Deivi Delfín, 15, and his brother Winder, 17, experienced devastating seismic activity across two countries within recent months. The brothers were in Venezuela when magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck 39 seconds apart, collapsing their 12-storey apartment building in La Guaira. Their mother Yusmani, grandmother Carmen, and 10-year-old brother Moissés were killed in the disaster, which resulted in more than 6,300 deaths according to Venezuelan government figures.
Following the tragedy, the brothers participated in rescue and recovery efforts at their collapsed home. As teenagers, they were able to navigate through narrow spaces in the rubble, using flashlights to guide professional rescuers to the remains of their family members. Over the course of nearly a month, they gradually uncovered personal items belonging to their relatives before discovering their bodies beneath the concrete debris. The emotional toll of these experiences led both brothers to reflect that they no longer felt like children.
After completing funeral arrangements, the family relocated to Cali, Colombia, where their father Deivid had been working. The move was intended to provide a fresh start and allow the brothers to focus on education and rebuilding their lives. However, only three days after arriving in their new home, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia—described as the strongest the country had experienced this century. The tremor caused several hundred deaths and left many missing, with Cali among the most severely affected areas.
When the Colombian earthquake occurred, Deivi was sleeping and initially thought he was experiencing a dream before the intensity increased. Both brothers evacuated their residence and sought safety outside. Their father, who was away from home when the tremor began, rushed back to find them, anxious for their safety. The brothers attempted to reassure their father, noting that they had survived comparable disasters previously.
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