Day 25
Today’s news is good news! I still have tears in my eyes from watching this 7 year-old child cry uncontrollably in the arms of his father after he was finally brought up from a 69-day stay in a 700 meter-deep cave. It is an unbelievable victory for these 33 Chilean miners to have had the mental and physical strength to stay alive underneath the ground for so long! Last weekend, I was trapped in a cable car for 15 minutes because of a technical problem and I started getting nervous!
On August 5th, a copper mine in northern Chile collapsed. Seventeen days later, rescuers on the surface found out through a note sent, that all 33 miners had managed to survive in the underground shelter. From that moment on, they were able to send down supplies, including communication gear, to begin a rescue process that would last 69 days.
Slowly, as a survival tool, and with the help of specialists above ground (doctors, psychologists, trainers, etc.), a structure was established in the mine. The daily routine of the miners included work, entertainment periods, moments of prayer, physical exercise and meal sharing at specific times.
It is through this busy routine that lasted 69 days that the miners were able to cope with this unexpected turn of fate. Remaining active, positive and hopeful during these two months was essential for their survival.
Their vision of life will certainly be altered for the rest of their lives. And, maybe, they will experience trauma or other types of psychological problems once they go back to their every day life. But what seems extraordinary to me is to see the triumph of the human spirit unfold in such a powerful way. And this spirit, whether we are in touch with it or not, exists within all of us!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGecqHnN2gQ
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