A herder in Morocco, Tayeb ait Ighenbaz, has confessed to the painful decision he was forced to make on Friday night when a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit the North African nation.

Speaking during an interview with BBC, Tayeb said that he chose to save his 11-year-old son over his parents after they were trapped by rubble in their home located in the Atlas Mountains.

The 50-year-old man who was with his wife and their two children says the time the tragedy struck, he, his wife and their daughter ran outside but his parents and son were left behind.

“When the earthquake happened we all ran to the door. My dad was sleeping and I shouted at my mum to come, but she stayed behind to wait for him,” he says.

However, Tayeb could not see his son prompting him to go back. On his way back, he saw both his son and parents trapped under debris.

The already terrified man decided to help his son first ahead of his parents.

“I had to choose between my parents and son. I couldn’t help my parents because the wall fell over half of their bodies. It’s so sad. I saw my parents dying,” he says.

Tayeb and his family are now living in makeshift tents close to their former home.

“It’s like being born again into a new life. No parents, no house, no food, no clothes,” he says. “I’m 50 years old now and I’m having to start again.”