Like almost all Cubans, I followed closely the news related to the earthquake in Ecuador, and where three Cuban doctors died.
On television I saw two of the five doctors who worked in the town of Pedernales, Manabi province, talking about the grief over the loss of his brothers, what I did not known immediately was that among these survivors, was a santiaguero. After arriving in Cuba accompanying the bodies, during a television interview I knew it.
Immediately, and with the help of many people, whom I will not name, but I publicly thank, I reached by phone the young physician, who after seven days, I could still see in his eyes fatigue, exhaustion and pain.

the meeting
We are sitting in the living room of his house in the Antonio Maceo residential distric, in his arms are also visible the warn sunburn for long hours to get their peers Barbara, Leonardo and Eric from the debris.
Inevitably we have to start the dialogue for that Saturday April 16. He tells me that his work from Monday to Friday is in a very remote community, therefore he only came to the hotel on weekends, time he devoted to check emails and social networks; there in a nearby cafe, took him longer than usual as he was engaged in a chat with a friend. Thus, being approximately 6:40 pm shake an intense but short earthquake, but as he was near the door could make it getting out fast.
Minutes later, it happen another earthquake, the strongest one, 7.8 and very prolonged in time: "I just can tell you that I had time to move four corners, but the poles and the walls fell, the earth was moving to the point that I could not stay standing; there was much dust, it was raining ... I cannot describe more, it was unimaginable.
"Then I moved to the terminal, which was about 200 meters, and there I see injured people trapped, dust and visibility was almost impossible. Dr. Oneida Toirac Legrat-who was also outside the hotel- called me on the phone to hear from me, I say I'm safe, but I can´t see how was the hotel where were the rest of the companions, they did not answer the phone calls we made them.

"I was alone, there was a great confusion, there was a tsunami warning, so I join a family that came in a van to the home of relatives outside the village; but on the way as 10 km we find landslides and other obstacles, so we stayed inside the van from 9 pm until 2 or so morning ... then we decided to continue walking and after about an hour and a half we came to this house and there we were about 11 or 12 people in a wooden stable until dawn.
"In this place I attended a child with two head wounds and a man with another deep in his back, they themselves when knew that I was a doctor, look for hydrogen peroxide and cotton, which was at hand, and healed them ; there was nothing to suture. "

The second and third days

Jorge remembers they did not sleep, aftershocks continue, but at dawn, two members of that family were missing, and went out to look for them in a car, so I go with them.
"When I got to Pedernales was when I can see clearly how everything was, just ruins, the hotel where I lived, five-story had become rubble of a meter taller or less. I kept calling my colleagues on the phone, but did not respond, and I was sure they were trapped. I turned to communicate with doctor Oneida, who already came to where I was, and I told her that the entire block was destroyed.
"We contacted the embassy, they delivered food and began the process with the excavator begin the search. It was very difficult, as he knew he tried to guide operators place gradually were appearing belongings, documents, until about 6 pm were found together the bodies of Baby and Leonardo.
"The next day, at about 4.30pm was when we found the body of Erik, was very laborious as he was not in his apartment, apparently tried to walk down the stairs"...
Tribute and farewell
The following days were no less painful, doctor Oneida and me, we were given the task of accompanying the bodies of our brothers and deliver them to their relatives. I continue to Granma, with Leonardo, he and I had a great friendship,. It was very, very hard, we were like brothers.
"There in the embassy, with much pain, make sure than on the 711 employees of the medical mission, they will be represented, as were very humble and hardworking people."
The family
"About 20 minutes after the earthquake I called my girlfriend here in Santiago and told her what happened that I was fine, but did not give her many details, she to talk to my mom.
Tania, the girlfriend, also a doctor, has been most of the time witness of our dialogue. She always tried to give encouragement to Nereyda, the mother, who confesses that he hardly slept and was calmer when he saw the television in the act of the embassy. Today, more sedate, says she is proud of her children; -the female is also medical and fulfilled mission in Venezuela, and not to forget these days of distress the support of neighbors.
The father, both football game on TV, but always shoeing a phrase that could be loose in the conversation; and above all, conveying a message of encouragement and strength to the families of the deceased.

"This is my first mission and has lived an experience I never want to repeat. Pedernales was in ruins. Before coming of my patients I knew who to live away from the epicenter and houses made of wood, suffered minor damage; that leaves me calmer.
"When I return I do not know what place I will play, but I am sure that we will be where we are most useful."

Epilogue

The morning passed almost without realizing it shows me pictures of their patients, we talked about his work here in Santiago in the Budgeted Health Unit, which allowed him to work in several centers.
Amid all ideas, not want to end without "thank the leadership of the country and the head of the mission, not to leave us alone at any time, for support, for telephone calls in a moment worth much".