Nando Parrado, the heroic Andes survivor
72 -
Days of ordeal, Nando Parrado and other survivors of a plane crash in Andes had to endure before being rescued.
Flying over the mountains on Friday the 13th, the young men and their families who boarded the charter plane joked about the unlucky day when the plane’s wing hit the slope of the mountain and crashed.
On impact, 13 passengers were instantly dead while 32 others were badly wounded.
Hoping to be rescued, the survivors waited in the freezing -37C temperature, melting snow for drinks and sleeping side by side to keep themselves warm. Food was so scarce, everyone had to pool whatever food they can find for a rationed pool.
Desperation and Hunger
As their supply ran out, the survivor tried to eat strips of leather torned from their baggages. The brutal weather and high attitude of Andes had increased their bodies need for energy and food astronomically.
9 days after the crash, due to dire desperation and hunger, the survivors called for an important meeting. One member proposed that they eat the dead.
“If we don’t eat, we’ll die. If you want to see your family again, this is what you must do”, he said.
The 2 hours meeting ended with a conclusion. If any of them died in Andes, the rest had the permission to use the corpse as food.
No Hope
After 2 weeks, their hope of being found dashed when they found out via their radio transistor that the rescue effort was called off. Authority believed that the rescue was very dangerous and the chances of finding survivors too slim.
On the 60th day after the crash, Nando Parrado and 2 other friends decided to walk through the icy wilderness for help. By the time they left, Nando Parrado said, the crash site was “.. an awful place, soaked in urine, smelling of death, littered with ragged bits of human bone and qristle”.
Wearing 3 pairs of jeans and 3 sweaters over a polo shirt, he and his friends trekked the mountains with human flesh as their ration.
Knowing that they must search for rescue, the team endured frozen snow, exhaustion and starvation, walking and climbing for 10 days before finding their way to the bottom of the mountain.
The rescue
The team was finally helped by Chilean farmer who called the police for help. Parrado then guided the rescue team via a helicopter to the crash site.
On the 22nd December 1972, after enduring 72 brutal days, the world founds out that there were 16 survivors who cheated death, in the mountain of Andes. 8 of the initial survivors died when an avalanche cascaded down on them as they slept in the fuselage.
During the ordeal, Nando Parrado lost 40 kg of his weight. He lost half his family in the crash.
He is now a motivational speaker.
Reference: http://www.parrado.com/eng/main.html
35 Comments.
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All the best things that I did at Apple came from (a) not having money and (b) not having done it before, ever.
Steve Wozniak, Apple
mark hennessy
October 6th, 2007 at 10:48 am
what a story. up lifting to say the least. best story i’ve ever read. hope he and the others can go on to much higher things
Nav
October 18th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
your my hero you never gave up
kim eduarte
November 20th, 2007 at 6:46 am
Unbelievable! its so amazing how a man can exceed its capacity and cross the limits for their survival.
I_HATE_YOU
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
i had to read “ALIVE”. it ruined my senior year, i hated it. terrible terrible read.
johns
April 29th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
The story was very uplifting and inspirational. I commend you and everyone else for remaining tough and surving through the terrible conditions that you endured.
Anthony Dyson
April 29th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I really learned in “Alive” that you have to do anything to survive. And to never give up.
Maggie
April 29th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I think that this was an amazing story.
I could only imagine the pain that these poor men and woman had to go through, watching thier friends and family die right infront of them and then having to go and eat them. I give these boys alot of credit for what they had to go through.
Nijarrah
April 29th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
In the story “Alive” i learned to never give up. Even if someone give up on you, you should never give up yourself.
Leah
April 29th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
When i read this in my class i thought it was crazy how that happened to you. I thought you and the others were brave and you really tryed your best not to loose hope. I think you did better then most in that kind of situation.
Daniella Macolino
April 29th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
When first hearing this story I thought it couldn’t be possible. I now imagine the tragedy that had been faced and it seems so unreal.I have learned that anything is possible now realizing how strong you were Nando.You are truly a hero and a role model.I thank you for not giving up hope.
robert
April 29th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Very touching story. One of the best stories ive ever read. You beat all the odds of dying. Its just inbelievable how all u guys survived up there for so long.
Tehesha Wilson
April 29th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I believe out of all stories this is the only one i honestly payed attention to. This story taught me how to never give up no matter what and always keep optimistic. How could anyone not like this story? This was a true story that taught people how to never give up. However, it was sad watching your family and friend die. The people still continued to be strong and move on with live.
matt
April 29th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
WOW! even through the hardship you have persevpersevered and become a great man. becasue of what you done i will now cherrish everday.
christina J
April 29th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
That was quite a story. i was very amaze by it. Because im not much of a reader but after reading the story that was the best story i read. It had so much melancholy in it. The things you done, the strenght you had to be there for 70 days. I wouldnt even last 1hour without food and im terrified of the cold. You guys are amazing. God bless you.
Natasha
April 30th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
This was a very great story.
You are truly a hero. After witnessing both your mother and sister die you still didnt give up. You contiued to go on, and you were determined to make it out of the mountains “Alive”.
Giorgi
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Wow! this story is amazing ! I could never do what you did, to get injured lose family and survive in harsh temperature is no jock. If I ever got in such accident (hope not) i would like to have person like you beside me
. I watched movie, read the book and now i’d like to meet with you, to listen youre story in live. I hope once my wish will become true. I wish you luck in life, thanks for surviving and telling the world real story of you’r life. 
:) 
hyun na
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
i can’t believe this story and it’s really amazing. I can’t even imagine how they survived…. i felt like you are a hero. If i was there, i wouldn’t survive and maybe died from starvation. I will recommend this story to my friends to read it. I’m sure that they will like it because lives are precious.
