Alize Castro was known as a loyal friend

OCOEE When Alizé Destiny Castro was born April 13, 1998, her mother Stephanie Pineda knew it was meant to be. 

Pineda, who was a single mother when Alizé was born, took comfort in the number 4/13, looking to the Bible verse Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

“She was my strength,” Pineda said. 

For Alizé and Pineda, 4/13 was a code of sorts. It always reminded them to find strength in God and each other. 

Alizé, who graduated from Ocoee High School in May, was driving home with her boyfriend Caleb White in the early hours of July 4 when the car was T-boned. Alizé died on impact, and Caleb died in the hospital later that morning. 

Alizé loved spending time with her family and her mother. 

“She was always with me,” Pineda said. “She was my rib. We were always joking around; we were always listening to music together and dancing. … She was happy, jolly. She was never mad. I always told her life was too short to be mad. It wasn’t worth it.”

In Alizé’s early years of life, it was just her and Pineda. But when she got older, they were joined by a little sister, Dezy Lopez, and a brother, Alias Castro. Alizé was determined to make their childhood as great as hers had been. 

“She was always making sure we surprised them with something. Even little things I used to do for her, since it was always just me and her. No matter what it was, she always wanted to be with her family,” Pineda said. 

The family moved from Connecticut to Ocoee a year ago. 

When she wasn’t with family, Alizé was playing volleyball. At Ocoee High School, she played libero. After the crash, the team retired Alizé’s No. 13 jersey. 

While living in Connecticut, she played for the Connecticut Travel Volleyball Academy and the Husky Travel League, which won the championship game when Alizé was on the team. 

She had plans to attend Lynn University in Boca Raton, studying biology and business management with the ultimate goal of becoming a cardiologist. She already aced anatomy class and could name nearly every part of the human body. 

At Lynn University, Alizé wowed administrators, earning scholarships that would pay all her tuition. She was selected for a leadership program at the university as well. 

Caleb and Alizé became friends when Alizé moved to Ocoee, and they helped each other work through parts of life they were struggling with. He fit in right away with the family, Pineda said. He often told Pineda how rare Alizé was. 

“Alizé was one of the most loyal people you would ever meet,” Pineda said. 

CALEB WHITE

Caleb was a Christian rapper, who was planning on releasing his first album this summer. He was passionate about his faith in God.

“His No. 1 goal in life was to get to heaven,” said Damianna Quinones, a close family friend who considers Caleb to be her brother. 

Caleb enjoyed music and fashion. On the night of the accident, he and Alizé were leaving the recording studio.

In May, he graduated from Acceleration Academy. 

Caleb was known for how he loved and embraced people. 

“Anybody that he came in contact with, like his friend’s mothers, his friend’s fathers, he would call them mom or dad,” Quinones said. “He felt like everybody was family.”

This summer, he had planned on performing at a Christian youth conference.

Contact Jennifer Nesslar at [email protected].

HOW TO HELP 

To support Alizé Castro’s family and raise money to cover funeral expenses, visit gofundme.com/alizecastro.