A mother has died in Venezuela while saving her daughter during a series of powerful earthquakes, according to footballer Héctor Bello and local media reports. Bello identified the woman as his wife, Andrea, and stated on Instagram that she sacrificed her life for their toddler.
"I'll tell her the story of how you saved her, my love - how you gave your own life for our daughter, how you were a brave woman who never abandoned her, even as you took your last breaths," Bello wrote in a post. He also expressed his anguish at not being present to help. "How do I explain to your daughter that you lost your life to save hers, and that I wasn't there to do anything? How do I explain it? Give me strength now."
The twin quakes, which struck near the capital Caracas, have resulted in at least 589 deaths and 2,980 injuries. Rescue operations are underway as search teams comb through rubble for survivors.
Bello confirmed that his daughter is in the hospital but is doing well and is expected to be discharged soon. "My daughter and her aunt are doing well, they won't be discharged today - they're staying at the hospital. Thank you so much for supporting me through this immense pain," he posted.
The death of Bello's wife was also reported by Cumaná de Campeones, a local football press organization, and the US Spanish-language news outlet Univision. The reports indicate that while the family resided together in the building that collapsed, their daughter survived the incident.
