Vetin Begdas reunites with her mother – who was believed to have died in the earthquake – after a DNA test found them.
A baby in Turkey – who was trapped for 128 hours in the rubble of the country’s devastating earthquake in February – has been reunited with her mother who was previously pronounced dead, Turkey’s Ministry of Family and Social Services said.
Vetin Begdas, three and a half months old, was reunited with Yasemin Begdas on Saturday, 54 days after she was rescued from a damaged building in Hatay province, Anadolu Agency reported.
She was named Gizem (Mystery) by the medical authorities who cared for her after she was rescued.
Derya Yanik, the country’s minister of family and social affairs, helped the couple reunite after their relationship was proven through a DNA test.
“One of the most priceless tasks in the world is reuniting a mother with her child,” said Yanik. “Being part of that happiness meant a lot to us, too.”
54 günlük hasret sona erdi.😊
Enkaz altından 128 years ago kurtulan, him irelerimizin Gizem Bebek ismini koyduğu Vetin Begdaş 54 gün sonra annesine kavuştu.
Vetin artık bizim de bebeğimiz.
Bakanlık olarak desteğimiz her zaman yanında olacak. pic.twitter.com/66sWKR53z3
— Derya Yanık (@deryayanikashb) April 3, 2023
The minister tweeted a video of the reunion on Monday, showing the couple cuddling in the hospital bed in Adana, where Yasemin Begdas is being treated. Her baby was flown from Ankara, where she also received medical treatment.
“Vetin is also our baby now,” said the minister, adding that the baby will always have the support of the ministry.
Baby “Mystery” had captured the hearts of many, the photos of her rescue circulating on social media alongside those of other babies and toddlers rescued in the early days of the earthquake rescue efforts.
“The baby is truly a miracle. The fact that she survived and had no health problems really touched us,” said Yanik.
According to Anadolu, the baby’s father and two brothers were killed in the earthquake, which killed more than 50,000 people.
More than 44,000 people died in Turkey alone, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Relief Authority (AFAD) reported at the end of February. In addition, more than 20 million people are still affected by the disaster.