A photographer who captured a famous portrait of a young girl before her tragic death has opened up about the experience.

In 1985, the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia claimed the lives of over 20,000 people, with one haunting image from the tragedy seared into global memory.

Frank Fournier, a French photographer, became renowned for capturing the heartbreaking final moments of 13-year-old Omayra Sánchez Garzón, who was trapped in debris for 60 hours before her death.

The catastrophic eruption triggered a deadly lahar - a lethal mix of volcanic lava, ice, and mud - that surged into the river valleys, engulfing villages like Armero, per the Sun.

Among the victims was Omayra, who became a symbol of the disaster’s devastation.

Omayra was trapped for 60 hours until she passed away. Credit: Jacques Langevin/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images

Rescue workers tried repeatedly to free Omayra, but her legs were pinned beneath a brick door, with the body of her deceased aunt entangled around her legs.

Each attempt to pull her free caused more water to rise around her, risking drowning.

To keep her afloat, rescuers placed a tire around her body and provided her with sweet food and soda in her final hours.

Before succumbing to her injuries on November 16, 1985, Omayra gave a tearful message on camera: "Mommy, I love you so much, Daddy I love you, brother I love you." It is believed her death was caused by either gangrene or hypothermia.

Fournier’s photograph of Omayra, her eyes bloodshot, hands whitened, and face swollen, became a haunting symbol of the disaster.

The powerful image sparked global outcry and raised difficult ethical questions about the role of journalists during tragedies.

In a heartbreaking recollection, Fournier shared that Omayra began to hallucinate during her final hours, asking him to take her to school because she feared she would be late.

The photographer opened up about the heartwrenching picture in a 2005 interview with the BBC, revealing that people asked him why he didn't help the teen or get her out.

At the time, the now-77-year-old responded that it was "impossible" to rescue her, explaining: "There was an outcry - debates on television on the nature of the photojournalist, how much he or she is a vulture.

"But I felt the story was important for me to report and I was happier that there was some reaction; it would have been worse if people had not cared about it," he continued. "I am very clear about what I do and how I do it, and I try to do my job with as much honesty and integrity as possible."

Fournier believes the picture helped raise money "from around the world in aid" as well as "helped highlight the irresponsibility and lack of courage of the country's leaders".

"There was an obvious lack of leadership. There were no evacuation plans, yet scientists had foreseen the catastrophic extent of the volcano's eruption," he explained. "People still find the picture disturbing."

He said the picture highlights "the lasting power of this little girl," adding: "I was lucky that I could act as a bridge to link people with her. It's the magic of the thing."

This tragic moment inspired the title of a lecture Fournier delivered in 2022 at the Xposure International Photography Festival: "Please Take Me to School". During the lecture, Fournier revisited the Nevado del Ruiz eruption and its aftermath, before turning his focus to Omayra, the courageous girl whose image became a symbol of both suffering and resilience.

"For three nights and three days - stuck in a pool of sewage water at the bottom of a small hill, crushed under layers upon layers of fallen wall - a voice was to speak in the name of 28 thousand," Fournier told the audience.

"It was a voice of an ordinary little girl who will cross land and time, and will bounce and pierce the heart of millions of people."

He continued, describing Omayra's "commanding dignity, stunning courage, and relentless kindness" as she faced what he called "a slow, violent, implacable death."

Rescuers were tragically unable to save her. Credit: Jacques Langevin/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images

"As the sewage water kept rising slowly to reach the level of her lips, 12-year-old Omayra Sánchez faced a slow, violent, implacable death," Fournier said, reflecting on the tragedy.

"The cruel fate of this lost life - here, but also in the other story imposed to all of us to preserve and share is the singularity of human life at all costs," he said.

Fournier continued: "No matter the specific mode of existence, the social and cultural condition, we need to challenge the vicious politics of life inequality imposed on others by our leaders and by ourselves.

"It is not only a practical, but ethical, political, imperative, as each individual has a right to life for the gain of everyone."

Featured image credit: Jacques Langevin/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images

A photographer who took one of the most recognizable and haunting photographs of a young girl trapped in a volcanic mudflow for 60 hours explains why he didn't try to help save her life.

Frank Fournier became renowned for his coverage of the 1985 eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Armero, Colombia.

The South American nation suffered a devastating eruption that claimed the lives of 20,000 residents after a deadly mixture of volcanic lava and ice - called lahar - rushed into the river valleys and entered the villages.

One of the victims was 13-year-old Omayra Sánchez Garzón, who tragically passed after being trapped in debris caused by a mudslide for 60 hours.

