The extensive 74-hour search for the family of Argentine professional footballer Lucas Trejo concluded over the weekend, as rescue teams located the remains of his wife and two young children within the debris of their apartment building, which succumbed to the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last Wednesday.
Trejo, a 38-year-old center back for the Venezuelan club Sport Maritimo de La Guaira, was with his team in Caracas when the powerful seismic events, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes, impacted the nation's northern coast.
Upon receiving the devastating news that his family's residence in Playa Grande, La Guaira, had collapsed, Trejo promptly traveled to the affected area to join the urgent search efforts.
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.
Trejo shared on Instagram during the initial hours of the search, expressing his desperate hope and plea for assistance.
His father and brother also made the journey from Argentina to support the firefighters, military personnel, and volunteers tirelessly sifting through the wreckage.
Search Efforts Conclude
The exhaustive search concluded with the recovery of the bodies of Trejo's wife, Yanina Maranella, and their children, Aaron and Ainhoa.
Community Mourns Tragic Loss
This profound tragedy has elicited a wave of condolences and solidarity from the South American soccer community and beyond.
Edson Tortolero, a fellow Argentine footballer and close friend of Trejo, expressed his deep sorrow over the family's passing.
Today my heart breaks into a thousand pieces. There are no words that can ease so much pain. I ask God to give Lucas strength to endure this unimaginable loss.
Club Sport Maritimo de La Guaira officially confirmed the fatalities in a statement released on Sunday, extending their sympathies.
We join the grief that overwhelms player Lucas Trejo for the passing of his wife, Yanina Maranella, and of his children, Aaron and Ainhoa Trejo. Peace to their souls and comfort for Lucas and all his loved ones.
Trejo's family represents some of the many victims of the earthquakes that have caused widespread destruction along parts of Venezuela's northern coastline. Emergency response teams continue to operate in the region as recovery operations persist.