The wife of Venezuelan footballer Hector Bello died while protecting their one-year-old daughter during the powerful twin earthquakes that devastated Venezuela last week.
Who is Hector Bello’s wife Andrea Bello?
Andrea Bello was the wife of Hector Bello, a defender for Venezuela‘s professional soccer team Maritimo de La Guaira. She died after using her body to shield their one-year-old daughter, Alana, as the building they lived in collapsed during the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to NBC.
Alana survived and was rescued from the rubble.
Local Venezuelan soccer organization Cumana de Campeones confirmed that Andrea was “found dead in the rubble” of the collapsed building where the family lived. The organization added, “The entire state of Sucre and the entire football community embrace you and stand with you in respect and solidarity, hoping you find peace in this time of sorrow,” as per NBC.
Hector paid an emotional tribute to his late wife on Instagram, writing, “You’ll always be our favorite heroine, Mommy. I’ll make sure to remind our baby girl how wonderful you were and how much you loved her.”
“I’ll tell her the story of how you saved her, my love – how you gave your own life for our daughter, how you were a brave woman who, even as you breathed your last breaths, never abandoned her.”
Hector Bello shares emotional updates on daughter Alana
In a series of emotional Instagram posts after the tragedy, Hector shared updates on his daughter’s condition and the heartbreak he was going through.
“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,” he wrote from a hospital in Caracas.
In another post, the 28-year-old addressed Alana directly, writing, “I need you to be strong. Just wait a little longer. I need you to be the one to heal my heart, which is in pieces,”
“You won’t see your daddy strong or smiling like always, but I promise to heal and make you the happiest girl in the world. Now it’s just you and me and your mommy watching over us from heaven. I know Andrea will give me strength.”
In an Instagram story, Hector also wrote, “How do I explain to your daughter that you lost your life to save hers, and that I wasn’t there to do anything? How do I explain it? Give me strength now.”
He also shared a final message to Alana on Andrea’s behalf, writing, “I know that if she had a minute to say something to me, she would tell me to protect you with my life like she did, and not to forget to always buy you the bananas you love so much.”
Venezuela earthquake
Venezuela was struck by powerful 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude twin earthquakes that occurred within 39 seconds of each other on June 24.
As of Monday, 1,450 people have been reported dead, with thousands more still missing as rescue missions remain underway.
