Comparing two tragic deaths in Zamora, Spain: a soccer star yesterday in a car accident, and a pioneering feminist executed by fascist rebels in 1936!

Both victims were heroes, but for different reasons. One was a star athlete beloved by nations; and the other, an unknown but courageous political activist confronting fascism and the overthrow of democracy in her beloved country.

Photo by AP, July 3, 2025. Fans honoring the legacy of Diogo Jota the day after his death.

AP,WP, age 19, Diogo Jota, then a member of a Spanish team

Photo of Amparo Barayon' Sender, on the front of a book authored by her son, Ramon Sender Barayon'. Photo possibly taken in the late 1920's or early 1930's.

By Brian Patrick Moore

July 3, 2025

Spring Hill, Florida:

Diogo Jota, a 28 year old Liverpool, England soccer star, who led his team to the Premier League championship this year; and his home country of Portugal in the 2024 Olympics, died in a violent automobile accident yesterday with his 25 year old brother, Andre Silva. The single-car tragedy occurred just outside of the town of Zamora, Spain.

"Manuel José Vieira, 44, a former midfielder who played for Paços de Ferreira in Portugal when Mr. Jota joined the team in 2014, remembered immediately noticing his potential. “He was very bold,” Mr. Vieira said in a phone interview. “In one-on-one drills, he wasn’t afraid of even the most physical defenders. He’d take one or two hard knocks and get up as if nothing had happened.”

He added: “It’s not just Liverpool that’s losing a star. So is the Portuguese national team, football itself, and society as a whole.” (New York Times, July 3, 2025, by Ali Watkins)

89 years ago, in the same town of Zamora, Spain, a 31 year old pioneering feminist and wife of a political activist was a victim of the violent repression in a rebel-held area of Zamora during the 1936-1939 Spanish Civil War.

Amparo Barayón Sender, was a mother of two small children in 1936, and is remembered as a victim of brutality and outspoken political views. She was murdered by Fascists execution squads. The right-wing rebels murdered her, not only for her political activism, but mostly because they could not kill Her husband, Ramon J. Sender. He was a well-known Spanish novelist, in-exile, and thus separated from his wife. He was sought after for his outspoken support for the democratically-elected government of Spain, and also for his criticism against the fascist-led military coup.

Amparo's son, Ramon Sender Barayon', who authored a book about his mother, "A Death in Zamora," wrote that his mother "was betrayed by her family, her Catholic Church and her community."

The right-wing rebel uprising was led by Spanish military General Francisco Franco, with support from fascist governments, Adolf Hitler's Germany, and Benito Mussolini's Italy.

The disturbing seeds leading up to civil war in Spain, can be seen today in the United States under the authoritarian leadership of President Donald Trump. Trump's disregard for the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law is alarming our nation. We must ponder our increasing loss of rights and freedoms on this solemn July 4th holiday, named "Independence Day."

Diogo Jota's physical courage and competitive spirit surely must have been an unforgettable inspiration for all of his European soccer fans. Likewise, in a similar vein, Amparo Barayon Sender's indomitable spirit and personal courage, in the face of death, are examples for all Americans to recognize, embrace and stay strong.

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