The human toll of Venezuela’s devastating earthquakes continues to grow, bringing heartbreaking stories of loss alongside extraordinary acts of courage and rescue.
Among the latest tragedies is the death of the wife and two children of Argentine soccer player Lucas Trejo, whose family had been missing since the powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday.
According to the Daily Mail, Trejo endured a 74-hour search for his loved ones before their bodies were found on Saturday. Fellow soccer player and family friend Edson Tortolero announced the news on social media, writing:
“We inform all the people of Venezuela and Argentina that the bodies of Lucas Trejo’s family members have been found lifeless.”
He added: “We thank everyone for the support and ask for the most sincere respect for his family at this time. WE PRAY FOR ETERNAL LIFE FOR THEM.”
Trejo’s club, Marítimo de la Guaira, also confirmed the loss in a public statement, saying:
“Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira deeply mourns the loss suffered by Lucas Trejo’s family; we ask for respect for his relatives and teammates. After a 74-hour search, they were found deceased.”
According to the Daily Mail, Trejo had shared a family photograph on social media just hours before the discovery, holding onto hope that his wife, Yana, and their children would be found alive.
The tragedy comes as Venezuela continues to face one of the deadliest natural disasters in its modern history. According to the Daily Mail, officials report that more than 1,430 people have died, over 3,200 have been injured, and tens of thousands remain missing after the rare double earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude devastated communities across the country.
The Daily Mail also reported that former Major League Baseball player Gorkys Hernández suffered a similar loss after his wife, Deisy, died during the disaster. In a tribute shared publicly, Hernández wrote:
“Queen of my life, you are and always will be the most beautiful, lovely, precious, the best woman in the world…”
He concluded his message with a prayer:
“Fly high, my princess, my queen. May God have you in his glory and guide me to keep going and lift up our family.”
Even amid overwhelming grief, stories of hope have emerged. According to the Daily Mail, rescue workers pulled two separate 11-year-old boys alive from collapsed buildings, while a newborn baby was rescued after spending 32 hours trapped beneath the rubble. The infant’s mother was also reportedly found alive.
As rescue teams from around the world continue searching through collapsed buildings, Catholics are invited to remember the victims, survivors, rescue workers, and grieving families in prayer.
The Church has always responded to moments of great suffering by entrusting those affected to God’s mercy and asking for His strength to sustain those left behind.
You can light a virtual prayer candle for the people of Venezuela and all those mourning loved ones by visiting Catholic Online Prayer Candles.
May the Lord grant eternal rest to those who have died, comfort to the grieving, healing to the injured, and hope to all who continue waiting for news of family and friends.
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