A University of Alabama student is missing after visiting friends in Spain.
James "Jimmy" Gracey was visiting friends who were studying in Barcelona when he disappeared Monday. His mother put a call out on social media seeking information about his disappearance.
"My son is a university of Alabama student who is visiting friends in Barcelona who are studying abroad," Gracey's mother, Therese Gracey, wrote in a
Facebook post Tuesday seeking help. "They went to Shoko last night. The police have his phone but he didn’t make it back to the [AirBNB]. Has anyone [seen] him? Please call or message me and share this post. +1-773-484-0160."
Gracey's mother said Jimmy was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and dark-colored joggers. He regularly wears a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He was last seen at Shoko, a restaurant and nightclub in the city, around 3 a.m. His friend left the club, but Gracey stayed behind. She also included a picture of him from the club the night before his disappearance.
According to
NBC 5 Chicago, Gracey is a native of Elmhurst, Illinois, and attended Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago.
"We are conducting the initial checks and have taken a report in an open investigation," Catalonia police said in a statement to the outlet. "A call was received early yesterday morning, around 1:00 a.m., reporting a possible disappearance. The disappearance was reported to have occurred on March 17, 2026, at 3:00 a.m., in the Port Olímpic area."
On his
LinkedIn page, Gracey describes himself as "A dedicated Honors College student at The University of Alabama pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Accounting." He currently serves as Chaplain of the University of Alabama Chapter of the Theta Chi Fraternity. He also works as a delivery driver for Duffl, a service that runs snacks to college students.
Gracey "[a]spires to build a career in public accounting, leveraging academic knowledge and real-world experience to excel in the field."
Gracey's uncle David, a senior Washington, D.C. producer for
CNN, told the outlet that Jimmy was scheduled to fly back to the U.S. on Saturday. He described Jimmy as a responsible young man, the eldest of five siblings, who helps his family take care of the younger members.
Gracey is listed as standing 6-foot-1 and weighing about 175 pounds.
The
U.S. State Department recommends certain procedures for American citizens with family members missing abroad. First, families should reach out to the missing person by all available channels of communication: texting, third-party messaging apps, and social media. After reaching out to the missing person, families should reach out to the missing person's close friends and/or travel companions. They should then contact the hotel they are staying at, the school or organization running the trip, or the tour operator.
If these contacts fall through, families can contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country the missing person is traveling in. The Embassy can get in touch with local authorities to help locate a missing person or get that person in touch with his or her family. Families can also reach out to local authorities directly or other international aid organizations.
