Former New York Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia described his survival of powerful back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela as a result of 'divine intervention.' The earthquakes, which have killed over 200 people and injured thousands, struck on Wednesday.
Mejia, who played for the Mets from 2010 and again between 2012 and 2015, was in a hotel in La Guaira, a city north of the capital Caracas, when the tremors hit. He had just finished a workout and was returning to his sixth-floor hotel room. Mejia stated that he pressed the button for the sixth floor, but the elevator took him down to the ground floor instead. He believes this was an act of God, as the elevator doors opened to the lobby just as the building began to collapse.
"I think it was God because instead of going up, it went down to the basement," Mejia said, according to Dominican newspaper Diario Libre. "The door opened directly into the lobby. That's when I came out and the building started to collapse."
Mejia, who now pitches for the Venezuelan Major League team La Guaira Delfines, reported that he helped an elderly man to safety and believes they were the only two survivors from their section of the hotel. "With the agility I have, I helped an elderly gentleman. I was able to drag him away, take him with me," he recounted. "I think only he and I (came out alive), the others are still there, trapped under the rubble."
The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century and caused widespread devastation. Thousands are feared to be trapped under rubble, with official death tolls rising and many people reported missing. The coastal region of La Guaira, where Mejia was located, experienced some of the most significant damage. The country's main airport located in La Guaira was closed due to damage, hindering aid efforts.
Mejia lost all his possessions in the event and was unable to fly home to the Dominican Republic because his passport was missing and flights were suspended. Venezuelans abroad faced difficulties contacting relatives due to disrupted phone service within the country. Many spent the night outdoors in parks and parking lots for safety. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and announced the creation of a $200 million reconstruction fund for damaged infrastructure.