Bridgeport councilman dies at 26

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) -- He was elected into office at the age of 21, and now, five years later, a popular former Bridgeport city councilman has died.

His life was was all too short, but lived to the fullest. After battling health issues, 26-year-old Danny Martinez passed away last night.

"He was a voice for the community and especially for young people," said Lydia Martinez, city councilwoman.

In 2007, at just 21 years of age, Martinez was elected the youngest member of Bridgeport's city council. For two years he represented the city's East Side.

"Since high school he was always interested in leadership roles that led him to be a politician," said Martinez.

"He was a hard working individual, he cared about the neighborhood, he cared about the people and they came out and voted for him because that was the type of individual that he was," said Dimas Couto, neighbor, "always eager to help, and the citizens here all knew him and he would go house to house and listen to all the issues and try to address the issues."

Martinez graduated from Bassick H.S. where he was a leader at the school, but it was really on the city council where he thrived. He was the youngest city councilman at age 21 and during his time there he rose to take on the second highest post. And those who know him say even in the last days of his life he was still involved in the political scene in Bridgeport.

"Maybe he would have been our first Latino congressman from the Puerto Rican community," said Martinez. "He really cared and he really liked what he was doing."

"Just happy that I got to know him and spend some time with him and I just wish I had spent a little more time with him," said Couto. "He was definitely moving forward and he would get to great places if he stayed around for some time."