THE RESCUE Tuesday, October 12, 2010: The miners had been dreaming of this day for the last 10 weeks. Rescuers had finally blasted an escape tunnel down to the workshop area, a small cavern located above the safety shelter (Franklin, 2011). They would soon be lowering an elevator-like contraption known as the “Phoenix” down the tunnel to retrieve the miners. One by one, each man would travel back to the surface of the earth and into the arms of his family and friends. There would be a few onlookers, including President Piñera, a thousand journalists, and one billion people watching the rescue live on television (Craze & Crooks, 2010, October 13).

The first to ascend would be those believed to be most mentally stable. If something went wrong during the initial ascent, the rescuers wanted someone who could keep his cool onboard (Kraul, 2010, October 11). Florencio Ávalos, the soft-spoken 31-year-old father of two young boys, would go first, followed by the charismatic Mario Sepúlveda, 39; Juan Illanes, 51; and a 23-year-old Bolivian named Carlos Mamani. Next to go would be the men with medical problems, followed by those in good physical shape. The very last man to surface would be the determined and devoted leader, 54-year-old Luis Urzúa (CBS News/AP, 2010, October 12; Craze & Crooks, 2010, October 13; Kraul, 2010, October 11).

13 Down, 20 to Go

Carlos Barrios emerges from the Phoenix rescue capsule. He was the 13th miner to be hoisted to safety.

Ap Photo/Jorge Saenz

The rescue effort spanned 2 days. When all was said and done, all 33 men had been brought to safety. Now everyone wondered how the miners would cope with their new celebrity status. These 33 men had gone from being ordinary working people to the most sought after interview subjects in the world. Reporters, publishing companies, and Hollywood all wanted a piece of Los 33. The group met with movie stars, attended galas, and led parades through Disneyland. One of the miners, Edison Peña, ran the New York City Marathon just weeks after emerging from the mine. He also appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman doing an Elvis impression (Pearson & Siemaszko, 2010, November 6).

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But the same Peña who was seen gyrating on the The Late Show was later hospitalized for depression and anxiety. Other miners have also suffered from psychological troubles, including nightmares and difficulty readjusting to family life. Some are taking medications, and nearly a third have suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder (Chapter 11) (Barrionuevo, 2011, October 12; CBS News, 2011, February 10; Tobar, 2014, July 7). Despite these stark aftereffects, the rescue of these 33 men gives us many reasons to be hopeful. Just think about the teamwork, selflessness, and love the miners showed for each other. Remember the rescue workers who toiled around the clock to save the men from their underground nightmare; the wives, mothers, fathers, siblings, cousins, and friends who dropped everything and moved to the Atacama Desert to await the return of their loved ones; and the strangers all over the world who sat around their televisions, crying as they watched the miners emerge from the darkness. It is tragic that many of the miners have suffered psychological wounds, but as you will learn in this book, humans have an amazing way of overcoming adversity. Do not underestimate the positive potential of humanity.