Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo has suffered a profound personal tragedy after his wife and two young children were found dead following the powerful twin earthquakes that recently struck Venezuela.
The bodies of his wife, Yanina Maranella, and their children, Aaron and Ainhoa, were recovered late Saturday after a grueling 74-hour search. The family had been staying in an apartment building in Playa Grande, which collapsed when the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes hit the country on Wednesday.
Trejo, 38, was away in Caracas preparing for a league match with his club, Deportivo La Guaira, when the disaster struck. After losing contact with his family, the defender took to Instagram to issue a desperate public plea: “Our building in Playa Grande collapsed. I don’t know anything about my family. Please pray for them and share this message in case someone saw them. I want to believe they weren’t there”. His father and brother traveled from Argentina to Venezuela to assist in the rescue efforts.
Just hours before the tragic discovery was made, Trejo had shared a photograph of his family online, clinging to the hope that they might still be found alive. The loss is especially heartbreaking in light of a touching birthday message Yanina had posted earlier this year, describing Trejo as the pillar of their family and writing, “With you, everything is always easier and more beautiful”.
Following the devastating news, Trejo’s club, Deportivo La Guaira, released a statement mourning the passing of his family and offering comfort to Trejo and his loved ones. Marítimo de La Guaira, another of Trejo’s clubs, also publicly expressed their condolences. Fellow footballer Edson Tortolero, who had personally joined the rescue efforts in the disaster zone, confirmed the heartbreaking news and expressed gratitude to the emergency workers and volunteers who participated in the search.
Trejo’s unimaginable loss highlights the catastrophic scale of the twin earthquakes that have ravaged Venezuela. According to the United Nations migration agency, up to 6.76 million people may have been affected by the widespread destruction. The death toll has tragically reached nearly 1,500, with rescue teams continuing to comb through the rubble for survivors and those still missing.
The disaster has touched the lives of many prominent figures in the sports world; former Major League Baseball player Gorkys Hernández also confirmed the death of his wife, Deisy, in the earthquakes.