Hardy Djulianto
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I think that these survivors did not react quick enough as soon as the plane crashed. These survivors should had been looking for help instead of waiting for a rescue to come. After all, you guys still did a good job maintaining your hopes to survive.
Joe
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I’m amazed that you and Canessa were able to walk through the Andes in order to find help down in Chile. I don’t think I would have had the strength or the hope to make that trip down the mountain. If a situation like this happens to me, I will just think of how you and the others survived and it will give me enough hope.
Brenda McInnes
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:43 pm
this is relaly inspirational true story. you all are my heroes. at first i was afraid to hear the story because i love airplanes, but after reading your story i realized anything is possible if you just believe it. im not sure if you will answer back but i was just curious to see if you or any of the other survivors were frightened to go on airplanes afterwards? hope to hear from you!
alisia
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I think that it is a good idea that teachers read us this story. At first i thought it was going to be boring. when we started to watch the movie i started to like it. The movie was really motivating. It shows how people will do anything to survive. It also shows how different people come together and work together to survie. Most of the people never lost hope which helped them a lot. This story is very insperational. I would recomended it to anyone.
bryan loyo
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:07 pm
You inspired me to never give up on what you believe. That you should never give up hope. Watching the movie and having you lead the team survive. In the book and in the movie you always had faith in everything you did to survive, and made the hardest decision of eatin the remains of your dead friends. You are a great person for what you did, you are a great hero.
Rayelle
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I love this story. I dont like reading, and out of all of the books i have read, i can only say i like about 3 of them. “Alive” is now my favorite story out of the three. This story was very insparational, and teaches alot about hope and being a leader. For the passengers on the plane to survive and 70 days in horrible conditions including eating the bodies of your felow team mates and others, they where really troops. I hope the best for the 16 survivors, and hope they never have to encounter anything like this horrible event agin.
orlando dawkins
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I know it was a crazy being in the mountains, the weather was so cold -37 degrees( no frost bit?) When you decied to eat your friends how did you feel in your heart, you know it was going the taste so repugnent. The reason you worte your books about being on the mountains you think it possable to make a better movie, than you can make money and show how much love you got from you friends and family.
Rahkel Mulato
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Man dude, you a true soldier, i really respect you for what you do…I;ve been through alot, but you, Nando, you are what there called an Angel, I felt bad seeing the tradgedy of in the movie based on yours and the others lives, I am sorry for what happened but even though it came to be something that caused so much fear and pain for 70 days, you didnt give up…you showed people it was worth the struggle…Best wishes to you…you are what destiny is..I will always say to people…Nando Parrado is my influence.
Always’
Rahkel
Rahkel Mulato
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Oh yeah and that I_HATE_YOU_ kid, can mind his own bidness, this ALIVE book was Real Talk
Seo Gang-ja
May 5th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
As a Korean ,I red his book translated one. Eagly want to read the original one, someday. Most of tiime, while I read, I cried, cried. I don’t know why. Humanbeing, human. Just those words were in my mind all the time during the time I read. God bless you, Nando!!
Timothy Hayes
May 5th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
This story was a really good story it was incredible with how long you managed to deal with the cold weather and you inspired me to enjoy everyday as ifit was my last Good luck in life and keep your head up high God Bless You.
SHS
May 5th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
I have to thank you Mr.Parrado for having the courage to tell all of use the story of what you went though. You and the remaining survivors must have went though a lot of emotions in the 72 days you were in the mountains. I could not imagine my self in your position. But you telling the story helps me able to picture the hardship. What you guys did was brave and not looked down upon because it was the only way you could survive. If I was in your guys shoes I would have the same exact thing to survive.
melissa lang
May 6th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
when my teacher showed us the movie Alive and the Movie of all you guys talking it was really moving on how all you guys stayed so close when all of this was going on. You guys had so much to over come it was amazing. Was it hard to get you life back on track in the beging?
God Bless
melissa
Nevets Edrevlav
May 6th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Mano lo que te paso a ti es increible y lo que les paso a ustedes es una desgracia y espero q no le pase a nadie mas su estoria fue una de las mas trajicas q yo e escuhado y lamento lo q paso pero a la vez te felicito a ti y a Cannesa por caminar esa peligrosa montana y tambein a los demas por pueder comer lo q comieron y ten fe q Dios le gustaria q ustedes subrevivieran como sea. Q Dios te benediga a ti a tu Familia a los demas y sus familiares Por sus exfuersos ustedes seran mi inspiracion para ser lo q sea por siguir adelante.
oo y en el video uno de ustedes se le antojaba pizza pero q es lo q en verdad se les antojaba.
Gener@l
May 7th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
This movie was crazy ! To do what you guys did takes a lot of hard work and strenght.!! Im glad at least some of you made it!!
Gener@l #4!!
arrana brown
May 7th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
This book/move “Alive” has taught me alot of interesting things. You never know what might happen, but when it does and you are in a bad situation you have to know what and how to do it. People need to know that you will need to anything to survive. Even when you know that doing what you are about to do is wrong. It will at least help you to survive. Alot of people will do some crazy things to survive. I just wish that some people would have just held on and fight just a little longer to survive. I know that when you guys got back home it was really hard to get back on the right track and to get your weight back up. Thank you for reading my comment.
Arrana
Evan Henry
May 7th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I learned in ”Alive” that if you die all your dreams and ambitions in life go with it. If you survive you can always make those dreams and ambition true. If you never give up you can do anything you want.
black guy
May 8th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
ya your cool for staying on the field for like 72 days keep ballen hard on the rugby field