It's his story and is one of the best books I have ever read. Unlike "Alive", it does not go into graphic detail about the cannibalism thing, and the movie doesn't either.
A few spoilers: Roberta Canessa is a prominent physician (IIRC, pediatric cardiology) and ran for president of Uruguay some years back. He didn't win.
One of the survivors later got into trouble with alcohol and/or drugs and Parrado and another survivor did an intervention on him (Parrado does not name either person).
Javier Methol, the oldest survivor and father of four who was widowed in the avalanche, remarried and had FOUR MORE CHILDREN with his second wife.
IMHO, the most remarkable picture in the book is that of Parrado riding his motorcycle barely a week after walking out of the mountains. He has an incredibly beautiful wife and two equally gorgeous daughters.
Cocho Inciarte, who said he had given up, was within hours of death when he was rescued. So was Roy Harley, so they really did arrive just in time.
Watched "Stranded" for the second time last night. I've read "Alive" many times over the years and had DVD in my Netflix queue since the documentary's theatrical release months ago. "Intense" is the word that comes to mind, though it hardly does the subject justice. There really are no words.
I had forgotten Roy Harley weighed 38 kilos when he was rescued!! I remembered from the photo in the book that he was skeletal, like a concentration camp survivor, and how he lived is a miracle. The others were taking bets on who would die first - Roy or Coche. Imagine.
For some reason, I think it's Bobby Francois who "later got into trouble with alcohol and/or drugs..." Don't ask me why. But what difference does it make? Those men, each and every one, are heroes.
I am, and always have been, in awe of Nando Parrado. His strength, courage, pragmatism and, above all, will to live in a desperate situation under torturous circumstances is superhuman. And yes, his wife and daughters are gorgeous.
For some reason, I think it's Bobby Francois who "later got into trouble with alcohol and/or drugs..."
One of the survivors later got into trouble with alcohol and/or drugs and Parrado and another survivor did an intervention on him (Parrado does not name either person).
Well, I was wrong. Parrado DID name the person he did the intervention on, rph3664 -- it was Carlitos Paez, who's been clean and sober for 15 years. Ole! Also, the other person was Gustavo Zerbino.
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The "Alive" book said he (Harley) had a critically low potassium level, and this was what almost killed him, not so much the starvation itself. Of course, they could not have known this until the labs came back.
I crossed one off my bucket list in August when I got to see Nando speak in Lake Tahoe, NV. Got my copy of "Miracle in the Andes" signed as well. He says he doesn't consider himself a hero, I simply must disagree.
Around the time the movie Alive came out (1993), LIFE magazine did a feature on the survivors. They talked about the bond among them ("closer than brothers, even lovers") and how they have kept each other in check when they've sensed that someone is heading down a bad path. Carlitos' substance problems were mentioned; the group pressured him to get help. It was respectful of Nando to be discreet with his friend's past, but Carlitos has been pretty open about it in interviews since.
With Coche...there was a BBC special on the Andes survivors and they interviewed Coche's wife, Soledad. They'd been engaged when the crash happened. She mentions her heartbreak and when she said that she'd written him a letter saying "Take me with you...I don't want to be without you," I got misty-eyed. I'm glad the rescuers got there before others died.