Lenten campaign 2026
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When Americans think of Spain, they often picture Mediterranean beaches, centuries-old churches, or lively cafés. Few would expect a quiet agricultural town to become the center of a national tragedy —and even fewer would imagine a teenager emerging as one of its defining figures.
That is what happened in Adamuz, a small town in southern Spain near Córdoba, after a devastating train derailment left 45 people dead and more than 20 missing. As rescue crews continued searching the wreckage, one name came to the fore in coverage by La Razón and other Spanish outlets: Julio Rodríguez, 16, now widely referred to as the angel of Adamuz.
Julio was not supposed to be anywhere near a disaster zone. According to La Razón, he was returning home from a quiet Sunday afternoon of fishing with a friend when they noticed police vehicles and an ambulance racing toward the edge of town. With his mother’s approval, they followed.
What they encountered was chaos. Two trains had derailed in separate locations. One was already being handled by police and firefighters. The other, nearly 800 meters away (1/2 mile), was far more critical.
“My friend and I ran,” Julio later told reporters, in comments cited by La Razón and the EFE news agency. “We were among the first to arrive.”
Inside the damaged cars were passengers trapped, panicked, and unable to escape. Julio and his friend began guiding people out where possible and calming those who could not yet move, assuring them that help had arrived. He described the experience as physically overwhelming — as if his body “became something else” in response to the suffering around him.
Spain took notice. During a visit to Adamuz, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia personally thanked Julio and other young volunteers for their actions in the first moments after the crash. The King reportedly told him that few people — especially at his age — are capable of responding effectively in such circumstances.
As La Razón has emphasized, Julio’s story is part of a larger one. Neighbors mobilized almost immediately. Local priest Rafael Prados helped organize food, blankets, and temporary shelter for survivors who did not need urgent medical care, using parish facilities and nearby community spaces. Residents brought what they had, filling gaps before official aid was fully in place.
Julio has said he feels psychologically stable for now, though he has not ruled out seeking support if the weight of what he witnessed surfaces later. He has since returned to school, where health services remain available as a precaution.
Spain continues to mourn the dead, while investigations into the cause of the derailment proceed. Yet alongside the grief, stories like Julio’s have entered the national record as witness to how ordinary people can respond when catastrophe arrives without warning.
