A Cuban child, Yodelmis Furones Matos, who sustained a skull fracture when a tree collapsed onto the roof of his home during Hurricane Oscar's passage through Baracoa, is now out of danger. Yodelmis, six years old, remains under observation in the intensive care unit at the Antonio María Béguez César South Children's Hospital (La Colonia) in Santiago de Cuba.
The young boy is making a promising recovery following surgery to address his cranial injury. Dr. Ernesto Rodríguez Herrera, head of the hospital's neurosurgery department, informed the Ministry of Public Health's website that Yodelmis shows no motor, physical, or intellectual impairments from the trauma, and his response to medication is positive.
Successful Surgery and Future Monitoring
Dr. Rodríguez Herrera noted that although Yodelmis arrived with an excellent neurological condition, tests indicated surgery was necessary. The successful operation suggests that he may be discharged as early as next Friday, with subsequent monitoring in outpatient appointments.
The Incident That Changed Everything
The accident took place in the early hours of October 21 in Joa, a small town with a population of just over a thousand, located 15 km away. A mango tree fell onto the family home, leaving it in ruins. Yodelmis' mother, Kirenia Matos Laborí, recounted to the local newspaper Sierra Maestra how a wall collapsed on her son, rendering him unconscious. Amidst the blackout, she and her husband, who suffered a leg fracture, struggled to rescue him.
They rushed to a neighbor's house, who transported them in his jeep to the Octavio de la Concepción and de la Pedraja Teaching Hospital in Baracoa, where Yodelmis received initial care. The following day, he was airlifted to La Colonia Hospital in Santiago de Cuba, where he underwent surgery. At that time, Yodelmis was in critical condition, with his life at risk.