Trapped beneath the debris of their collapsed building in Venezuela after twin earthquakes struck the northern region on June 24, Francisco Soto and Deomaris Mata recorded what they believed would be their final message to their family.
However, what began as a farewell turned into a remarkable survival story. After being trapped for over 17 hours, civilians without professional equipment managed to rescue them alive.
The farewell video, shared on social media by Francisco's daughter to thank those who assisted them, has become a viral symbol of the tragedy.
In the recording, Deomaris' voice can be heard pleading, "Tell them to take care of my son if they find this phone, please."
With a breaking voice, Francisco bids farewell to his son by name: "My love, I love you. My son, Sebastián. Mom. Dad. We love you."
Even in that moment, Deomaris tried to keep their spirits up: "Honey, come on. Let's live, okay? Don't lose hope, I'm counting on you."
The Earthquake Strikes
The couple was lying on the sofa bed in their apartment watching television when the tremor began.
"We could do nothing but hug each other and let the building collapse," Francisco recounted in an interview with Noticias Caracol.
Everything happened in less than 30 seconds. When they regained consciousness, Francisco faced a wall directly and was practically on top of his wife, as they had fallen embraced.
He sustained an open fracture in his leg; she was immobilized with a wall pinning her legs and the weight of her husband on top.
The Message That Seemed Like Goodbye
About four hours after the collapse, without cell signal and convinced they wouldn't survive, they recorded the message for their family.
"We thought we wouldn't make it out alive. We recorded the video for that very reason, leaving a message that if someone found the phone eventually, it would be our farewell to our family," Francisco explained, noting that he even unlocked the device so anyone could access it.
Throughout the night, they remained dehydrated, in near-total darkness, unaware of the extent of what was happening outside.
"The silence was overwhelming. At that depth, we didn't know the magnitude of what was happening," Francisco recalled.
They took turns comforting each other: when one cried, the other provided solace.
"When Francisco was desperate, I found calm. When I cried, he encouraged me. Falling beside each other gave us strength and hope that we could get out," Deomaris said.
She also described how she clung to faith: "He had a chain with a Christ, and I held onto it because I couldn't see his face. Francisco was crushing me, and I cried because it took my breath away."
Civilians to the Rescue
As dawn broke on June 25, they began hearing voices from outside and shouted with all their might until they were found.
"They started encouraging us, providing water, and removing debris. They had no tools. The rescue was tough. They risked their lives. They're angels to us. We can't thank them enough," Francisco said.
Francisco was freed after 17 hours trapped.
Deomaris' rescue was more complex, as a rescuer had to crawl through the rubble to place a hydraulic jack and lift the wall pinning her legs, taking an additional four hours.
"My rescue was a bit more challenging. I thought they couldn't get me out, but I feel that our unity and love kept us hopeful of getting out together," she said.
"We need more empathy. People don't know what others are going through, what our Venezuelan brothers are still experiencing down there, those still buried, those who lost everything," Francisco urged.
Official Negligence: Neighbors Still Trapped
After being rescued, the couple denounced the state's total absence in their building.
"They're still searching for neighbors in our building. People come to loot the few material resources left in the apartments. There's no evidence of a rescue effort, and there are still neighbors buried there. Given the time, we understand they might not be alive, but we see no help from anyone," they stated.
Francisco requires another surgery—having already undergone 19 previous operations on that leg—and Deomaris has been diagnosed with neuropathy due to crush syndrome. The June 24 earthquakes left 2,295 dead and up to 50,000 missing, according to UN estimates.
Understanding the Venezuela Earthquake Tragedy
What triggered the couple to record a farewell video?
Francisco Soto and Deomaris Mata recorded the video as they were trapped under rubble, believing it would be their final message to their family.
How were they eventually rescued?
They were rescued by civilians without professional equipment who heard their calls and managed to free them from the debris.
What was the state response to the earthquake in their area?
According to the couple, there was a complete lack of state presence or official rescue efforts in their building, leaving neighbors still trapped.