The early hours of a Saturday morning can hold many things: quiet peace, the last echoes of a busy night, or, sometimes, a sudden, crushing sorrow. On a stretch of the IP2 road in Castro Verde, a head-on crash stole away several lives. Among them was Rúben Gonçalves, a 26-year-old goalkeeper.
Rúben was a familiar face on the local pitch, guarding the net for Núcleo do Sporting de Castro Verde. The news hit his club hard. They quickly shared their grief on Facebook. Their message spoke of immense sadness, seeing another young life lost too soon. They sent thoughts and strength to Rúben’s family, remembering him defending their goal in a recent tournament in Almodôvar. “Rest in peace, champion,” their tribute read, a simple goodbye that carried a world of pain.
Known to friends as ‘Duda’, Rúben Gonçalves was originally from Almodôvar. He worked at the Neves-Corvo Mine, a common path for many young people in the area. Most heartbreakingly, he leaves behind a young son, only about four years old. His death casts a long shadow over those who knew him.
This single, terrible accident claimed more than one life. A family on holiday from England also died in the same crash. They were traveling to Mourão, their hometown, for a much-anticipated vacation. The family included Domingos Serrano, 55, his wife Maria, 51, and their 20-year-old twin sons, Domingos and Afonso. The group also included Verónica, a 19-year-old Polish national, who was the girlfriend of one of the twin brothers.
Domingos Serrano had just turned 55 on August 7, making the tragedy even more poignant. The town of Mourão felt the blow deeply. They declared two days of official municipal mourning, starting from the Sunday following the accident. The road, which connects so many places and people, had, in a moment, brought unimaginable sorrow to multiple families and communities.
