Mom and 10-Day-old Baby Survive 4 Days Under Rubble, Says Son Saved Her Life

A mom and her 10-day-old son spent four days underneath the rubble following the Turkey-Syria earthquake. They struggled to survive, waiting for rescuers to see them. Through it all, the mom credits her son for saving her life.

Amidst the despair brought about by the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, there have been stories of unimaginable miracles that have brought hope to those who needed it. It’s been a tough week for all those involved in rescue operations, as they raced against time to save as many people as they could.

Necla Camuz of Samandag, Turkey, had no idea her son’s name would be put to the test shortly after giving birth to him on January 27. She named him Yagiz, which meant “brave one.”

Only ten days later, while feeding Yagiz early in the morning, Necla was startled by an intense shaking. The earthquake tore their entire city apart, and their modern five-story building was not spared.

Before the tragedy happened, Necla believed she lived in a nice building and felt safe in it. However, when the earthquake happened, it turned out to be unsafe, with the walls falling down as the earthquake occurred.

Necla held Yagiz close to her chest as she tried to go to her husband, who was in the other room with her older son. Unfortunately, before they could unite, a wardrobe fell onto her husband and older son, making it impossible for them to move.

Despite running on pure adrenaline, Necla observed that their building was changing position as the earthquake shook it. When the earthquake finally stopped, she noticed she and her baby had fallen one floor down, and she could no longer hear her husband and older son. “I shouted their names, but there was no answer,” she painfully recalled.

Looking around, the 33-year-old realized that a fallen wardrobe next to her saved their lives, as it prevented a slab of concrete from hitting them. Trying to conserve her energy, Necla had no choice but to lie down with her baby on her chest and wait for rescue – it’d take four days for that to happen.

Staying Underneath the Rubble

Necla and her son were lying underneath the rubble, which meant her surroundings were pitch black. She relied on her other senses to try and figure out what was going on. One of her biggest concerns was her son’s welfare. Listening to him against her chest, she was relieved to find out that he was still breathing.

With all the dust around them, it was difficult to breathe clean air. When it all settled, she and Yagiz were kept warm inside. Being comfortable wasn’t in Necla’s mind. She could feel toys beneath her, but she couldn’t check or move around to make herself more comfortable.

She could also hear voices from a distance, but no matter how hard she cried for help, nobody came closer. She also tried to bang on the wardrobe, hoping it’d be louder, but still, no one came to help.

After this instance, Necla realized that it was possible for no one to come to rescue them, and that thought terrified her. She couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t how life was supposed to turn out for them, especially with Yagiz being newly born. She said:

“You plan lots of things when you have a new baby, and then… all of a sudden, you’re under rubble.”

Baby Yugiz | Source: Facebook.com/ABC News

Despite not having access to food and water, Necla was glad to be able to feed her son breastmilk. In desperation, she even tried to drink her own milk but failed.

Necla lost all sense of time, so she had no clear idea of when she started to hear footsteps, voices, and drills overhead. The sounds felt distant, yet she hoped they would somehow get closer.

Feeling herself fade away, Necla decided to save her energy and remain quiet until the noises seemed closer to where they were. She motivated herself by thinking of her family – the baby asleep on her chest, and her husband and son who were also covered in debris. The mom also worried about the rest of her loved ones, who were also hit by the earthquake.

At one point, Necla was doubtful that they’d make it out alive. However, Yagiz’s presence gave her hope. He was a brave one, true to his name, sleeping most of the time they were under the rubble. He’d wake up crying, and Necla would feed him until he fell asleep again.

Yagiz Ulas rescued from the rubble 90 hours after the earthquake in Turkey | Source: Getty Images

Rescued After Four Days

It had been almost four days underground when Necla finally heard the sound of dogs barking nearby. She was completely disoriented by then after having gone over 90 hours without food and water and thought she might have been dreaming.

However, after hearing the barks, she started to hear voices. “Are you okay?” they called out to her. “Knock once for yes,” they said.

Finally, they were found. The rescuers carefully dug to locate her, and they were surprised to find her with a baby. After days in darkness, Necla finally saw light again.

Rescuers immediately took Yagiz from her, and they asked how old he was. Having had no basis for time, Necla couldn’t be sure; all she knew was Yagiz was only 10 days old when the earthquake took place.

Necla was carried away on a stretcher. When she was in the ambulance, she began to ask about her husband and older son, but they could not give her answers.

Necla still hasn’t fully grasped what had happened. All she knows is that Yagiz kept her alive, and she has him to thank for her survival.

Yagiz Ulas rescued from the rubble 90 hours after the earthquake in Turkey | Source: Getty Images

A Miraculous Story

When Necla and Yagiz made it to the hospital, they were met by family members, who assured her that her husband and older son were both rescued. However, after suffering serious injuries to their lower bodies, they had to be transferred to another hospital hours away.

Miraculously, Necla and Yagiz had no physical injuries. They were observed for 24 hours before being discharged from the hospital. Although they could leave, they now had no home to return to. Instead, they were brought to a blue tent where the rest of her family took shelter.

In the makeshift home, the family tried to bring back a sense of normalcy into their lives. They made each other coffee, ate together, played chess, and shared stories to pass the time.

Ultimately, Necla still hasn’t fully grasped what had happened. All she knows is that Yagiz kept her alive, and she has him to thank for her survival. “I think if my baby hadn’t been strong enough to handle this, I wouldn’t have been either,” she admitted.

Now that she and her family need to move on from such a tragedy, what gives Necla comfort is knowing her sons won’t remember anything. Her only dream is that they never experience anything horrific like that in their lifetime.

In another story of hope, a little boy trapped under the rubble for 45 hours is rescued and given water by rescuers. Click here to read all about it.

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