University Of Alabama Student Vanishes In Barcelona: Wallet Found In Sea As Family Pleads For Help

A University of Alabama student has vanished successful Barcelona during a outpouring break trip, provoking an intensive hunt by Catalan police some connected onshore and astatine sea.

James “Jimmy” Gracey, a 20-year-old inferior from Elmhurst, Illinois, vanished successful nan early hours of Tuesday, March 17, aft leaving nan celebrated Shôko nightclub successful Barcelona’s Port Olímpic area. Friends past spotted him astir 3am adjacent nan beachfront venue, but he ne'er returned to nan Airbnb accommodation connected Ronda Sant Pere, wherever he was staying pinch friends.

Gracey arrived successful Barcelona connected Monday greeting pursuing a extremity successful Amsterdam, joining friends studying successful nan metropolis for outpouring break celebrations. Authorities received a missing personification report successful nan early hours of Wednesday aft concerns grew complete his absence.

Police retrieve wallet and telephone during oversea search

Catalan police, nan Mossos d’Esquadra, launched a general investigation immediately. Officers discovered Gracey’s wallet floating successful nan oversea adjacent Barceloneta Beach, activating specialised maritime and underwater units connected Thursday, nan 19th. Teams combed waters adjacent to nan nightclub, exploring nan anticipation that nan young man fell into nan sea.

Family Statement connected Behalf of Jimmy Gracey:

Our family is profoundly concerned astir James “Jimmy” Gracey, who has been missing successful Barcelona since nan early greeting hours of March 17.

Jimmy is simply a 20-year-old University of Alabama student visiting friends overseas during outpouring break.…

— Rose (@901Lulu) March 18, 2026

Family members, including his mother Therese Marren Gracey, revealed that constabulary besides person his mobile phone, reportedly recovered aft a imaginable theft by different individual. While Mossos sources person not publically confirmed this detail, nan instrumentality remains nether forensic introspection for imaginable clues specified arsenic location information aliases caller activity.

Gracey stands astir 1.85–1.90 metres tall, weighs astir 79–80 kilos, and has curly acheronian hair. On nan nighttime he vanished, he wore a achromatic T-shirt aliases shirt, acheronian trousers, and a golden concatenation featuring a transverse pendant pinch imitation diamonds.

Family’s hopeless entreaty draws world attention

Gracey’s disappearance has captured wide media interest, peculiarly successful nan United States, pinch sum from awesome networks including CNN, NBC, and others expanding family pleas. His mother has posted affectional appeals connected Facebook, urging anyone pinch accusation to interaction her directly.

Relatives picture Gracey arsenic a kind, responsible, and devoted boy and brother, nan eldest of 5 siblings, who maintains adjacent family ties. Completely retired of characteristic for him to suffer contact, his absence has near loved ones profoundly worried. His begetter has travelled to Barcelona to subordinate hunt efforts together pinch friends, distributing flyers successful nan formation area.

Uncle David Gracey, a CNN producer, expressed dream for a safe return, mentioning nan young man’s passion for hockey. The family is coordinating intimately pinch Mossos investigators and nan US Embassy.

Anyone pinch accusation should interaction authorities aliases nan family astatine +1 224-505-3886. Search operations proceed arsenic each avenue remains unfastened to resoluteness this concerning case.