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The Venezuelan soccer player Héctor "Kike" Bello confirmed this Thursday the death of his wife, Andrea, who was trapped under the rubble of the building where the family lived in La Guaira, which collapsed due to the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon.
Bello was abroad when the tragedy occurred, unable to assist his family as they were buried under the rubble.
From outside, the central defender from Cumaná, Sucre state, poured out his sorrow in a series of Instagram stories that moved thousands of people.
Andrea, my precious love, why are you leaving me alone? This was our struggle, mommy," he wrote in one of his messages.
In another post, the footballer expressed the anguish that consumes him at the thought of facing his young daughter, also named Andrea: "How do I tell my daughter, Andrea? How do I explain to her that you lost your life saving hers, and I wasn't there to do anything? How do I explain it? Give me strength. Why can’t I take it anymore?"
That is precisely the most heartbreaking aspect of the story: Andrea died shielding her daughter with her own body during the building's collapse. The girl was rescued alive by the emergency teams.
Bello also directed words to his mother-in-law, asking her to hold on: "Mother-in-law, wait for me; I won’t leave you alone in this pain. Dear mother-in-law, hang in there; I'm coming. Mother-in-law, we will take care of the blessing that our love left us."
In another message, the player spoke directly to his daughter: “Mommy, Daddy is on his way. Hold on for a little bit, mommy. Daddy is going to hug you very tightly so that you can give me the strength I need, daughter.”
And in one of the harshest messages, Bello confronted life itself: "How hard you have treated me. Every time I try to get up, you put me back on the ground. Please, don’t hit me any harder, life."
This Thursday, the footballer announced that he was returning to his country to reunite with his daughter: "To all those brothers who are supporting me, thank you very much. I'm going to leave you a number to stay in touch and reach Venezuela today, God willing."
The sports platform Cumaná de Campeones, which highlights the football talent of the state of Sucre, officially confirmed the tragedy: "We regret to inform that the partner of the footballer cumanés Héctor 'Kike' Bello was found dead among the rubble after the earthquake that shook the country on Wednesday afternoon. His daughter did manage to survive the collapse of the building where the entire family resided."
The same platform concluded its statement with a message of solidarity: "All of Sucre state and the football community embrace and stand with you in respect and solidarity, hoping you find peace amidst the sadness."
The story of Bello is one of the most tragic among those left by the worst seismic disaster in Venezuela in over a century. Two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck the country with only 39 seconds apart, leaving at least 188 dead, more than 1,500 injured, and nearly 2,927 families affected.
"You left us alone in the struggle, mom. You left me all alone with our daughter," Bello wrote in a message that encapsulates the drama of a man who lost his life partner while being away from his family.
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