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Former baseball player Alfonzo searches for family after Venezuela quakes

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Former Major League Baseball player Eliezer Alfonzo is desperately searching for his wife and daughter after they were trapped in a hotel collapse following twin earthquakes in Venezuela.
  • The earthquakes, which struck La Guaira state on June 24, have caused widespread devastation, killing over 2,600 people and leaving thousands missing.
  • Alfonzo remains hopeful, drawing strength from the rescue of their dog and his belief in their resilience, vowing to stay "until the end" in his search.

Former Major League Baseball player Eliezer Alfonzo is engaged in a desperate search through a mountain of rubble for his wife and daughter, who were inside a hotel when devastating twin earthquakes struck Venezuela last week. Alfonzo, a Venezuelan catcher who previously played for the San Francisco Giants, has been digging in the ruins of a hotel in Macuto, La Guaira, one of the areas most severely impacted by the June 24 quakes.

If my daughter's dog turned up, I think they're both there because I know they're quite resilient.

— Eliezer AlfonzoExpressing hope after their dog was found alive in the earthquake rubble.

The earthquakes have left over 2,600 people dead and thousands more unaccounted for, marking one of Latin America's worst seismic disasters. Alfonzo's 16-year-old daughter, Eliana Patricia, and her mother, Patricia Alejandra, were on the hotel's fourth floor when the tremors hit. On Friday afternoon, a glimmer of hope emerged when their 3-month-old dog, Mila, was found alive, her barking alerting rescuers to a potential life.

The dogs are showing signs of life.

— Eliezer AlfonzoReferring to trained rescue dogs detecting signs of life in the debris.

"If my daughter's dog turned up, I think they're both there because I know they're quite resilient," Alfonzo, 47, told AFP, trying to maintain composure. Nearly 200 structures, including entire residential complexes, collapsed during the powerful earthquakes. Alfonzo, who manages the Delfines de La Guaira team in Venezuela's Major Professional Baseball League, was preparing to accompany his wife and daughter to a game on the day of the disaster.

Until I have them in my arms, I'll continue to believe they're alive.

— Eliezer AlfonzoAffirming his determination to continue the search for his wife and daughter.

Before American rescuers arrived, 20 miners from Tumeremo tunneled through the debris of the eight-story hotel. Tests are currently being conducted to detect signs of life within the twisted concrete and metal. "The dogs are showing signs of life," Alfonzo said, referring to trained rescue dogs. "Until I have them in my arms, I'll continue to believe they're alive." The player, who debuted in the Major Leagues in 2006, vowed, "I will stay until the end."

I will stay until the end.

— Eliezer AlfonzoHis commitment to the search efforts.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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