.

McAleney said Martin was “crazy at math” and had just accepted a job as an engineer in Connecticut.

McAleney said everyone knew Martin, but he was often shy in high school.

“He used to be really shy outside our friend group,” he said. “When he went to college he came out of his shell.”

According to ClickOrlando.com, Martin was in the Phi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) Fraternity at FIT and served a year as social chairman.

According to Florida Today, there were also two other passengers and a driver in the vehicle with Martin. Anastasia Hirsch, 19, died in the accident and the other two were hospitalized in critical condition.

The accident occurred at 4:10 p.m., when a vehicle driven by Indialantic resident Janice Geist, 51, crossed the median and hit Martin’s vehicle. A Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman said the car may have hydroplaned, since there was heavy rain at the time of the accident. 

Following the accident, McAleney started a Go Fund Me page to cover Martin’s medical bills and as of Wednesday it had raised over $14,000. Since Martin has died, the money has been used to cover funeral costs and the cost of flying his family to Florida.

A celebration of life was held for Martin on June 21 at FIT and on Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. a candlelight vigil will be held there. McAleney said he thinks a memorial service will be held in Maine on July 11, but he was unsure of the details. 

Martin’s body was cremated in Florida and his organs were donated. McAleney said the organs were used to save two lives.

Kate Gardner can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 125 or kgardner@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @katevgardner.

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Donal “Donnie” Martin, a 2011 Cape Elizabeth High School graduate, died June 18 after a Florida car accident.