In December 1999, Venezuela faced one of the worst natural disasters in its history. What happened in the state of Vargas over just three days would forever change the country and break the hearts of millions around the world.
The tragedy began on 14 December 1999, when heavy rains started falling on Venezuela’s coast. But these weren’t ordinary rains. In just 72 hours, more water fell from the sky than usually falls in an entire year. The rain measured 911 millimeters per square meter – that’s like having a whole year’s worth of rain dumped on you in three days.
The results were absolutely devastating. Massive landslides came crashing down the mountains, carrying with them mud, rocks, trees, and debris. These deadly rivers of destruction swept through towns and neighborhoods, destroying everything in their path. Entire communities were wiped off the map in a matter of hours.
According to the International Red Cross, between 15,000 and 50,000 people died in this disaster. More than 75,000 families lost everything they owned. Eight out of eleven towns in Vargas state were severely damaged or destroyed. Over 5,300 buildings were completely demolished, and another 2,600 were severely damaged. About 80% of the people living in the area were directly affected by this tragedy.
Vargas state was devastated by a landslide in December 1999. Aerial
Leidy Crespo, who survived the disaster, remembers exactly what happened. She was in her neighborhood called Llano Adentro when, at 5:30 in the morning on 16 December, a massive wave of mud and debris came rushing through. “It was like being in a movie. I’ll never forget it,” she said.
The next morning, when the rain finally stopped, the scene was like something from a nightmare. The entire town was covered in thick mud, dead bodies, and destroyed buildings. “You would be walking, and a buried body would appear. I can still remember the cries of people looking for their family members,” Crespo recalled.
But among all these stories of loss and destruction, one moment stood out above all others. It was a moment that would touch the hearts of every Venezuelan and become a symbol of the purest kind of love.
Rescue workers were searching through the mud and debris, looking for survivors. That’s when they found him – a man buried in mud up to his neck, but still alive. The rescuers immediately began trying to free him from the thick, heavy mud that had trapped him.
But something was wrong. Instead of being grateful for the rescue, the man was crying and begging them to stop. “Don’t take me out,” he pleaded with the firefighters. “Leave me here.”
The rescuers were confused. Why would someone refuse to be saved? One of the firefighters tried to calm him down, saying, “Take it easy.” But then the man said something that left everyone speechless and broke their hearts forever.
“It’s just that I’m holding my two daughters by the hands,” he sobbed.
The rescuers realized the horrible truth. This father had been holding onto his two young daughters when the landslide hit. The girls had died, buried under tons of mud and debris. But their father, somehow still alive, refused to let go of their hands. Even facing his own death, he couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning his children.
video:facebook
The moment was captured on video, and when it was shared, it became one of the most powerful and heartbreaking images of the entire disaster. Here was a father making the ultimate choice – he would rather die than let go of his daughters.
This wasn’t just about refusing rescue. This was about a parent’s love that was stronger than the fear of death. In his darkest moment, when he had lost everything, this father’s only concern was staying with his children until the very end.
The video of this moment continues to be shared today, more than 24 years later. It has become a symbol of the incredible power of a parent’s love and the sacrifices they’re willing to make for their children.
Eventually, the rescue workers did manage to save the father. They convinced him that he needed to live, perhaps to honor his daughters’ memory. But his story had already become legendary throughout Venezuela and beyond.
The father’s story was so powerful that it inspired artists and musicians across Venezuela. Venezuelan musician Porfi Baloa actually knew the man personally and heard the story directly from him. The father told Baloa how he had screamed at the rescuers not to pull him out because he was holding his daughters’ hands.
Years later, Baloa met the grieving father again. The man showed him a photograph and said, “Look, here’s my baby, he’s with me.” Deeply moved by this encounter, Baloa went home and wrote a song called “Recuerdos” (Memories), inspired by this incredible act of love.
The father’s story has also been featured in documentaries, news reports, and countless social media posts. It’s been told and retold across Latin America and around the world. People are drawn to this story because it represents something universal – the lengths that parents will go to for their children.
The Vargas tragedy didn’t just end when the rains stopped. The recovery took years and cost enormous amounts of money. According to the National Housing Council, reconstruction expenses reached $830 million. However, other official estimates put the cost at twice that amount.
But the real cost couldn’t be measured in money. The emotional and psychological scars ran much deeper. Survivor Leidy Crespo spent six months living in a shelter after losing her home. Even today, more than two decades later, she still suffers from the trauma.
“If water hits the roof, even just a few drops, it torments me. Or if a faucet is left on. It unnerves me. I close it immediately,” she explained. The sound of water still brings back memories of that terrible morning when the mudslide destroyed her world.
Photographer Daril Jiménez created a documentary called “When the Hill Came Down” to honor the survivors of the tragedy. During his filming, he collected testimonies from people who had lost everything. He interviewed men who had lost their wives and children, and women like Crespo who were still living in Vargas, trying to rebuild their lives.
“We had to start from scratch, but we’re still here,” Crespo said proudly. Her words capture the resilience of the Venezuelan people in the face of unimaginable loss.
Now, as Venezuela approaches the 26th anniversary of the Vargas tragedy, the story of the father and his daughters remains as powerful as ever. It serves as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, love can shine through.
The father’s decision to stay with his daughters, even if it meant his own death, represents the most beautiful and tragic aspects of human nature. His love was so strong that he was willing to sacrifice everything for his children, even when there was nothing left to save.
This story has become part of Venezuela’s national identity. It’s taught in schools, shared in families, and remembered every December when the anniversary comes around. The father’s words – “I’m holding my two daughters by the hands” – have become some of the most famous and heartbreaking words in Venezuelan history.
The Vargas tragedy was undoubtedly one of Venezuela’s darkest hours. Thousands died, families were destroyed, and entire communities were wiped out. But from this darkness came a story of light – a father’s love that was stronger than death itself.
Today, when people in Venezuela talk about the power of family love, they often think of this unnamed father who chose to stay buried in the mud rather than let go of his children. His story continues to inspire people around the world. It reminds us all of the incredible depth of a parent’s love.
The father and his daughters may be gone, but their story lives on forever in the hearts of millions. It’s a story that proves that even in our worst moments, love can triumph over everything else.
