On December 7, 1988, one of the worst catastrophes of the 20th century occurred, the most powerful earthquake in Armenia with numerous casualties.
As a witness to those events, I have already told some episodes, you can read here: https://www.anekdot.ru/id/921079/ and here: https://www.anekdot.ru/id/985058/.

It was completely destroyed the city of Spitak, about 70-80% of Leninikan with a population of 200 thousand, as well as smaller towns and numerous villages. Official statistics say about 25 thousand dead and 140 thousand disabled, but according to my feelings at the time, this number is much higher. This was aggravated by the still high mountainous winter, with nightly negative temperatures, the chances of survival of people who were under the falls, and not excavated during the first, maximum three days, were extremely small.

The tragedy did not leave the whole Union indifferent, huge tails were built at the blood donation points, many people tried to send a package with strong aid. International aid with food and things flew from all corners of the world, doctors, rescuers and simply indifferent people came to Armenia from all countries, humanitarian, all kinds of help, both from most states and from individuals...
If it had happened today, would it have happened? I doubt it, but that’s not the story.

There have been cases of miraculous salvation, one of which I want to tell you today.
Very then remembered the story of 25-year-old teacher Emma Akopyan and her 4-month-old daughter Mariam. No, I was not a direct eyewitness, I read in a local newspaper, which began to be distributed in Leninikan, about 7-8 days. Basically, there were printed lists, who is where or who was identified, as well as information on receiving help, etc. But that day the newspaper came out with a photo on the front page of this woman, with a baby on overtone arms, and her stunning story.

They lived on the 3rd floor of the fifth floor, at the first pushes the woman only had time to take the child on her arms, as the house formed, and they found themselves under a crash. She was a little lucky that they were going for a walk and Emma had time to put on socks and a hoodie, but the child was still in the sleeve and slippers.
“I woke up in the dark, one leg was under the panel, the head almost tight between the others. There was only one hand between my daughter’s head and the plate. She covered her lungs with her other hand so that she didn’t get inflamed. I was squeezed from all sides, so I didn’t feel the cold,” the woman recalls.
The next day the milk was gone, and Emma, as it was written in the newspaper, cut her fingers with a piece of glass and fed her baby with her blood.

7 days, 6 hours, 40 minutes they spent under the dam.

I discussed this case somehow with a doctor I knew, and he said that a child at this age and under those conditions would need at least 200-250 grams of blood per day, primarily because of the risk of dehydration. And not once, but in portions, 4-5 times a day. And that from the finger such a amount of blood to get very difficult.
On the sloping upper plate, sometimes the water coated, Emma slid her, turning her head out to pain and wiping off her tongue to blood. She tried to scream, but quickly became tired and the little girl was scared and began to cry.

Think about people! and seven days.), almost lost faith, in the fact that she will ever be found (with her words: thought that everyone outside also died), squeezed and wounded (later they will do the operation on the head and remove a piece of glass from the spine), hungry, with a squeezed body, dehydrated... - still cut glass on her hands to feed her daughter with blood at least 4 times a day. Cutting and cutting, six days in a row... What a maternal feat, I just have no words to express my admiration for this Mother...

I remembered the story of an 11-year-old boy from a small village in the mountains, who realized that there is nowhere to wait for help, and alone digged from under the debris of houses and buried his parents and all his 11 (!) The dead relatives. Each of them in a separate grave and tablets made with names. Tell about him to your... over-the-counter bulldozers, when he begins to weep again, well, how hard he is. I would not wish that to anyone. But on this example – what is the real male duty and at what age some boys become men with the big letter... But today is not about that.

On December 14, Emma was felt by the dog of the French rescue team, when there was almost no belief in the survivors under the falls. Through the excavated small hole, she handed Mariam over to the French, and it took rescuers seven more hours to pick up the plates and get her herself.

Do you know why and how this happened to me? I read the address in the newspaper. The light, d 111), and having dropped this house on the map, was very close to our location, I clearly realized that I had passed past this wreck not once. I walked a week, moved, cold in the post, heated up at the stoves and fireplaces, slept, ate, drank tea, relaxed, boiled alcohol with the rescuers from the Special Atom... and she lay there without movement all this time - in the darkness, in the cold, in the shit, tormented by thirst and pain, without hope... but once in a while she cut and cut her hands with glass so that her daughter lived...

Oh, not those heroes are suited to us today... All these modern “heroes” of Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are not suitable for this woman...

In 1990, Emma was invited to France by President Mitterrand, and she was applauded by the Parliament of France. Three cities in the country awarded her medals. The same goes for two Greek cities. The Council of the CIS countries awarded Emma Akopyan the award "Symbol of the Mother of the World", and the international organization "Red Cross" awarded her a special award. This Mother’s feat will remain forever in history. It is officer.

And now Emma with her daughter Miriam, son and husband live in Yerevan, and really do not like to remember those events, but Emma is constantly carrying a bottle of water in her bag, without her begins a light but persistent panic...

P.S Women who suddenly decided to leave their child because of real or imagined difficulties - please remember Emma Akopyan and her story.