A newborn baby was rescued as the only survivor of his family from the rubble on Monday in Syria. A relative who lost his home himself has offered to be a foster parent.
Thousands of people have offered on social media to adopt a newborn baby rescued from the rubble in the Syrian town of Jindires, The British Broadcasting Corporation BBC tells you (you will switch to another service).
The baby, named Aya, or miracle in Finnish, was still attached to his mother by the umbilical cord when he was rescued. Aya’s mother, father and all four siblings died in the earthquake.
Aya was brought to the Cihan hospital in the nearby town of Afrin by a distant relative.
– We named her Aya so we wouldn’t have to call her a newborn baby anymore, pediatrician Hani Maarouf tells news agency for AP (you switch to another service).
In addition to the adoption offers expressed on social media, the director of the hospital Khalid Attiah tells the BBC that he has received dozens of calls from people who want to adopt Aya.
According to the AP news agency, Ayan’s grandfather, who lives in Jindires, plans to take her into custody after the baby is released from the hospital.
The great uncle, however, tells AP that his home was also destroyed and that is why he and his family of 11 are currently staying in a tent.
Until now, Aya has been cared for by Attiah, the director of the hospital, and his family. Attiah himself has a four-month-old daughter, and his wife has also breastfed Aya, according to the BBC.
– I won’t let anyone adopt him right now. I treat him like my own child until his more distant relatives arrive, Attiah commented on the adoption offers to the BBC.
DOCTOR: Born in the middle of an earthquake
Rescuers found Aya in the rubble of a five-story house on Monday afternoon, hours after the first quake.
Videos circulating on social media show a man rushing away from the ruins with a dust-covered baby in his hands.
According to Maarouf, Aya was brought to the hospital in poor condition. According to Maarouf, he was bruised, chilled and barely breathing.
– [Ayan äiti] probably gave birth to a girl and died a few hours before the family was found, Maarouf estimated for AP.
The baby’s condition is now stable and improving day by day.
Aya is not the only child orphaned by the earthquake.
The UN children’s organization Unicef says that it is currently monitoring children whose families have either disappeared or died. The organization coordinates with hospitals to find their relatives and provides food, clothing and medicine.
Sources: BBC, AP