A Turkish mother of a 10-day-old boy has revealed that a cupboard saved her life when they crashed through the floor of her flat, protecting her from concrete slabs during the deadly earthquake.
One of the miracle stories after the earthquake that claimed more than 35,000 lives in Turkey and Syria is about 33-year-old Necla Camuz and her newborn son Yagiz, who survived being buried under mountains of rubble for almost four days.
Necla kept her baby boy alive for more than 90 hours after he was buried in the ruins of her home by breastfeeding him, even trying to drink her own mother’s milk to survive.
She gave birth to Yagiz – translated as the brave – on January 27, reports the BBC.
Ten days later, when the devastating earthquake struck at 4:17 a.m. local time, she was breastfeeding her son at the family home on the second floor of a five-story building in Turkey’s Hatay province.
Necla Camuz (33) gave birth to their son Yagiz – which translates as “the brave” – on 27 January. Ten days later, she was buried under a pile of rubble, clutching her young son to her chest.
When the earthquake started, she said her husband, who was then in another room, tried to reach her with her son while she was trying to do the same.
A wardrobe fell on her husband and son, preventing him and her son from moving.
She told the BBC: “As the earthquake got worse, the wall collapsed, the room shook and the building shifted position. When it stopped, I didn’t realize I had fallen on a floor. I called their names, but there was no answer.’
READ MORE: Six days after earthquake, more babies rescued from rubble in Turkey and Syria as death toll reaches 33,000
Surrounded by dust, she found herself with her baby still in her arms and a fallen wardrobe beside her, preventing a slab of concrete from crushing the couple.
Although Necla could not see through the dust, she immediately noticed that Yagiz was still breathing.
She said she initially struggled to breathe because of the dust around her, but it soon subsided and she was warm in the rubble despite only wearing her pyjamas.
Children’s toys may have been lying next to her, but Necla could not move or control them.
The only thing she was sure of was the wardrobe that saved her life, her son’s skin against her chest, the clothes on their bodies and the mountains of concrete and rubble around her.
For the first few hours after the earthquake, she could hear faint voices, but her cries for help went unanswered.
She hit the cabinet helplessly with a piece of junk next to her, but she didn’t hit the ceiling because she was too afraid of it collapsing.
The mother-of-two said she was scared and realized that no one might come to her and Yagiz’s rescue.
She told the BBC: “You plan a lot of things when you have a new baby and then… you’re suddenly covered in rubble.”
Her motherly instinct forced her to put her worries aside to care for her son and breastfeed him in a confined space.
Dramatic footage shows the baby and his mother being rescued before being loaded into ambulances and taken to hospital
After more than 90 hours underground, Necla finally heard the sounds of rescuers nearby. She heard dogs barking, which she initially thought was a dream
Yagiz was wrapped in a thermal blanket and carefully lifted from the rubble by rescuers from the Istanbul Fire Department
Miraculously, the mother and son suffered no serious injuries and were released from the hospital after 24 hours of observation.
She lost time and there was no food or water to fetch for herself. She even tried unsuccessfully to drink her own breast milk to stay hydrated.
She could feel the vibrations of drills overhead, and even heard muffled footsteps and voices, but they were far enough away that she didn’t want to waste her energy alerting them to their whereabouts if they weren’t nearby.
READ: Heartwarming moment protective nurses rushed to Turkey’s intensive care unit to stop sick baby beds from toppling during megaquake
She was constantly thinking about her family, worried about her husband and son, who were buried somewhere in the rubble, and about the fate of her other family members after the earthquake.
She would have had no hope of ever getting out of the rubble alive if it weren’t for her little boy, who slept most of the time and only woke up crying when he wanted to be fed.
After more than 90 hours underground, Necla finally heard the sounds of rescuers nearby. She heard dogs barking, which she initially thought was a dream.
A voice called her and asked if she was okay and if she could knock once for yes. She asked what apartment she lived in.
Necla and Yagiz were found after rescuers carefully removed the rubble under which they were buried.
She saw light for the first time in almost four days when a flashlight shined in her eyes.
She was asked how old Yagiz was, but not knowing how long they had been buried under the rubble, she wasn’t sure.
Yagiz was wrapped in a thermal blanket and carefully lifted from the rubble by rescuers from the Istanbul Fire Department.
Necla was carried away on a stretcher in front of a large crowd, unable to walk after being under the rubble for so long.
Dramatic footage shows the baby and his mother being rescued before being loaded into ambulances and taken to hospital.
At the hospital, Necla was greeted by family members who informed her that her husband Irfan, to whom she has been married for six years, and her other son, Yigit Kerim, were also rescued and are currently in a hospital for a few hours. away because they suffered serious injuries to their legs and feet
At the hospital, Necla was greeted by family members who informed her that her husband Irfan, to whom she has been married for six years, and her other son, Yigit Kerim, were also rescued and are currently in a hospital for a few hours. away because they suffered serious injuries to their legs and feet.
Miraculously, the mother and son suffered no serious injuries and were released from the hospital after 24 hours of observation.
She is currently staying with a family in a temporary blue tent where the family supports each other after the tragedy.
Necla was finally reunited with her husband Irfan and their three-year-old son, Yigit Kerim.
She said she tried to accept what had happened to her and her family, but was certain that she owed her life to her son, without whom she would have lost hope.
“I think if my baby wasn’t strong enough to handle it, I wouldn’t be either,” she told the BBC. “I’m very happy he’s a newborn and won’t remember anything.”
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
