A Brooklyn community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of longtime youth baseball coach Jose Castro and his elderly mother, Maria Castro, who were killed in a devastating apartment fire in East Flatbush over Memorial Day weekend.
The fire broke out early Saturday morning inside a mixed-use building on Nostrand Avenue near Beverly Road in Brooklyn. According to officials, the blaze rapidly spread through the structure, trapping residents inside. Jose Castro, 65, and his 86-year-old mother did not survive the fire. Two additional residents were rescued and transported to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.
Castro was widely known throughout Central Brooklyn for his decades of dedication to youth baseball and mentorship. He spent more than 40 years coaching and managing teams with the Bonnie Youth Club, where generations of players looked up to him both on and off the field. Friends, parents, and former players described him as a caring mentor who helped shape young athletes into responsible adults.
“Everybody liked him,” Bonnie Youth Club Athletic Director Jerry Katzke told ABC7 New York. “He’s one of those kinds of people that when you first meet him, you really like him immediately.”
Beyond baseball, Castro was also recognized for his mentorship program called “Books and Baseball,” where he encouraged children to value education alongside athletics. Community members said he was passionate about teaching sportsmanship, discipline, and perseverance to Brooklyn youth.
Neighbors described Jose as a devoted son who spent years caring for his mother, who had reportedly been bedridden for nearly two decades. Local residents said the pair had lived in the neighborhood for more than 40 years and were beloved fixtures in the community.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, mourners gathered outside the burned building, leaving flowers, candles, and baseball memorabilia in tribute to Castro and his mother. The Bonnie Youth Club is also planning a memorial to honor the longtime coach’s lasting impact on Brooklyn baseball and the countless young people he inspired.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the FDNY.
