Volleyball in Shock: Willner Rivas Found Dead Alongside His Wife and Son; He Also Played in Italy

The volleyball world is in shock over the tragic deaths of Willner Rivas, his wife Mariangel, and their son Theo, who were found dead under the rubble two weeks after the devastating earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24, bringing the state of Yaracuy to its knees, as well as the capital, Caracas, and the port city of La Guaira, where Rivas and his family lived.

There had been no news of Willner, Mariangel, and Theo Rivas for days: hopes for a miracle vanished on Monday when, as confirmed by Venezuelan media, the three bodies were recovered from the rubble of a building that had collapsed in La Guaira due to the earthquake. The news has shocked the entire volleyball world and, in particular, the clubs for which Rivas played: among them is Cisterna Volley, which issued a statement of condolence through its official channels.

“Cisterna Volley mourns the loss of Willner Rivas, his wife Mariangel, and their son Theo, victims of the earthquake that devastated Venezuela,” the statement reads. “The hope of finding our former outside hitter and his family alive has been definitively dashed: the three bodies were found lifeless under the rubble. In this moment of profound grief, the entire Cisterna Volley community stands in solidarity with the family.”

Born on April 2, 1995, Willner Rivas arrived in Europe in 2015, playing for Lausanne in Switzerland and Afyon in Turkey. After several stints in the Middle East (Lebanon and Qatar) and a spell in Argentina with Gigantes del Sur, he then moved to Narbonne, France, for the 2022–2023 season, followed by stints with Al-Qadisiya in Kuwait and Cisterna in Italy (in 2024–2025), before returning to Narbonne. He had also represented the Venezuelan national team on several occasions, winning gold at the 2025 Pan American Cup.