One month after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on August 10, one story continues to move people across the country: that of Lenny Fernández, a lawyer who died when a building collapsed on top of her in Cali, a city in southwestern Colombia. Rescue workers found her body under the rubble—and, remarkably, discovered her 12-year-old dog, Salomón, alive beneath her, apparently shielded by her body.
Many believe Fernández used her final moments to protect her pet, who emerged from the wreckage unharmed. Salomón is blind and suffers from epilepsy, conditions that reportedly made Fernández especially devoted to him throughout his life.
According to the newspaper El Tiempo, Salomón now lives with Fernández’s relatives in Pasto, her hometown in southern Colombia. Her sister-in-law, Jessica Flórez, said the dog refused to eat for three full days after being rescued, appearing withdrawn and depressed. To help him cope, the family retrieved some of Fernández’s clothing from the collapsed building so Salomón could sleep with items carrying her scent.
Though he now receives plenty of love and attention in his new home, relatives say Salomón still seems affected by her absence. Separately, the family recovered Fernández’s car from the wreckage after a month-long wait, but says Cali authorities have yet to resolve related paperwork.
To read the full story in Spanish, visit El Tiempo’s original article.
Source: La historia de Salomón tras un mes del terremoto: el perrito que fue salvado por su dueña bajo escombros (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: DFID – UK Department for International Development, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).