Venezuelan security guard pulled alive from building basement 8 days after twin quakes

In a moment of profound hope amidst widespread devastation, rescuers pulled a 43-year-old security guard alive from the basement of a collapsed building early Thursday, eight days after powerful twin earthquakes struck Venezuela.

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When we found him, he asked us not to tell his wife that he was alive, just in case he wouldn’t make it.

Hernán Alberto Gil Flores had been trapped since June 24 beneath the rubble of the Galerías Playa Grande shopping center in the coastal town of La Guaira. His survival, after a grueling days-long operation, became a potent symbol of resilience following the tragedy.

Teams from around the world cheered as Gil Flores, wearing an oxygen mask and covered by an orange tarp on a stretcher, was carried into a Red Cross ambulance. Rescuers, including a group from the Costa Rican Red Cross, embraced in relief. The rescue was hailed as a small miracle, providing a much-needed positive story after a week marked by loss.

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we were never going to leave him here.

Specialized teams sustained Gil Flores with food and water while they meticulously excavated the concrete debris. This sustained effort allowed them to keep him alive far beyond the typical 48-to-72-hour survival window in such disasters. His wife, Gusbimar González, expressed her despair turning into a "ray of light in the darkness" upon hearing he was alive. Gil Flores, who worked the night shift at the complex, was inside his security cabin when the first tremor hit. The cabin's stability shielded him from the worst of the collapse, creating a vital pocket of air that ultimately saved his life.

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When I learned he was alive, I saw a ray of light in the darkness.