Heroic 17-Year-Old Sacrifices Life to Save Family During Devastating Philippines Earthquake

Philippines:

A heart-wrenching scene unfolded as Juvy Ytang faced 11 caskets containing victims of a devastating landslide triggered by Tuesday's powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake in the central Philippines.

Among the deceased was her 17-year-old daughter, Lady Jane, who sacrificed her life to save her family members. She was one of at least 72 people who perished in the earthquake that struck off Cebu island.

Ytang, 45, described how her heroic daughter rushed into a room in their Bogo City home, urgently shouting warnings as the ground trembled, instructing her to protect her two-month-old baby brother.

In a selfless act, Lady Jane threw herself over her family in a desperate attempt to shield them from the falling debris.

Tragically, moments later, she suffered a fatal head injury when a landslide partially buried their residence.

"It was love. She protected her mother, her siblings, her family," Ytang said while holding her infant and gazing at her daughter's coffin during Thursday's outdoor funeral service under a makeshift tent.

The baby survived with only minor bruises, while her husband, Silvestre, sustained injuries to his head and foot.

"She saved us. She was the reason we lived, but she was the one who died," he lamented.

Many victims lost their lives when buildings and homes collapsed—either from the earthquake itself or the subsequent landslides. Rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rainfall and power outages, with over 300 people suffering injuries.

During his Thursday visit to the severely affected Bogo city, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr promised financial assistance and provisions of food and water for the thousands of displaced families.

Ytang's family is both devastated and homeless. With their house buried and aftershocks continuing, they cannot return to what was once their home.

"We prayed for her," Ytang said of her daughter. "We just pray and leave it to the Lord."