An 18-day-old newborn boy, Juan David, and his mother, Dayana Patino, were rescued from earthquake debris in Venezuela. The mother and child were trapped in their eighth-floor apartment in La Guaira when the earthquakes struck, destroying their building. Heartwarming footage showed rescue workers swaddling the infant and placing Patino on a stretcher.
Patino described the moment the earthquake hit as feeling like she was "flying," followed by a sensation of sinking in water and dirt. She managed to hold onto her son throughout the ordeal, finding motivation in his survival. "As long as he was alive, I was going to be alive," she told the BBC. She kept her newborn awake by touching his nose to confirm he was still breathing amidst the darkness and destruction.
Juan David sustained only minor injuries, while Patino suffered injuries to both of her legs. She recounted being unable to move, with her temple pressed against a rock and her leg trapped under concrete. After initially screaming for help, she conserved her energy, seeing only a small pinprick of light. She was eventually located when her brother heard her calls and promised not to leave until she was rescued.
Patino's husband, Gerson Trujillo, who was returning home when the earthquakes hit, described the rescue of his wife and son as a "miracle." He expressed relief and disbelief upon seeing his son alive, stating, "I felt the life come back to me."
The earthquakes, which included a magnitude 7.2 quake followed by a 7.5 tremor, have had a devastating impact on Venezuela. As of Monday, authorities confirmed 1,719 deaths, with expectations that the toll will rise as more bodies are recovered. The US Geological Survey projects the final death toll could exceed 10,000. At least 5,034 people were injured, and approximately 15,900 have been displaced or affected by the disaster. The United Nations estimates that around 680,000 children require assistance.
The World Health Organization has issued warnings about potential outbreaks of illnesses, including measles, diphtheria, yellow fever, dengue, and malaria. This risk is attributed to the destruction of health infrastructure, the loss of healthcare workers, and existing low vaccination rates in the affected region.