Miracle in the Andes:72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home (Kay Tetreault)

§ Miracle in the Andes:72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home,
Nando Parrado,
Three Rivers Press-New York,
284 Pages

§ I purchased this book from the Barnes and Noble Book store, but it was referred to me by my friend Max Hebert.

§ Told from Nando Parrado’s view about thirty years following the crash, this novel shares the first hand experience of the Old Christians Rugby Club team whose plain crashed in the Andes on flight to Chile during October of 1972. Out of 45 people that were on the plain only 16 survived. After crashing into this mountain,three days later Parrado awakens out of a coma. He then realized that the other 15 and himself had to figure out how they would survive until they could be rescued. This novel reveals Parrado’s life-altering lessons he’s learned from having to endure this experience. Due to the crash the Rugby team was forced to survive on what little knowledge of nature they had. In the events that occurred, they had to resort to cannibalism due to the threat of starvation and the insanity that came with it. With the setting being as cold as it was with little resources, he drew all the strength he could from the spiritual training of the Irish monks who schooled him, the memory of his mother and sister who died in the crash, and a 19-year-old's bottomless determination. Though sometimes giving in to his pain, Parrado finally survives this tragedy and marks a humane victory against inhumane circumstances.

§ The audience for this book is for whoever doubts about things in life. Parrado perseveres in this experience, and it shows that even when the going gets tough you can overcome hardship.

§ Parrado’s writing style is extremely descriptive you he shows incite to exactly what is going on and what his thoughts were.” each [stride] brought me closer to my father... each step I took was a step stolen back from death,"(page 183).

§ “’Guys, listen!” I cried,” We will be okay. I will have you home by Christmas!’”,(pg.125). This struck me because all hope was nearly gone yet he spoke these words to his fellow survivors.

“’I don’t think it will be long for me,” he said. “I feel myself being pulled to Him. Soon I will know God, and then I will have the answers to all your questions,’”(page 148). This was a clear visual for me. I could see the pain he was going through. It became real with this quote.

“On the first day, I slowly sucked the chocolate off the peanut; the I slipped the peanut into the pocket of my slacks. On the second day I carefully separated the peanut halves, slipping one half back into my pocket and placing the other half in my mouth,” (page 93). This showed me how desperate they were for food. Parrado sucked on one peanut for three days. Again it made me understand how hard survival was.

§ I have never been in such a terrible situation where I was holding on for my life. I have always been able to be rescued. In this novel, there wasn’t any certainty that they would even stay alive. One of Parrado’s characteristics that I can to relate to is his determination. Even though sometimes he lets things settle in and it looks like he’s done for, he immediately picks himself back up. He is determined to stay alive, and his family motivates him.. I relate to this dance wise. No matter what combinations knock me down, I may think it’s too hard for a minute but then I remember I can do it. I can get through anything I set my mind to just like Nando Parrado. I found the whole story addicting. I could barely put it down it was so enticing.