Colombian woman dies saving dog from earthquake

In Pasto, Colombia, Michael Ruiz recounted the tragic story of his sister Lenny who lost her life while attempting to save their pet dog during the devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the western parts of Colombia on Monday. The earthquake caused at least 294 fatalities and injured nearly 4,000 others.

Lenny, a lawyer who worked as a legal professional, shielded the dog, named Salomon, with her body when their building collapsed in Cali, one of the cities hardest hit by the quake. Ruiz described his sister's sacrifice, saying, "My sister gave her life for him because she was holding him against her chest, and the whole structure fell on top of her."

Ruiz, deeply affected by the incident, expressed his thoughts about their bond, stating, "I see it as a love story, because obviously she loved that little animal... when you love something, you protect it." The 12-year-old Salomon, who suffers from epileptic seizures that left him blind, was eventually rescued from the debris with the help of rescuers. The search for missing pets continued six days after the earthquake, and many pet owners held onto hope that their lost animals would be found alive.

Jessica Florez, Lenny's sister-in-law, shared that the dog is heartbroken over his owner's passing. A video of Salomon standing on top of Lenny's coffin has been viewed by tens of thousands on social media, as people grieve the tragic loss and honor the love between a mother and her pet.