Migrant Tells Story of Survival in Hot Truck in Texas
2022-07-06
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1Yenifer Yulisa Cardona Tomás was one of the migrants found trapped in an abandoned trailer in very hot conditions in the U.S. state of Texas last week.
2Simple advice from a friend to stay near the door may have saved her life.
3Fifty-three others died.
4Cardona Tomás spoke to The Associated Press by telephone from her hospital bed on Monday.
5She is from Guatemala's capital and is 20 years old.
6She said it was already hot on June 27 when she entered the trailer on the Texas side of the U.S. border with Mexico where she had been waiting.
7She said the smugglers took their cellphones and covered the trailer's floor with what she believes was powdered chicken seasoning.
8The seasoning was possibly used to hide people's smell from dogs used by law enforcement officials at the border.
9As she sat inside the crowded trailer with many others, the powder hurt her skin.
10Cardona Tomás said a friend told her to stay near the door where it would be cooler.
11She shared the advice with another friend she had made during the trip.
12"I told a friend that we shouldn't go to the back and should stay near (the entrance), in the same place without moving," said Cardona Tomás.
13She is being treated at a hospital in San Antonio.
14The friend survived, too.
15As the truck moved on, it made stops to pick up more migrants.
16People also gathered near the door like Cardona Tomás.
17She had no way to know the time.
18"The people were yelling, some cried. Mostly women were calling for it to stop and to open the doors because it was hot, that they couldn't breathe," she said.
19The truck continued making additional stops.
20It was moving slowly just before she passed out.
21She woke up in the hospital.
22She said the driver or someone else at the front of the truck yelled back that "we were about to arrive, that there were 20 minutes left, six minutes."
23"People asked for water, some had run out, others carried some," she said.
24The driver and three others were arrested and charged by U.S. officials.
25Guatemala's Foreign Ministry has said that 20 Guatemalans died in the incident, 16 of whom have been identified.
26Cardona Tomás said the truck was going to Houston, but she was headed to North Carolina.
27Mynor Cordona is her father. He said Monday in Guatemala City that "she didn't have a job and asked me if I would support her" in migrating to the U.S.
28He said he knew of other cases of children who left without telling their families and ended up lost or dead.
29He paid $4,000 for a smuggler to take her to the U.S. She left Guatemala on May 30, traveling in cars, buses and finally the trailer in Texas.
30"I didn't know that she would travel in a trailer," he said.
31"She told us it would be by foot. It seems like at the last moment the smugglers decided to put (her) in the trailer, along with two more friends, who survived. One of them is still in critical condition."
32Cordona had been communicating with his daughter up until the morning of June 27.
33It was not until late that night that Cardona Tomás' family learned of the trailer.
34It was two more days before relatives in the United States confirmed that she was alive and in the hospital.
35"We cried so much," Cordona said.
36"I even was thinking where we were going to have the wake and bury her. She is a miracle."
37I'm Dan Novak.
1Yenifer Yulisa Cardona Tomás was one of the migrants found trapped in an abandoned trailer in very hot conditions in the U.S. state of Texas last week. 2Simple advice from a friend to stay near the door may have saved her life. Fifty-three others died. 3Cardona Tomás spoke to The Associated Press by telephone from her hospital bed on Monday. She is from Guatemala's capital and is 20 years old. She said it was already hot on June 27 when she entered the trailer on the Texas side of the U.S. border with Mexico where she had been waiting. 4She said the smugglers took their cellphones and covered the trailer's floor with what she believes was powdered chicken seasoning. The seasoning was possibly used to hide people's smell from dogs used by law enforcement officials at the border. As she sat inside the crowded trailer with many others, the powder hurt her skin. 5Cardona Tomás said a friend told her to stay near the door where it would be cooler. She shared the advice with another friend she had made during the trip. 6"I told a friend that we shouldn't go to the back and should stay near (the entrance), in the same place without moving," said Cardona Tomás. She is being treated at a hospital in San Antonio. The friend survived, too. 7As the truck moved on, it made stops to pick up more migrants. People also gathered near the door like Cardona Tomás. She had no way to know the time. 8"The people were yelling, some cried. Mostly women were calling for it to stop and to open the doors because it was hot, that they couldn't breathe," she said. 9The truck continued making additional stops. It was moving slowly just before she passed out. She woke up in the hospital. 10She said the driver or someone else at the front of the truck yelled back that "we were about to arrive, that there were 20 minutes left, six minutes." 11"People asked for water, some had run out, others carried some," she said. 12The driver and three others were arrested and charged by U.S. officials. 13Guatemala's Foreign Ministry has said that 20 Guatemalans died in the incident, 16 of whom have been identified. 14Cardona Tomás said the truck was going to Houston, but she was headed to North Carolina. 15Mynor Cordona is her father. He said Monday in Guatemala City that "she didn't have a job and asked me if I would support her" in migrating to the U.S. He said he knew of other cases of children who left without telling their families and ended up lost or dead. 16He paid $4,000 for a smuggler to take her to the U.S. She left Guatemala on May 30, traveling in cars, buses and finally the trailer in Texas. 17"I didn't know that she would travel in a trailer," he said. "She told us it would be by foot. It seems like at the last moment the smugglers decided to put (her) in the trailer, along with two more friends, who survived. One of them is still in critical condition." 18Cordona had been communicating with his daughter up until the morning of June 27. 19It was not until late that night that Cardona Tomás' family learned of the trailer. It was two more days before relatives in the United States confirmed that she was alive and in the hospital. 20"We cried so much," Cordona said. "I even was thinking where we were going to have the wake and bury her. She is a miracle." 21I'm Dan Novak. 22Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press. 23________________________________________________________________________ 24Words in This Story 25abandoned - adj. left without help or support 26smuggler - n. a person who moves goods or people from one country to another secretly and illegally 27powder - n. a substance made of very fine pieces like dust 28seasoning - n. something added to food to improve its taste 29passed out -v. to fall asleep or become unconscious 30wake - n. a gathering to remember someone who has died 31miracle - n. an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God