Missionary released from hospital after gruesome train derailment in Spain


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SALT LAKE CITY — An 18-year-old from Bountiful who survived the high-speed train derailment that killed 80 people in Spain has been released from the hospital.

Stephen Ward, a missionary serving in the Spain, Madrid mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said he was traveling alone following 6 weeks of training at the Madrid Missionary Training Center and was en route to his first assignment at the time of the derailment. Thursday, the church said he was treated and released for his injuries.

The Church released a statement in response to the fatal train accident and news of Ward's injuries.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the train accident in Spain," the statement reads. "Elder Ward suffered minor injuries as well as a neck injury. A full recovery is anticipated."

Ward said he remembers feeling like he was on a roller coaster.

"It never even crossed my mind that we would be crashing, I just thought, ' Wow, this is different,' " he said. "And it was like that for one or two seconds and then, I could feel us leave the tracks and I blacked out before impact, for which I am grateful."

"I remember just someone helping me to the door and helping me out onto the ground and the train had kind of fallen into a ditch and i climbed up out of the ditch and i sat there and they were bringing people out and there was blood and gore everywhere."

Ward said he passed out and woke up as he was being carried from the wreckage. Now in a hospital bed in La Coruna, he said he felt lucky to be alive.


Some were already dead and others looked like they were about to die. We were like the walking dead.

–Stephen Ward


"As they walked me away from the train, there were just dead bodies covered with sheets and later on, they gave me a sheet because it was getting cold, it has someone else's blood on it. It was truly horrible," he said.

Scott Jackson, president of the Spain, Madrid mission, said Ward is alert and in good spirits.

"He's in observation here at the hospital. He sustained lacerations to the scalp and a neck injury," Jackson said. "He had a concussion, but the main problem right now is his neck injury."

Jackson said Ward sustained a fracture of his sixth vertebrae.

"There's some instability involved, and to what degree we are not certain right now," he said. "They're doing some more tests."

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Ward left Utah six weeks ago after completing a year of college at Brigham Young University. He had arrived to the Spain, Madrid mission Tuesday from the Missionary Training Center in Madrid and spent all day in an orientation with other new missionaries.

On Wednesday, Ward was put on the train heading toward the north coast of Spain for his first assignment in El Ferrol. He was just hours from his destination where his would-be companion was waiting for him to arrive.

"His companion was waiting at the train station and when he did not arrive, he inquired about it and was informed that there had been a train accident," Jackson said. "That's when I received a text message from the missionary that this had occurred."

Jackson said he has spoken with Ward's parents multiple times since the accident. He said they are concerned for their son and want the best care possible, but it's still uncertain what treatment and medical attention Ward will need.

"Horrible news that our son was in an accident, but it seems like he'll be OK. So we sort of have mixed feelings," said Ray Ward, Stephen Ward's father.

Missionary released from hospital after gruesome train derailment in Spain
Photo: Associated Press

Ray Ward said his son seemed sleepy, but in good spirits, when he spoke to him. When he saw the news of the crash Wednesday, he didn't know his son was on the train.

"I thought, 'Wow, that's where Stephen is,' " Ray Ward said. "(I) saw the train was going from Madrid up north. I knew it was transfer day, but it seemed so far-fetched to think that he was on the train."

Ward is expected to return to his service for the LDS Church.

"He is missionary full of faith and we know he's in where he's meant to be and where he wants to be and we're grateful that he's alive," Ray Ward said.

His parents said this was not the missionary's first survivor experience. At age 15, he was diagnosed with a rare blood cell cancer.

"It's about three years ago that he finished his bone marrow transplant and he's been healthy ever since then," Ray ward said. "Things have been great, but it's like, how many brushes with death do you have to have before you're age 20?"

The eight-carriage train Ward was riding derailed Wednesday night and officials say speed may have been a factor. Rescue workers spent the night searching through the wreckage for the train's passengers.

Ward is among five injured Americans, according to the U.S. State Department. One American was killed in the crash.

The death toll raised to 78 Thursday morning and 95 passengers remain hospitalized, including 36 who are in critical condition. The train company said 218 passengers and five crew members were on board.

"The train is such a common, safe and economic way to travel here in Europe. That's the mode of transportation of most of our missionaries," Jackson said. "We never suspected something like this could happen."

Photo: Courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Contributing: Carole Mikita and Joe Walker

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