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Hero Mom: Afraa Abu Hadiya's Final Act Under the Rubble
Trapped under rubble after Syria's 2023 earthquake, a mother gave birth and protected her newborn with her body before she died.
Hero Mom: Afraa Abu Hadiya's Final Act Under the Rubble
The Earthquake Strikes
On February 6, 2023, a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Syria and Turkey before dawn. In the small town of Jinderis, near the Turkish border, Afraa Abu Hadiya and her family tried to rush out of their apartment building as it began to collapse.
Trapped Under Debris
The building collapsed on Afraa, her husband Abdullah (26), and their four children. Trapped under tons of rubble and debris, Afraa went into labor.
Birth in Darkness
In unimaginable circumstances�buried under debris, in complete darkness, and likely knowing she might not survive�Afraa Abu Hadiya gave birth to a baby girl. Doctors later determined she must have been conscious during the birth.
Protecting Her Newborn
In her final moments, Afraa protected her newborn daughter with her body, shielding the infant from the crushing weight of the debris around them. The baby was later found positioned in front of her mother's legs.
The Rescue
More than 10 hours after the earthquake struck, rescue workers found the newborn baby still connected by umbilical cord to her deceased mother. The infant's body temperature had dropped to 35�C (95�F), and she had bruises including a large one on her back, but she was alive.
Sole Survivor
The baby was the only member of her family to survive the building collapse. Her mother, father, and four siblings all perished.
A Sign from God
Rescuers initially named the baby Aya, Arabic for "a sign from God." Her aunt and uncle, who adopted her, later renamed her Afraa to honor her heroic mother.
Legacy of Love
Her uncle Khalil al-Sawadi said: "She is one of my children now. I will not differentiate between her and my children. She will be dearer than my children because she will keep the memory alive of her father, mother and siblings."
At one year old, baby Afraa thrives with her adoptive family, a living testament to her mother's final act of protection and love.
The Catastrophe
The earthquake killed 4,500 people in Syria and approximately 50,000 in Turkey, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent history.
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