Cali says goodbye to Yenci Lorena Restrepo, the mother who gave her life for her children during the earthquake
The city of Cali went into mourning to bid a final farewell to Yenci Lorena Restrepo, a 30-year-old young mother who lost her life following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that recently struck Colombia. In an act of extreme bravery, Restrepo died while trying to save her two young children, aged four and six, during the collapse of their home in the Alto Meléndez neighborhood.
The tragic event occurred when the woman, upon feeling the strong earthquake, decided to quickly evacuate the second floor of her home. According to the testimony of her husband, Sebastián Íguira, neighbors recounted that, upon noticing that a wall was about to collapse, Yenci made the decision to protect the minors with her own body, receiving the direct impact of the structure to ensure the survival of her children.
What the neighbors tell me is that she was holding the children and a wall collapsed on top of her; what she did was throw the children forward and she took the full impact.
Sebastián Íguira, victim’s husband.
An act of heroism amidst the tragedy
Thanks to their mother’s intervention, both children managed to survive, although they sustained injuries. Currently, the four-year-old girl remains under medical observation due to a skull fracture, while her older brother was discharged shortly after the incident. Sebastián Íguira, who was running errands near his home at the time of the earthquake, described the distressing return home after attempting to contact her without success.
During the wake, family members, friends, and neighbors gathered to honor the memory of the woman who is remembered today as a heroine by her community. Wearing white t-shirts bearing her face and farewell messages, the attendees accompanied the coffin in a funeral procession to a cemetery in the south of Cali, where she was bid farewell amidst applause and expressions of deep sorrow.
- Yenci Lorena Restrepo died protecting her four and six-year-old children.
- The tragic event took place in the Alto Meléndez sector, Cali.
- The youngest of the children continues to receive medical attention with a satisfactory prognosis.
- The Cali community has recognized the young mother for her bravery in the face of adversity.
This unfortunate event is part of the toll of victims left by the earthquake in the country, becoming a symbol of maternal sacrifice. Sebastián Íguira said goodbye to his wife with a message full of gratitude and pain, ensuring that he remains with the legacy of love and protection she left in their children.
