June 5, 2010

Hidden

‘I need some rest, else I’ll be late for school.’ she said blurring.

‘The doctors are on their way’ he said.

She stood motionless, staring blankly at the cameras, Volcanic debris had trapped her legs.

Hidden below the ground, gangrene ate into her calves, as she faded.

13 year old Omayra’s death was captured live.




Gyanban Thoughts - Nevado Del Ruiz volcano erupted on November 13,1985 which killed nearly 25,000 people in Armero, Columbia. Omayra could have escaped, but stopped to save her sibling from the oncoming volcanic lava. Her legs got trapped in the deris of her own home.

When rescue teams arrived they realized that she could not be extracted without amputating her legs. She died with gangrene and hypothermia.

She began hallucinating in her last moments. World news covered this episode..as they say saw Omayra die a slow painful death.

For 3 days her pain and agony was captured by television crews but one photograph went on to capture the imagination of the world. Frank Fournier captured this shot just a few moments before she died.

The photograph was taken by photojournalist Frank Fournier and is listed as one of the photographs ,that shook the world.








36 comments:

  1. Gyan,
    this is the shortest but most effective post on Hidden..I am utterly speechless.
    how could you have brought such a subject in a way that can never fail to touch everyones' hearts? Amazing!!!
    May Omayra's soul rest in peace!
    ATB for BATOM

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  2. Profound,moving and prolific.
    The visual adds to the pathos but in the end,its the words that haunt the readers memory.

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  3. Please Remove the Picture.... Its horrifying, and not tolerable at all! Unless you want your readers to feel that!

    But the Post needs No Comments!

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  4. Shook me to the very core.

    R.I.P Omayra

    All the best for the contest :)

    My Blog

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  5. That was one sad story. :(

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  6. Crisp and effective.Well done.

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  7. I opine hidden is very tiny word for the pain she had passed through...
    I guess the post has surpassed the title....

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  8. I don't know what a comment can speak of such a post.

    May her soul rest in peace.

    ATB for the BAT, GB..

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  9. Very sad...
    :( R-I-P.
    True hero indeed...

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  10. I shed just one worthy tear for her soul to RIP.

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  11. Very sad indeed..

    The eyes speaks all about the incoming death.

    May her soul rest in peace.:)

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  12. thanks for the info u shared.. reading more about it now...

    All the best to u...

    Cheers!
    Tavish

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  13. all the best to u Gyanban.
    short yet spoke volumes!


    Leo - Hidden

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  14. I didn't know about her till I read this.

    Tragic.

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  16. I have read about this Photograph earlier on National Geographic website...Horrifying and chilling...

    Great 55 story...

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  17. OMG.. This was really sad! But, your post was AWESOME! You have a vote :)

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  18. Speechless....no amount of words can do justice to how much i liked it!
    Amazing.

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  19. Oh my God!! If there is a God, that is! Makes me shudder

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  20. That twinged my heart and left me numb!! Speechless Too!!
    May Omayra's soul rest in peace.
    Salute to Omayra's courage!!
    The picture does give me goosebumps.
    Thanks for the Gyaan.

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  21. Gyanban,
    touching . The post made me imagine all that the child would have gone through. Hiding the pain , it pains the pain much more when we try to hide it. Very very apt for the theme .
    Absolutely loved it
    --Tuppence

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  22. Poignant, horrifying. I'm at a loss for words...

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  23. OMG. Its really sad.. Nicely written.

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  24. Very touching a poignant narrative made all the more intense by it being reality and the photo.

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  25. Bullshit. This was tragic. And so God damned real! One of the most effective posts for this BAT!

    All the best for BAT!

    PS: http://bit.ly/thestupidgirl

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  26. What a wonderful way to tell the story. Really liked the succinct way in which you put Omayra's story out. Looking forward to see more stories from around the world, told through your eyes.

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  27. Painful ! Didnt knew about it ..the pic did really speak a lot ..may her soul rest in peace ..One of the best post ..All the best for BATOM :)

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  28. Very interesting blog.
    Will come back with follow up comments.

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  29. so sad and hard hitting.. effectively written..

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  30. moving is all I can say.......

    the perverse nature of us as people in general shocks me at times, if only something could have been done to save her, or atleast respected her enough to not film her in her final moments........................

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  31. I am listing it under "I Recommend " of my blog.... :)

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  32. a nice way to write.. though a sad story and the picture .. what can i say no words to say .. just hope the soul rests in peace and God bless All

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  33. May Omayra's soul rest in peace.
    It's mind-boggling how she endured that pain and sad that she had to.
    The picture says it all, though not for the squeamish.
    Thank you for putting up this post and informing us all.

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  34. Thank you all - for appreciating and voting and respecting Omayra's story.

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