‘As long as my baby was alive, I would survive’: Mother, newborn rescued after 32 hours under Venezuela quake rubble

For nearly 32 hours, trapped beneath the debris of a collapsed apartment building in Venezuela, a mother refused to give up — driven by one goal: keeping her 18-day-old baby alive.

The dramatic rescue of Dayana Patino and her newborn son has emerged as one of the most emotional stories from the aftermath of the powerful earthquakes that struck the country.

The death toll from the disaster has reached 1,430, according to Associated Press. Authorities said thousands of people remain missing after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes devastated parts of Venezuela, with rescue teams continuing operations as hopes of finding more survivors decline.

Apartment collapsed within moments

Dayana was washing dishes inside her eighth-floor apartment in La Guaira when the earthquakes struck. Her first reaction was to grab her newborn son, believing the shaking was only a minor tremor.

“I felt like I was flying. After that, I felt like I was sinking in water and dirt, and then I fell into the pit where I remained,” she told BBC.

Buried under concrete and broken furniture, Dayana realised that constantly screaming would only exhaust her energy. She focused on protecting her baby while waiting for help.

‘As long as he was alive, I was going to be alive’

Trapped under the rubble, Dayana’s leg was pinned by concrete and her head was pressed against a rock. Despite her injuries, her only concern was her infant son.

“As long as he was alive, I was going to be alive,” she said, explaining that she repeatedly touched her baby’s nose to make sure he was still breathing.

She said a Bible found beneath the rubble gave her strength during the terrifying hours underground. In the darkness, she could only see a tiny ray of light that she described as looking like the moon.

Brother’s voice leads to rescue

After more than a day trapped, hope arrived when Dayana heard her brother calling her name from outside the debris.

She gathered her remaining strength and shouted for help.

“I screamed ‘Here I am’ with all my might, and he said, ‘I found you, and I promise you that I won’t leave until I get you out,’” she recalled.

International rescue teams arrive

Venezuelan officials said hundreds of international volunteers from countries including Mexico, the United States, El Salvador, Switzerland and Colombia have joined rescue efforts.

The United Nations said around 1,000 emergency responders across 25 search-and-rescue teams from around the world were expected to support operations in the coming days.