"As Long as My Baby Is Alive, I Must Live"... Mother and Newborn Rescued

▲ 18-day-old Juan David being rescued

Amid a series of powerful earthquakes that have struck Venezuela, leaving at least 1,450 dead and tens of thousands missing, the dramatic rescue of an 18-day-old newborn and his mother from the rubble of a collapsed apartment building has captured global attention.

According to the BBC on June 29 (local time), the mother and son, who were rescued on June 25 in La Guaira State, where earthquake damage was concentrated, are currently receiving treatment at a hospital.

The mother, Dayana Patino, suffered injuries to both legs during the earthquake, while her son, Juan David, was rescued with only minor injuries.

According to reports, Patino was washing dishes in her 8th-floor apartment when the earthquake began on June 24, and she immediately cradled her newborn son.

However, the building soon collapsed, trapping them under the debris.

Patino shouted for help immediately but soon realized that no one could hear her voice.

"I decided not to waste my energy and only shout when I heard voices or footsteps nearby," she said. "I don't know how I managed to stay so calm even though my left leg was pinned under concrete."

Recalling the ordeal, she said, "As long as my baby was alive, I had to stay alive. I kept touching his nose to make sure he was breathing."

She added that even with her leg pinned under concrete and a rock pressing against her temple, she did not lose hope, finding comfort in a small sliver of light shining through the debris and the feeling of a Bible beneath her.

The rescue began when she heard her family calling her name.

"I thought this was my only chance, so I shouted 'I'm here' with all my might," she said.

After hours of work, rescue teams successfully pulled the mother and son, who had been huddled under a pile of concrete, from the rubble.

Her husband, Gerson, described the moment his wife and son were rescued as a "miracle."

The widely circulated rescue video shows Gerson holding his small baby in his arms, eyes tightly shut, overcome with emotion.

"I thought they were both dead," he said. "The moment I saw my son, it felt like I was reborn and that life had returned to me."

The family lost their home and all their belongings in the massive earthquake, and their pet dog is still missing, but they firmly stated, "We will start everything over from the beginning."

The BBC reported that baby Juan David, who miraculously survived the catastrophic earthquake, has become a symbol of hope for the people of Venezuela, who have been deeply shocked by the disaster.

(Photo: X)

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