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  "path": "/2026/06/26/footballer-pays-tribute-wife-dies-heroically-shielding-daughter-1-venezuela-earthquakes-28940695/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-26T21:08:19.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "News",
    "World",
    "Venezuela",
    "Nearly 50,000 people are missing",
    "US",
    "News Updates",
    "Breaking News",
    "social media",
    "homeless",
    "check our news page",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
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  "textContent": "Andrea Bello has died protecting her daughter from the earthquakes (Picture: Héctor Bello/Instagram)\n\nThe body of brave mum Andrea Bello was discovered protecting her one-year-old daughter after the earthquakes broke out in Venezuela.\n\nHer husband, Marítimo de La Guaira player Héctor Bello, penned an emotional tribute to her, asking for ‘strength’.\n\nMiraculously, their toddler, Alana, survived thanks to her mum’s sacrifice and was discovered under the rubble in time by search and rescue.\n\nNearly 50,000 people are missing and at least 589 people have died following magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes in and around the capital Caracas on Thursday.\n\nThe rare double strike, which were 39 seconds apart, was the strongest since 1900, according to the US Geological Survey.\n\nThe organisation has also predicted more than 10,000 deaths.\n\n##  Sign up for all of the latest stories\n\nStart your day informed with Metro's **News Updates** newsletter or get **Breaking News** alerts the moment it happens.\n\nFootballer Héctor Bello penned an emotional tribute to his wife (Picture: Héctor Bello/Instagram)\n\nOn social media, the Venezuelan defender said she had ‘left them alone in the fight’, leaving him ‘all alone’ with their little girl.\n\n‘How do I tell that to my daughter?’ Héctor wrote. ‘Andrea, how do I explain to your daughter that you lost your life to save hers and I wasn’t there in that moment to do anything?\n\n‘How do I explain? Give me strength now because I can’t take any more.’\n\nIn another message today, he added: ‘You’ll always be our favourite hero, Mummy. I’m going to make sure our baby remembers how wonderful you were, how much you loved her.\n\n‘I’ll tell her the story of how you saved her, how you gave your own life for our daughter, how you were a brave woman who, even with your last breath, never abandoned her.’\n\nRemembering his wife, Héctor – also known as Kike – shared how her cheeks would ‘turn red’ when she laughed ‘all in love’.\n\n‘Oh Andrea, Mummy, I can’t handle this, my love, I really can’t.’\n\nOne-year-old Alana is recovering in hospital but is doing well (Picture: Héctor Bello/Instagram)\n\nThe heartbroken dad shared a snap of Alana after the earthquake, sporting a huge black eye and cuts around her eyebrow.\n\n‘You won’t see your daddy looking strong or smiling like always, but I promise I’ll heal and make you the happiest girl in the world,’ he penned.\n\nAlana is still in the hospital along with her aunt, after the pair were saved from their home, which had collapsed in the earthquakes.\n\nIn another post, he said: ‘My daughter and her aunt are doing well, they won’t be discharged today – they’re staying at the hospital. Thank you so much for supporting me through this immense pain.’\n\nHe continued to share information about the Venezuelan relief efforts, as well as more tributes to his wife and updates on his daughter.\n\nThe country’s football federation also confirmed the death of Yordelis Pereira, a player for Academia Puerto Cabello.\n\nThe earthquakes have left thousands homeless, particularly around the coast and La Guaira State, where Héctor and Andrea lived.\n\nBuildings were reduced to rubble while videos showed people fleeing violently shaking areas.\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,** check our news page.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Footballer pays tribute after wife dies heroically shielding toddler in Venezuela earthquakes"
}