'He Was Always Asking How Your Day Was Going': Remembering James 'Jimmy' Gracey, University of Alabama Student Found Dead in Barcelona

The search for James "Jimmy" Gracey ended Thursday afternoon in the shallow waters off Barcelona's Somorrostro beach — the same stretch of Mediterranean coastline where his wallet had been found floating the day before, and just steps from the nightclub where his friends had last seen him in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Catalan police divers recovered his body in approximately 13 feet of water near Port Olímpic. A worker at the port had alerted authorities before the search reached its devastating conclusion. Investigators set up a blue screen at the scene to shield the recovery operation from public view.

Spanish regional police told the Associated Press on Friday that all signs point to the 20-year-old's death being accidental. An autopsy has been performed. The exact circumstances of how Gracey entered the water remain under investigation.

He was one month away from completing his junior year.

Who Jimmy Gracey Was

James Gracey grew up in Elmhurst, Illinois, the eldest of five children in a close family. His uncle, David Gracey, is a CNN senior producer based in Washington, D.C. His aunt, Beth Marren O'Reilly, described him to the Associated Press as someone who had arrived in Barcelona on Monday, traveled there after a weekend in Amsterdam, and was planning to return to the United States that same weekend.

At the University of Alabama, Gracey was an honors student in the accounting program — a detail that surprised no one who knew him. He was disciplined, responsible, and devoted: to his studies, to his faith, and to the people around him.

He was the eldest of five children and often helped his parents care for his younger siblings, according to his uncle. That steadiness — the quiet reliability of the oldest child who shows up — was the defining quality people reached for when trying to explain who Jimmy Gracey was.

Before Alabama, he had attended Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, graduating in 2023. He was a third-generation Saint Ignatius alumnus, following his mother, grandfather, and great-uncle through the school's doors. The school said Gracey will be remembered for his strength of character, loyalty, and the way he showed up for teammates and friends. He was an avid hockey player. On Friday morning, people in Elmhurst put red ribbons on trees near the Catholic grade school he had attended as a child.

A Brother in Theta Chi

At the University of Alabama, Gracey was a member of the Alpha Phi Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity, where he served as both chapter chaplain and philanthropy chairman — two roles that, those who knew him said, reflected exactly who he was.

As chapter chaplain, Jimmy closed every chapter meeting in prayer, bringing the brotherhood together in a way that reflected exactly who he was and how deeply he was loved and respected, said Cavin McLay, president of the Alpha Phi Chapter, in a statement. "Jimmy always went out of his way for anyone who needed him, whether that was guidance in their faith, a shoulder to lean on, or simply someone to share a smile and laugh with. He was always asking how your day was going and was always thinking about the people around him. His smile and attitude were infectious and such a light in our Chapter. I can say without hesitation that I am a better person for having known him."

Theta Chi CEO Mike Mayer said Gracey was "exactly the kind of man Theta Chi aspires to build — a Resolute Man." He added: "Driven by true devotion and fraternal love, his Theta Chi brothers in Barcelona searched tirelessly for Jimmy for several days. We are deeply proud of them, and we recognize what they have experienced, along with so many across our brotherhood, has been profoundly traumatic."

His brother Tommy posted a tribute on Instagram after news of his death broke. "I don't know what to say or how to deal with this. I can't believe it. I'm gonna miss all the texts and calls about hockey, school, and life in general. I'm not ready to say goodbye to that."

The Last Night and the Days After

Gracey had left Alabama the previous Thursday and spent the weekend in Amsterdam before arriving in Barcelona on Monday, visiting friends for spring break. That night he went out with friends to the popular strip of beachfront clubs in Port Olímpic that fuel tourist nightlife along Barcelona's Barceloneta coast.

While at the Shoko nightclub, he became separated from his friends. "That was the last time we've heard from him," his fraternity brother McLay told CNN affiliate WBMA. He was reported missing the following morning after he did not return to the short-term rental he was sharing with friends.

In the days that followed, his father flew to Barcelona to aid in the search. Spanish authorities patrolled the seaside neighborhood on motorcycles and used underwater units to scour the water near the club where he was last seen. His phone — which had been stolen — was eventually recovered by police. His wallet was found floating in the water near Somorrostro beach on Wednesday.

His family, in the days before his body was found, described him as "a kind, responsible, and devoted son and brother" for whom it was "completely out of character" not to check in.

The Response From Two Communities

The University of Alabama, where Gracey was one month from completing his junior year, released a statement expressing grief and directing students to counseling resources: "The University of Alabama community is heartbroken to learn of the death of Jimmy Gracey. Jimmy's loss is deeply felt across our campus." Counseling is available to UA students at 205-348-5454 and to UA employees through the Employee Assistance Program at 888-283-3515.

Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago announced it is holding a Memorial Mass for Gracey at 8 a.m. Monday at the Church of the Holy Family on Chicago's Near West Side. The school said the news "allows us to offer a requiem Mass even though it is a Lenten weekday when Masses for the Dead are typically not allowed." The Mass will not be open to the public.

The Gracey family, in their statement, asked for privacy — and for the world to know who Jimmy was: "We are profoundly grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers from people around the world — so many helped to share Jimmy's story and bring his life to light so that others may know him."

Now they know him.