Omayra was trapped for 60 hours until she passed away. Credit: Jacques Langevin/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images

Several rescue efforts were made to save Omayra's life, however, her legs were caught under a brick door, with her deceased aunt's arms clutched tightly around her legs and feet, according to The Sun.

Each time someone tried to pull her free, more water pooled around her, which made it seem as if she would drown if they let her go. So, rescue workers placed a tire around her to keep her afloat, and gave her sweet food and cans of soda during her final hours.

Onlookers said that she sometimes cried from fear, but as she got closer to death, she began to hallucinate and told them that she did not want to be late for school.

Before closing her eyes for the final time, the teen shared a heartbreaking message on camera, saying: "Mommy, I love you so much, Daddy I love you, brother I love you."

Omayra passed away on November 16, with her cause of death believed to be either gangrene or hypothermia.

Her horrific fate was known around the world because of a haunting portrait captured by French photographer Frank Fournier.

See the image below:

The photo showed that her eyes were so bloodshot that they appeared completely black, her fingers were eerily white and her face had swelled.

The photographer opened up about the picture in a 2005 interview with the BBC, revealing that he was often asked why he didn't help the teen or try to get her out of where she was trapped.

At the time, the now-77-year-old responded that it was "impossible" to rescue her, explaining: "There was an outcry - debates on television on the nature of the photojournalist, how much he or she is a vulture.

"But I felt the story was important for me to report and I was happier that there was some reaction; it would have been worse if people had not cared about it," he continued. "I am very clear about what I do and how I do it, and I try to do my job with as much honesty and integrity as possible."

He added: "When I took the pictures I felt totally powerless in front of this little girl, who was facing death with courage and dignity. She could sense that her life was going.

"I felt that the only thing I could do was to report properly on the courage and the suffering and the dignity of the little girl and hope that it would mobilise people to help the ones that had been rescued and had been saved. I felt I had to report what this little girl had to go through."

Fournier believes the picture helped raise money "from around the world in aid" as well as "helped highlight the irresponsibility and lack of courage of the country's leaders".

"There was an obvious lack of leadership. There were no evacuation plans, yet scientists had foreseen the catastrophic extent of the volcano's eruption," he explained. "People still find the picture disturbing."

He said the picture highlights "the lasting power of this little girl," adding: "I was lucky that I could act as a bridge to link people with her. It's the magic of the thing."

Featured image credit: Jacques Langevin/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images

The photographer who took the heartbreaking picture of a young girl trapped in a volcanic mudflow for 60 hours explains why he didn't help her.

Frank Fournier became renowned for his coverage of the 1985 eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Armero, Colombia.

The South American nation suffered a devastating eruption that claimed the lives of 20,000 residents after a deadly mixture of volcanic lava and ice - called lahar - rushed into the river valleys and entered the villages.

One of those victims was 13-year-old Omayra Sánchez Garzón, who tragically passed after being trapped in debris caused by a mudslide for 60 hours.

Several rescue efforts were made to save Omayra's life, however, her legs were caught under a brick door, with her deceased aunt's arms clutched tightly around her legs and feet, according to The Sun.

Each time someone tried to pull her free, more water pooled around her, which made it seem as if she would drown if they let her go. So, rescue workers placed a tire around her to keep her afloat, and gave her sweet food and soda cans during her last few hours.

Before closing her eyes for the final time, the teen shared a heartbreaking message on camera, saying: "Mommy, I love you so much, Daddy I love you, brother I love you."

Omayra passed away on November 16, with her cause of death believed to be either gangrene or hypothermia.

Her horrific fate was known around the world because of a haunting portrait captured by French photographer Frank Fournier.

Check out the photo taken by Fournier below:

The photo showed that her eyes were so bloodshot that they looked black, her hands had whitened and her face had swelled.

The photographer opened up about the heartwrenching picture in a 2005 interview with the BBC, revealing that people asked him why he didn't help the teen or get her out.

At the time, the now-76-year-old responded that it was "impossible" to rescue her, explaining: "There was an outcry - debates on television on the nature of the photojournalist, how much he or she is a vulture.

"But I felt the story was important for me to report and I was happier that there was some reaction; it would have been worse if people had not cared about it," he continued. "I am very clear about what I do and how I do it, and I try to do my job with as much honesty and integrity as possible."

Fournier believes the picture helped raise money "from around the world in aid" as well as "helped highlight the irresponsibility and lack of courage of the country's leaders".

"There was an obvious lack of leadership. There were no evacuation plans, yet scientists had foreseen the catastrophic extent of the volcano's eruption," he explained. "People still find the picture disturbing."

He said the picture highlights "the lasting power of this little girl," adding: "I was lucky that I could act as a bridge to link people with her. It's the magic of the thing."

Featured image credit: Kriswanto Ginting / Getty

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