Seventeen-year-old athlete Dennis Castillo spent 28 hours trapped under rubble after Venezuela's twin quakes on June 24 and has had her left leg amputated. The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude tremors killed over 6,300 people and injured nearly 18,000. At least 200 amputations have been reported — nearly half affecting minors — and high costs for prosthetics (about $3,500–$30,000) are driving fundraising efforts. The Dos Santos Foundation has raised $453,000 toward a $2 million target to help survivors regain mobility and rebuild their lives.
Venezuelan Teen Athlete Loses Leg After 28 Hours Trapped — Hundreds Face Amputations After June Quakes
The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes killed over 6,300 people and injured almost 18,000 more (Raul ARBOLEDA)
Seventeen-year-old athlete Dennis Castillo spent 28 agonizing hours trapped beneath rubble after the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24. A beam crushed her left leg while she awaited rescue; surgeons ultimately amputated the limb to prevent life-threatening complications.
The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude tremors devastated coastal regions, killing more than 6,300 people and injuring nearly 18,000. Castillo is one of at least 200 people who have undergone amputations since the disaster, and almost half of those amputees are minors.
Rescue, Loss and a Father's Determination
On the morning the quakes hit, Castillo was preparing to run with her father, Deinnis, when their building — more than ten storeys high in La Guaira, among the hardest-hit states — collapsed around them. Deinnis later recalled waking trapped beneath stair railings with a dislocated leg and calling out for his daughter.
"And in the middle of all that I said, 'My daughter!'"
After a frantic search he found her pinned; medical teams warned that without surgery she risked life-threatening infection. "She kept crying, screaming over and over," her father said. Eventually she agreed to the amputation so she would not leave her family behind.
Costs, Aid and Rehabilitation
Prosthetic limbs are costly — ranging from roughly $3,500 for basic devices to $30,000 or more for advanced, sport-specific prostheses — a heavy burden in a country already facing severe economic crisis. The Dos Santos Foundation, led by Juan Pablo Dos Santos (who lost both his legs in a car accident), has launched a fundraiser and so far raised $453,000 toward a $2 million goal to help quake survivors obtain prosthetics and rehabilitation.
Some survivors have turned to crowdfunding platforms to cover costs. According to prosthetics specialist Dr. Bianca Damaso, roughly 20 victims have already received donated prostheses through the initiative and about 10 more are currently receiving assistance.
"It is very important that they have the opportunity to spend time with people who are also amputees, so they can see that there are others of us who have moved forward with our lives," said Dos Santos.
Long Road Ahead
Recovery will be long and emotionally difficult. Medical professionals warn that many patients are still processing the magnitude of their injuries and the trauma of the disaster. Castillo’s father says he will not relent until his daughter gets the support she needs: "She wants to go out and train," he said, underscoring the resilience and hopes of young survivors determined to rebuild active lives.
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