On October 12th, 1972, a chartered plane of 45 college-aged rugby players and friends crashed deep into the Andes mountains. And 10 weeks later, sixteen would make it home. Among those in the crash were Nando Parrado, his mother, and his sister. But only Parrado would survive. Now a successful businessman, Parrado and his co-author Vince Rause, tell his personal story of the crash in today’s spotlight Miracle in the Andes. Expanding from the famous account, Alive by Piers Paul Read, the pair focus on the emotional toil, and teamwork that got the boys through the most impossible of circumstances instead of the more sensational aspects. Like many of his fellow survivors, Nando now travels as a motivational speaker, relaying his experience of survival and suffering to connect with others and heal emotional wounds.
“I come from a plane that fell into the mountains.” When Nando Parrado woke up, there was darkness. From an affluent area on the warm coast of Uruguay, he was a member of a rugby team flying to a friendly match in Chile, but now there was only darkness, pain, and incredible cold. Stranded amongst the remains of their plane, the survivors had to brave the freezing Andes wholly unprepared. The looming mountains were no place for them, and they were doomed to be snuffed out if someone didn’t act fast. With his mother and sister now buried beneath the snow, and no rescue in sight, Nando’s sole focus in life was to make it home to his grieving father, even if that meant hiking the vast Andes in rugby cleats. On the mountain, the team had to do the unthinkable to survive in this moving story of perseverance, sacrifice, and love.
“The mountains, for all their power, were not stronger than my attachment to my father. They could not crush my ability to love.”
Nando Parrado
The ill-fated Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 has spawned books, documentaries, and the award-winning movies “Alive” (1993) and “Society of the Snow” (2023). Parrado’s Miracle in the Andes uniquely chronicles the indomitable human spirit in the bleakest conditions. He showcases how the community and camaraderie of the rugby team ultimately kept them alive. And it was because of their humor, strength, friendship, and trust forged on the rugby pitch that they made it home. Parrado’s insights into the human condition and mind during the ordeal are the highlights of this book. While trying to survive the harsh climate, the young men have deep theological and political discussions about life and their Catholic upbringing. Our Book Club copies also feature a 2022 introduction by Parrado and photograph inserts that chronicle their daily lives, their rescue, and beyond. Adventurous Book Clubs will find the moral quandaries presented in this book challenging but captivating. Why do some survive and others do not? Are we obligated to do everything we can to stay alive, even if that means breaking taboo?
Further Listening:
- “You’re Wrong About” Podcast: Survival in the Andes with Blair Braverman
If you’re interested in requesting Miracle in the Andes for your book club, you can find the Request Form here. There are 5 copies. (A librarian must request items)
Parrado, Nando. Miracle in the Andes. Penguin Random House. 2006
