The story I am about to share is deeply disturbing. The photos are graphic and devastating. so please be aware of this if you decide to proceed.

Many years ago I saw a photo that horrified me. For a moment I thought that it was a scene from a horror movie, but the truth was worse than any horror I could ever imagine.

It was a photo of a healthy young girl dying, in front of cameras, surrounded by people, trying to rescue her. Years passed, but I could never forget this girl or her story. Her name was Omayra Sánchez.

Omayra was a 13-year-old Colombian girl, who lived with her mom, dad, brother and aunt in a town called Armero, located below the Nevado del Ruiz volcano.

On November 13, 1985, the volcano erupted, and created huge mud/landslides that completely buried the town. Out of 31,000 people who lived in the area, about 22,000 died.

When mudslides destroyed Omayra’s house, her dad and aunt died, and she became trapped under concrete and debris, and could not free herself.

Divers discovered that Sánchez's legs were caught under a door made of bricks, with her aunt's arms clutched tightly around her legs and feet

Omayra managed to get her hand out of the ruins, so the rescue workers discovered her. During the course of that first day, they managed to clear the debris and wood that surrounded her, but realized that her legs were trapped in such a way that it was impossible to get her out.

At this time, she was still positive. She talked to reporters and rescue workers, sang, and asked for sweets and soda.

Rescue workers tried different ways of freeing her, but nothing worked. When they tried pulling her out, they realized that it was impossible to do so without breaking her legs in the process. Also, each time they tried pulling her, the level of water rose around her.

As her ordeal went on, Omayra became scared. Her spirits went down and she cried and prayed.

This lasted for three days. No attempts of rescuing her worked. As the last attempt they considered forcefully pulling her out. However, they discovered that Omayra’s legs were bent as if she was kneeling, and that if they did this, the legs would get severed.

Doctors who were present discussed this option, but decided that she would not survive this maneuver, because they did not have surgical equipment to save her from the effects of amputation.

They concluded that it would be more humane to let her die.

As end was coming close, Omayra started hallucinating. She spoke of being late for school and mentioned a math exam.

Her face become swollen, her eyes reddened and her hands become white.

She died on November 16th either from gangrene or hypothermia.

Cameras recorded her message to her mother, who was out of town when this happened:

Mom, if you are listening, and I guess you are, pray for me to be able to walk and that these people help me. Mommy, I love you and Dad and my brother. Goodbye, Mom.

I sometimes wish I could unsee/unknow Omayra’s story.

On the other hand, I feel that it deserves to be known and spoken about, so that these kind of tragedies do not repeat in the future.

So that she does not simply vanish into nothingness.

After Omayra’s tragic death, just as the death of thousands of people of Armero, many questions arose. If the residents were warned and evacuated on time, so many people could have been saved. Secondly, the rescue workers did not have many of the basic tools they needed to rescue Omayra and other survivors.

Some people heard Omayra’s story before, as well as others read about her for the first time. I wanted to help make a tribute on her bravery and good spirit. The woman name should-be recognized for what she had been, a brave little fighter.

i'm so sorry that the girl light went, equally I became beginning my life, a huge number of miles away.

Thank God for Nigeria

Brytesp:
Thank God for Nigeria

Op why naw, you just make and elderly person emotional.
Shai what a way to die.
They could have used an excavator, dig,dig it deep 2 feet behind her and at her front or better let's say 5feet and bring out both her and anything obstructing her naw that way, they can work out possible way to save her.

Cc Lalasticlala

4th picture, she was really optimistic and she even smiled, the 7th picture broke my heart, she has lost all hope already, what a cruel way to die.

Wow a touching story. She was indeed a fighter.

southniyikaye:
Op why naw, you just make and elderly person emotional.
Shai what a way to die.
They could have used an excavator, dig,dig it deep 2 feet behind her and at her front or better let's say 5feet and bring out both her and anything obstructing her naw that way, they can work out possible way to save her.

Cc Lalasticlala

4th picture, she was really optimistic and she even smiled, the 7th picture broke my heart, she has lost all hope already, what a cruel way to die.

I think with you way she was stuck beneath the rubles and her legs were in a kneeling position, they tried and It was impossible to free her and even if they amputated her legs there was a 100% chance that she wouldn't make it... I felt so sad for her

Brytesp:



I think with you way she was stuck beneath the rubles and her legs were in a kneeling position, they tried and It was impossible to free her and even if they amputated her legs there was a 100% chance that she wouldn't make it... I felt so sad for her

an excavator will bring out both the rumbles and everything obstructing her cos I didn't see one in the pics, my thought though

Eulalia come and read and shed tears a little

Sad story.

Ebenezer2021:
Eulalia come and read and shed tears a little

So sad nothing could be done to save her.
Such a beautiful girl. Hm...

I'm just speechless.