When it comes to natural disasters, Japan knows no bounds of tragedy. Recently, five days after a powerful earthquake rocked the area, a woman in her 90’s was pulled from the rubble alive. While most rescuers thought their search would come up short, this miraculous find provides a glimmer of hope and respect for the courage and survivability of the people of Japan.
The woman was identified in the news as 93 year-old Tomiko Yoshimura. Rescuers found Yoshimura beneath the rubble of what used to be her home in Tokyo, Wednesay. She had been buried for over 72 hours and yet showed incredible fortitude and strength. Yoshimura was conscious and talking, even after five days without food or water.
Remarkably, Yoshimura was found when a homeless man heard her faint cries from beneath the wreckage of her home. He then alerted disaster relief workers who wasted no time removing the debris and pulled Yoshimura to safety.
It is not everyday that you hear such a miraculous story. However, Yoshimura’s rescue highlights the unsung heroes of rescue workers responding to disasters around the world. While these people experience a wild emotional roller coaster, knowing that one life was saved gives them the strength to continue their work even in the most dire of circumstances.
Yoshimura is receiving treatment for non-life threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for other victims of the earthquake as officials report at least 13 people dead and several more unaccounted for.
The rescue of this brave woman serves as an inspiration to us all of the endurance of the human spirit in the face of disaster.
