A Venezuelan mother has reportedly died after sacrificing her own life to save her young daughter during the devastating earthquakes that struck the country this week.
The woman, identified by local media as Andrea Bello, was the wife of Venezuelan footballer Héctor Bello.
According to reports, she shielded her toddler daughter when their building collapsed during the twin earthquakes, ensuring the child survived.
In an emotional tribute shared on Instagram, Héctor Bello praised his late wife for her final act of courage.
“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.”
The footballer said his daughter and her aunt survived the collapse and are receiving treatment in hospital.
Expressing his grief, Bello wrote:
“How do I explain to your daughter that you lost your life to save hers, and that I wasn’t there to do anything? Give me strength now.”
The tragedy comes as rescue teams continue searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings following the powerful earthquakes that struck near Caracas.
Authorities say at least 920 people have been killed, while more than 3,000 others have been injured. Hundreds remain missing.
Among the victims are football players, foreign nationals and residents whose homes were destroyed when buildings crumbled during the disaster.
The earthquakes have triggered one of the deadliest natural disasters in Venezuela’s recent history, with rescue workers racing against time to locate survivors as families mourn loved ones lost in the catastrophe.
Emergency operations remain ongoing across affected areas, particularly in Caracas and La Guaira, where some of the worst destruction has been recorded.
