The football community is mourning following a powerful earthquake in northern Venezuela. While recovery efforts have concluded, a specific social media post from the family’s past reveals a heartbreaking detail.
Argentine defender Lucas Trejo was away on duty when his world shattered in an instant. Nobody could have predicted the nightmare waiting for him back home in La Guaira.
As details emerge about the devastating earthquake, fans are looking back at the family’s final moments together. A look at their timeline reveals an ironic detail regarding the family’s plans.
The Terrifying Seismic Timeline That Caught Families Off Guard
On June 24, 2026, northern Venezuela was rocked by a rare and violent seismic doublet. An M7.2 foreshock hit near Yumare, followed just 39 seconds later by an M7.5 mainshock along the Caribbean–South American plate boundary.
Rescue workers search through the rubble of a collapsed building for victims in the San Bernardino neighborhood after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and other parts of the Caribbean on June 24, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela. | Source: Getty Images
The twin earthquakes caused catastrophic destruction across the country, particularly hitting Caracas and La Guaira. Official reports from the USGS confirmed it was the strongest earthquake in Venezuela since the 1900 San Narciso earthquake.
The disaster killed at least 1,430 people and injured more than 3,238 others. Currently, over 68,900 people remain reported missing amidst the collapsed infrastructure.
Emergency responders evacuate an injured person on a stretcher from the debris of a collapsed building after an earthquake struck Caracas, Venezuela, on June 24, 2026. | Source: Getty Images
Why the Parking Lot Offered the First Chilling Clue
At the time of the disaster, the 38-year-old Argentine footballer was in Caracas. He was preparing to play a match with his current club, Club Sport Marítimo de La Guaira.
Trejo had only recently joined the team in late February after winning two league titles in Venezuelan football. He was determined to contribute his experience to help the club achieve its big seasonal goals.
When the earthquakes struck, Trejo lost all contact with his family. He rushed back to the Playa Grande area, which was one of the zones most severely affected by the tremors.
Upon his arrival, he found the Cumanagotto residential complex completely flattened. His father, José Luis, told Noticiero Doce that Lucas told his mother he was devastated because the entire building had collapsed to the ground.
A heavily damaged apartment building stands in the Los Palos Grandes neighborhood after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and other parts of the Caribbean on June 24, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela. | Source: Getty Images
The player faced an agonizing wait because his wife’s car was still in the parking lot. For 74 exhausting hours, Trejo participated in the rescue efforts alongside volunteers and family members.
He desperately searched through the structural rubble, often using his bare hands. On Saturday, June 27, the intense search ended in absolute heartbreak.
Rescue teams discovered the bodies of his wife, Yanina Maranella, and their two young children. Their son Aarón was seven, and their daughter Ainhoa was only five.
The local club Deportivo La Guaira confirmed the tragic deaths over the weekend. They publicly expressed their deepest grief and offered comfort to Trejo and his loved ones during this dark time.
In an official statement, the club joined the grief overwhelming their former player. They wished peace to the souls of Yanina, Aarón, and Ainhoa.
The Unthinkable Second Loss Sweeping Through the Same Football Club
Shockingly, Trejo is not the only player on his team dealing with a catastrophic loss from this disaster. His Marítimo de La Guaira teammate, defender Héctor Bello, is also mourning his own wife.
According to reports, Andrea Bello died during the collapse while protecting their baby. Their 20-month-old daughter, Alana, miraculously survived the building’s destruction.
The Cumanes footballer, known as “Kike,” shared an incredibly raw tribute on Instagram. He called Andrea a brave heroine who gave her own life for their daughter, leaving his soul completely shattered.
The Phrase in His Last Post That Hits Differently Now
As the football community rallies around Trejo, fans have noticed a devastating detail on his social media. The couple had been married since December 23, 2019, after a wedding at a municipal civil registry.
Their son, Aarón, was just a small toddler present at the ceremony, having been born on December 31, 2018. The family had built a beautiful life together before the seismic doublet tore it apart.
