A mother trapped in the rubble of her home after devastating earthquakes in Venezuela credits her newborn son with giving her the strength to survive. Dayana Patino and her 18-day-old baby, Juan David, were pulled alive from the wreckage of their apartment in the northern coastal region of La Guaira.

The earthquakes, which struck on Wednesday, have killed at least 1,450 people across Venezuela, with tens of thousands more reported missing. The country's interim president has described the event as the "most brutal natural catastrophe" in its history.

Patino recounted the terrifying hours spent underground, holding her infant son close. "As long as he was alive, I was going to be alive," she told the BBC, explaining that she would touch her son's nose periodically to confirm he was still breathing. She described feeling like she was "flying" before falling into a "pit" where her left leg became trapped under concrete and her temple was pressed against a rock.

Despite her severe injuries and the darkness, Patino found a bible beneath her and a "pinprick of light" that resembled the moon, which she used as a focus. Her survival efforts intensified when she heard her brother calling her name, prompting her to scream "Here I am" with all her might, leading to her rescue on Thursday night.

Footage of the rescue has circulated globally, with Juan David emerging as a symbol of hope amidst the widespread devastation. Patino's husband, Gerson, had just returned home and parked his car when the tremors began. The family's home was completely destroyed by the earthquakes.

While Dayana Patino sustained injuries to both legs, her son Juan David suffered only minor injuries. The rescue operation was described as delicate, with her brother vowing not to leave until she was safely extracted, a promise he kept.

Search efforts are ongoing, but with each passing day, hopes of finding more survivors are diminishing. The scale of the disaster has overwhelmed the nation, with many families still searching for loved ones.

Patino's account highlights the profound human instinct for survival and the powerful bond between a mother and child, even in the most extreme circumstances. The story of her rescue with her infant son serves as a poignant reminder of resilience in the face of overwhelming tragedy.