FuenteLying on her bed, Magaly was thinking about the trip she had to make tomorrow, with the rescue group where she had been working since she was 18 years old.
In the northern mountains, a landslide had occurred due to heavy rains and the town was cut off from communication.
She imagined what the situation would be like. She was a little afraid of what she would face, because even though she had experience in rescuing trapped people and putting out forest fires, she was not used to seeing death up close.
When she was a little girl, her parents had died in a traffic accident, which she had survived. She had seen the man she loved die, surrounded by flames, in a raging fire from which she barely escaped, unable to help him.
He had helped her to overcome her sadness and encouraged her to take the rescue course, where he was an instructor. Magaly had thus found her vocation, to help people in danger.
FuenteThe day of the trip arrived. A group of 10 people led by their commander was transported in a helicopter to the base of operations.
There, in a situation room, they analyzed the alternatives to reach the disaster site and help the survivors.
Teams of five people were formed and were expected to walk to the disaster site and set up a field hospital. The rain made air rescue impossible.
The team included Magaly and her friends Miguel, Alvaro, Efrain and Commander Carlos. They advanced through the forest, it was still raining and the road was slippery.
-Be very careful with a fall, the road is very dangerous. Advance close to the trees," said Carlos.
―We should be tied up,
―commented Miguel, the youngest.
―That is not the correct procedure in these cases, ―answered Carlos, because a fall would drag us all down.
Magaly was very anxious, she wanted to get there soon, she didn't know why, but she felt that something bad was about to happen.
They arrived at a very fast-flowing river that was dragging large stones, remains of houses and corpses.
―We are close, ―Magaly commented, overwhelmed by what she was seeing.
Suddenly they heard a very loud noise and it was as if the mountain was coming down.
―Run for that cave! ―was Carlos' desperate cry.
A dark opening in the mountain seemed to be their salvation.
But Magaly felt that something was holding her back, a voice telling her "Don't run, wait".
So she did and watched in anguish as the cave was covered by mud. When she could, she ran towards it, her boots sinking into the mud, but she kept on running, while she tried to communicate with the other teams through the radio.
When she got as close as she could, she radioed them and shouted as the rain continued to fall. She needed to hear that they were alive. She waited for a while and only heard silence on the mountain. Then in an act of faith, she knelt down and prayed for the lives of his friends.
A barely audible voice came over her radio and that was enough to give her hope.
―I'm here, hold on, my friends, they are coming to rescue you.
At that moment she thought defiantly "Death is not going to beat me this time", while with her hands she removed the mud that separated her from them.
That's how the team members found her, who heard her call for help and quickly and before the mud hardened, they began the rescue.
The rain had stopped and Magaly, with her face full of tears, thanked them for this miracle.
