Former New York Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia has revealed how ‘divine intervention’ saved his life during the back-to-back Venezuela earthquakes that have left over 200 people dead.
Mejia played 113 games for the Mets across two spells, in 2010 and from 2012 to 2015. He was banned for life in 2016 after his third positive test for a banned steroid but was eventually reinstated by commissioner Rob Manfred after serving the minimum two-year ban.
The 36-year-old, who also briefly signed with the Boston Red Sox, had just finished a workout in a hotel in the city of La Guaira, 15 miles north of Caracas, on Wednesday and was returning to his room when the earthquakes hit.
But, rather than going up to the sixth floor, the elevator took Mejia down to the ground floor because another guest had called it.
‘I was in the gym area. And at that moment, I took the elevator to leave,’ Mejia said, according to Dominican newspaper Diario Libre.
‘In fact, I had pressed number six, which was where my floor was. But… I think it was God because instead of going up, it went down to the basement.’
Ex-Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia has revealed how ‘divine intervention’ saved his life during the back-to-back Venezuela earthquakes
Thousands are feared to be buried alive beneath the rubble after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela
‘The door opened directly into the lobby. That’s when I came out and the building started to collapse,’ he continued.
Mejia, who now pitches for Venezuelan Major League team La Guaira Delfines, even helped an elderly man to safety. He claimed they were the only two who survived the deadly destruction.
‘With the agility I have, I helped an elderly gentleman. I was able to drag him away, take him with me,’ Mejia continued.
‘I think only he and I (came out alive), the others are still there, trapped under the rubble.’
Mejia lost all of his possessions in the earthquakes and couldn’t fly home to the Dominican Republic because his passport is missing and flights are suspended.
Thousands are feared to be buried alive beneath the rubble after the powerful earthquakes struck on Wednesday night, with officials fearing the death toll could rise dramatically.
The official death toll rose to around 235 late Thursday, with at least 4,300 people injured, Venezuela Health Minister Carlos Alvarado told state media.
The number of casualties is expected to climb with thousands reported missing and frantic rescue efforts continuing.
The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck were among the strongest in Venezuela in more than a century and were felt throughout the region.
The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck were among the strongest in Venezuela in more than a century
Rescue workers and volunteers search through the rubble of a collapsed building in Caracas
Rescue workers work at the scene in an earthquake-affected area of Caracas, Venezuela
The injured were pulled out covered in dust and blood, among them children and animals.
The coastal region of La Guaira, north of the capital Caracas, suffered some of the heaviest damage and casualties.
The country’s main airport is there and was closed due to damage, complicating aid efforts.
Many were stunned Thursday morning as they saw buildings reduced to skeletons, furniture hanging out of windows and helicopters circling overhead. Buildings were flattened and streets cracked open.
Families posted missing-person flyers with photos of loved ones while others shared handwritten lists of names as they searched.
Venezuelans abroad struggled to make contact with relatives due to interrupted phone service in the country.
In downtown Caracas, hundreds spent the night huddled in parks, parking lots and other open spaces.
The natural disaster is the latest challenge for acting President Delcy Rodríguez, the former vice president who took office in January after Maduro’s capture.
Rodríguez declared a state of emergency in an address to the nation late Wednesday. She said the government was creating a $200 million reconstruction fund for damaged hospitals and homes.
