A woman who survived being buried alive in a catastrophic earthquake has revealed she believes she died twice during the ordeal, only to be sent back to life following a profound conversation with God.
A Bucket-List Trip Turns to Tragedy
In 2008, holistic therapist Maayan Sebbag, then 44, was on a trip of a lifetime with a friend, ticking off items on her bucket list. Their final destination was a remote panda reserve in China. As they sat down to eat lunch, the ground suddenly began to shake violently.
Maayan tried to run but tripped, crushing her head and face. She was instantly trapped under a mountain of rubble, finding herself in what she describes as a "tiny grave" with a shattered jaw, injured tongue, and her mouth and throat filled with blood.
The First Encounter in the Darkness
As she lay trapped, Maayan says she slipped away into complete darkness. She recounts hearing two competing voices. "One voice told me I’d never be rescued," she said. "And the other said I was going to survive. My strength shifted depending on which voice I believed more."
Summoning immense willpower, she managed to break free from the debris and was rushed for medical help. The local hospital had collapsed, so she was taken to a temporary camp. Doctors warned her not to lie down or sleep, fearing she would die.
After days without food or water, her body finally gave in. Maayan felt herself being lifted, becoming one with the Earth. "It was peaceful, not frightening," she said. "The dark space wasn’t scary – it felt like home."
A Divine Conversation and a Second Chance
It was then, she claims, that a mysterious voice spoke to her. "It was God asking me what I would regret most about leaving my life behind," Maayan explained. After some reflection, she realised her deepest regret was never becoming a mother.
She begged for a second chance and says God agreed, giving her clear instructions: when the sun rose and the rain stopped, she had to start walking. She was told to trust the guiding voice, despite some people trying to stop her.
She was "zapped" back into her body, feeling "full of power". Defying medical advice to rest, she walked through the dangerous, destroyed area to find a proper hospital.
There, she underwent a gruelling eight-hour surgery. During the procedure, she believes she died once more, returning to the same dark, loving space. God showed her a glowing door and offered another choice. Though part of her wanted to stay, her longing for life and motherhood pulled her back. A horse made of light carried her spirit back into her body.
Recovery, Revelation, and a Fulfilled Wish
Maayan's face was rebuilt and she spent months in rehabilitation. For years, she kept her near-death experiences secret, fearing people would think she was "crazy".
However, wanting to show that death is nothing to fear, she has since written a book titled Unburied about her experience. In 2024, she returned to the site of the earthquake to reunite with her rescuers.
Most significantly, her one wish has been granted: she is now a mother to four children. Maayan concludes, "Death is not the end. It’s the end of one layer of us. If I could survive that, then anything is possible."
