Haiti earthquake victim running for charity

MIAMI (WSVN) -- A victim of Haiti's devastating earthquake is stepping up in a big way.

Faradhia Moise is lacing up her racing shoes and giving the ING Miami Marathon a run for the money.

She laid trapped under rubble for two days before being rescued. Now she is back on her feet and running to help Haiti.

Moise has had her share of challenges, but competing in a marathon is not one of them. "It's my first time," she said with a laugh.

This weekend, she will be hitting the pavement for the ING Half Marathon in Miami. She said she is scared, but it is not the hardest thing she has ever done. "Yes, my experience was tragic, but we are all very lucky in Haiti to be there. We are all survivors."

Moise survived the unthinkable, trapped underneath piles of rubble when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti's core back in 2010. "I entered a grocery store that day," she said. "It was supposed to be for five minutes, and it took me like two days before being pulled [out]."

Buried for more than 48 hours under heavy rocks, walls and chunks of furniture, she was unable to move, and she was not alone. "There were other people around," she recalled. "I was totally buried, but I could hear voices. I even tried to pick up names, and I even gave my name to tell rescuers, to let them know that I'm here."

She heard voices but could see no other survivors and, as hours passed, some of the voices just faded away. "I was calling names, and they were not answering, and that's when I said maybe they died, and that's when I really started to panic, saying maybe the same thing is going to happen to me."

Moise fought the urge to give up, and then, a glimmer of light. Rescuers lifted the debris off her body and pulled her to safety. "It happened on a Tuesday, and I was rescued on Thursday, at 8 p.m."

Now, two years later, she is a woman on a mission, running to raise money for the still-recovering nation. "After the earthquake, I felt I had to go back and help the youth and also the communities that also became even more livable than before," Moise said.

She is one of 400 running to represent the island. She has teamed up with World Vision, a humanitarian group that's helping rebuild Haiti. "To thank the donors," she said, "'cause if we've been able to, as an organization, to respond and help people, it's because we had support of the donors."

And as she prepares for the grueling long distance journey, she remembers the lives lost in the tragedy, and those still needing rescuing today. "It was my heart that told me, you know, that would help your recovery, knowing that you are helping people who survived," she said.

The World Vision team has already raised more than $100,000 to help Haiti. If you would like to donate, visit World Vision's website above.

The marathon is this Sunday. It begins at the AmericanAirlines Arena, winds its way over to Miami Beach and back through Coconut Grove. There are many road closures in the area, so if you are not running, avoid those areas. The starting gun will sound just after 6 a.m.

(Copyright 2012 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)