As the year turns to its second month, disaster strikes at the border of Turkey and Syria.
People were sleeping in their homes when the ground shook under their feet.
In an instant, piles of rubble and metal caved in and buried thousands of civilians in the wee hours of the morning.
More than 21,000 people have lost their lives, and a magnitude 7.8 earthquake buried thousands more.
It was one of the deadliest moments of the year.
But through the pain and grief, pockets of miracles served as beacons of hope.
When the sun rose, emergency responders were already working round the clock.
Doctors and other health professionals saved patients and babies.
The military, firemen, and police all scrambled to rescue people underneath slabs of dirt and concrete.
Rescuers from around the world arrived at the scene, ready to lend a hand.
This article may contain distressing images.
A pair of these survivors were two children.
Rescuers and first responders in Haram unearthed two children.
The little girl, 7-year-old Mariam, was sandwiched between the rubble.
And throughout the ordeal, she made sure her brother Ilaaf was safe.
She covered her brother’s head with her arm.
But it wasn’t the only thing she did to protect her brother. More than the physical harm, she remained strong for both of them.
The children were buried under the building for more than 36 hours.
When the rescuers got to where the children were, Mariam welcomed them with quiet stoicism.
She tenderly caressed her brother’s hair as if telling him their seemingly endless agony was coming to an end.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, Mariam told the rescuers that she’d do anything for them.
In exchange, she just wanted their help.
She even told the rescuer that she was willing to be their servant.
They declined her pleas and reassured her that they would do everything in their power to get them both out – no catch or anything in exchange.
The video then showed the ending of the situation.
The children were carried away in blankets.
The children were also taken to a hospital to assess their overall health and to help them recover.
The current death toll continues to climb.
Governments are worried that the winter will further exacerbate the situation as thousands of survivors are left without food and shelter.
The current casualty rate has surpassed a similar earthquake that hit Turkey in 1999.
“This is the moment of unity, it’s not a moment to politicize or to divide but it is obvious that we need massive support,” UN chief Antonio Guterres told BBC.
Other nations assured Syria and Turkey that more help was on the way.
The World Bank pledged $1.7 billion in aid.
Watch the miraculous moment when rescuers found siblings under rubble.
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While under the rubble of her collapsed home this beautiful 7yr old Syrian girl has her hand over her little brothers head to protect him.
Brave soul
They both made it out ok. pic.twitter.com/GrffWBGd1C— Vlogging Northwestern Syria (@timtams83) February 7, 2023
