'As Long As He Was Alive': Venezuela Mum On Surviving 32 Hours Under Rubble With 18-Day-Old Son

Published 30 June 2026 · finance

'As Long As He Was Alive': Venezuela Mum On Surviving 32 Hours Under Rubble With 18-Day-Old Son Published By, Last Updated: June 30, 2026, 16:54

'As Long As He Was Alive': Venezuela Mum On Surviving 32 Hours Under Rubble With 18-Day-Old Son Published By, Last Updated: June 30, 2026, 16:54 IST The mother, identified as Dayana Patino, was found with her newborn son, Juan David, after being buried under the remains of their apartment building. Videos of their rescue have been shared widely, with many calling baby Juan David a symbol of hope amid the destruction. A mother and her 18-day-old son have been rescued after spending 32 hours trapped beneath the rubble following Venezuela’s devastating twin earthquakes. The pair survived the ordeal before rescue teams pulled them to safety. The mother, identified as Dayana Patino, was found with her newborn son, Juan David, after being buried under the remains of their apartment building. Videos of their rescue have been shared widely, with many calling baby Juan David a symbol of hope amid the destruction caused by the powerful earthquakes. WATCH: Moment a mother and a newborn baby were rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building in La Guaira, Venezuela, after being trapped for 32 hours.

pic.twitter.com/tl4oUEMvPA— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 29, 2026 ‘As Long As He Was Alive’ Speaking to the BBC after the rescue, Dayana said it was the thought of her son that kept her alive throughout the terrifying ordeal. “As long as he was alive, I was going to be alive. Every now and then I was touching his nose for proof that he was still breathing," she said. Dayana told the BBC she was washing dishes in her eighth-floor apartment in La Guaira when the earthquakes struck. She rushed to hold her baby, thinking it was only a small tremor, before the building collapsed. She said she felt as if she was “flying" before being buried under concrete and debris. Trapped with one leg pinned beneath the rubble, she saved her strength and only called for help when she heard rescuers nearby. A Promise That Saved Them Dayana said she found comfort after feeling a Bible beneath her in the rubble, calling it the beginning of her journey to survival.

She also noticed a tiny beam of light in the darkness, which gave her hope. Her rescue finally came when she heard her brother calling her name. Gathering all her strength, she shouted back, allowing rescuers to locate her. “I found you, and I promise you that I won’t leave until I get you out," her brother told her, according to the BBC. A careful rescue operation followed, and both mother and son were brought out alive on Thursday night. Dayana suffered injuries to both legs, while Juan David escaped with only minor injuries. Rescue efforts continue across Venezuela as emergency teams race to find any remaining survivors. According to the latest official update, at least 1,750 people have died and around 5,000 have been injured after the twin earthquakes, while thousands remain missing. Authorities said the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of buildings. More than 3,600 rescue workers, 118 search-and-rescue dogs and aid from 30 countries have been deployed as search operations continue, with many families still waiting for news of their loved ones.