Mother Offers Quake Suffering for Her Family's Souls
Away on pilgrimage when the building fell, she stayed by her trapped son until his last breath — and still trusts God.
María Elena Rocha, 49, of La Guaira, Venezuela, lost her husband, Wilson, and her sons Ricardo, 25, and Enrique, 22, when their building collapsed in the earthquake that struck on June 24, 2026. The tremor hit at 6:04 p.m. and killed more than 6,000 people across the country, among them the three men of her household.
Rocha was on pilgrimage in Caracas when the disaster struck. When she returned to La Guaira, she found only rubble where her home had stood. Her youngest son, Enrique, remained trapped in the debris. She stayed with him as he died and heard his final breath. She later thanked God for being able to speak with him in those last moments.
From Anger to an Offering
Rocha has described fighting with God in anger after the catastrophe. She then surrendered her suffering and offered it for the sanctification of the souls of her husband and sons.
That decision has shaped the months since the quake. She attends a prayer group in Caracas. She seeks indulgences for her family. She prays to remain joyful in the midst of loss rather than let desolation have the last word.
"Happiness is a decision, and I decided to entrust my happiness to God," she said.
She speaks of a longing for Heaven. She also refuses the claim of abandonment. "I am not alone, because I have God," Rocha said.
Mourning With the Church
The Church teaches that the living can aid the faithful departed through prayer, the offering of sacrifices, and indulgences applied on their behalf. Rocha's path — the prayer group, the indulgences sought for Wilson, Ricardo, and Enrique, the suffering handed over for their sanctification — follows that teaching. She does not pretend the wound of June 24 has closed. Four months later, she entrusts her happiness to God and walks forward as a mother who still believes she is not alone.