A second California college student seriously injured in the deadly high-speed train collision in Spain has been identified as Austin Hartman, a business student at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Hartman, originally from Bellingham, Washington, was studying abroad in Spain when the October 28 crash occurred. He was traveling with fellow Cal Poly student Leah Silver-Fajardo on a day trip to Seville when their train became involved in the devastating collision that killed 69 people and injured approximately 200 others.

The full extent of Hartman’s injuries has now emerged through a fundraising campaign organized by a family friend. He suffered multiple fractures and other serious injuries, and his recovery is expected to require additional operations and an extended hospital stay.

According to the fundraiser, he is not expected to return to the United States for at least two months.

A DREAM TRIP TURNED INTO A MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Hartman was enjoying a study-abroad experience in Spain when he and Silver-Fajardo boarded a train for a trip to explore Seville.

The journey took a devastating turn on October 28, when two high-speed trains collided near Urda in central Spain, south of Madrid.

One train struck another that had stopped on the tracks, causing a catastrophic impact. Hartman and Silver-Fajardo were among the injured passengers.

Cal Poly subsequently confirmed that two of its students had been aboard a train involved in the collision and were receiving medical treatment.

The university said it was communicating with U.S. Embassy officials and study-abroad partners in Spain while working directly with the students’ families.

HARTMAN SUFFERED MULTIPLE FRACTURES
A fundraising campaign organized by Kathleen Gilligan, a family friend, identified Hartman as the second injured Cal Poly student.

The injuries described in the campaign include fractures to his:

Pelvis and hip.
Femur.
Humerus, the upper-arm bone.
Multiple ribs.
Lumbar vertebrae in the lower back.
He also sustained facial injuries, cuts and other wounds across his body.

The fundraiser said complications involving his circulation and breathing required mechanical ventilation during the first 24 hours following the crash.

His condition has required extensive medical attention, and further surgeries are expected.

The family is also facing a difficult period away from home. Hartman is expected to remain in Spain for at least two months because of the treatment and operations still ahead.

The fundraising campaign was established to help cover medical expenses not paid by insurance, accommodation and other living costs for family members staying in Spain, rehabilitation and mental health support.

LEAH SILVER-FAJARDO IS ALSO FACING A LONG RECOVERY
The second student, Leah Silver-Fajardo, is a 21-year-old Cal Poly junior from Seattle majoring in neuropsychology.

Her injuries include a broken knee, fractured pelvis, multiple broken ribs, bruised lungs, burns and extensive scrapes.

According to a fundraising campaign organized by her aunt, Rachel Chernin, Silver-Fajardo underwent surgery on her knee and was expected to require another operation to repair her pelvis.

Her family described the early days after the collision as frightening. Her parents initially did not know whether she had survived. Friends from her study-abroad program searched several hospitals before locating her and informing her family.

In updates shared by her mother, Nicole, Silver-Fajardo was described as being in considerable pain but beginning to smile and eat.

She had also been moved out of intensive care, although she remained severely limited in her ability to move and needed assistance with basic daily activities.

Her recovery is expected to involve a lengthy hospital stay and rehabilitation.

CAL POLY SUPPORTS STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Cal Poly confirmed that both injured students were receiving medical care and said the university was working with U.S. Embassy officials and study-abroad partners to coordinate assistance.

The university was also reaching out to other students studying in Spain and across Europe to offer support following the disaster.

The two fundraising campaigns have attracted substantial public attention, with donations intended to help the families manage the financial and practical challenges of an extended recovery overseas.

For Hartman and Silver-Fajardo, the immediate priority remains medical treatment. Their families are facing an uncertain period as doctors work through the injuries and determine what further care will be necessary.

69 PEOPLE DIED IN THE SPAIN TRAIN COLLISION
The October 28 collision was one of the country’s deadliest railway disasters in recent years.

The crash happened on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line near Urda, in Toledo province, when a train operated by state railway company Renfe struck a stationary train operated by Iryo.

Spanish authorities reported 69 fatalities and approximately 200 injured passengers.

Four American citizens and one Canadian were among those killed. Authorities were also working to complete the identification process for victims and address reports of missing passengers.

The tragedy has raised serious questions about railway safety and the systems used to coordinate train movements.

Investigators are examining the sequence of events that allowed one train to proceed while another was stopped on the tracks. A failure involving the railway’s communications and safety systems has become a major focus of the investigation.

Spain’s government has announced plans to strengthen railway safety, including improvements to control-center technology, operating procedures and staffing.

On November 3, Transport Minister Óscar Puente announced his resignation, six days after the collision, saying a transport minister could not remain in office following two accidents of such seriousness in less than a year. A separate high-speed rail disaster in January had killed 46 people.

FAMILIES FACE A LONG ROAD AHEAD
For the families of Austin Hartman and Leah Silver-Fajardo, the tragedy is no longer only about the circumstances of the collision. It is also about the difficult recovery that lies ahead.

Both students had traveled to Europe for an educational experience, expecting to explore new places and make memories with fellow students.

Instead, they are receiving treatment far from home, with their families facing uncertainty about future operations, rehabilitation and when they will be able to return to the United States.

The crash has left 69 families mourning loved ones and many survivors confronting serious injuries.

As the investigation continues, Hartman and Silver-Fajardo remain focused on the next stage of their recovery — a process that may take months.