We read tragic news in the media every day. But every now and then, there’s a wonderful story that is so moving, it brings tears of joy to complete strangers.
When the very first miner was rescued from the San Jose Mine in Chile, cheers of happiness were heard around the world. One by one, the miners were pulled up from 2,000 feet in the ground to be welcomed back into the arms of their families. After 22 ½ hours of the rescue operation, the very last miner, Luis Urzua, surfaced. Luis is THE MAN. He is the foreman who held this group of courageous men together while being trapped underground for 69 days.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t even begin to imagine what this might feel like for even a day. A half mile down, those brave men survived over 2 months. No other person has ever come out alive after being trapped underground for that long. No one. So how did all 33 people survive?
Luis explained it simply and succinctly:
- We had strength.
- We had spirit.
- We wanted to fight (to live).
- We wanted to fight for our families. That was the greatest thing.
For 17 days, their families and loved ones thought they were dead. When 700,000 tons of rock collapses, it’s usually not a story that has a happy ending. But they survived. Every single man survived the collapse AND the 69 days that followed. While we don’t know the details of what went on down there, we know that this group of men showed courage that will not be forgotten.
How important is thinking positively in a situation like this? What if, collectively, they all believed they would die? Would this story have turned out differently?
Of course I believe in miracles. They happen every day. But I also believe in the power of your mind. It can make or break you—in dire situations like this or in your everyday life. If you constantly think you’re not good enough, it will come true. If you think you’ll never lose those extra 30 pounds, you won’t.
If you believe you have strength and spirit, you’ll be strong. 
If you want to fight for something, especially for your family, you’ll more than likely win.
I am very interested to hear your thoughts on this story, so please share your insights with us. Miracle or Mindset?
To the Miners!
Molly
omg the pic of Brett and the boys and Max made my day! and brought tears to my eyes at the same time! 🙂
Brett’s a survivor…and fights for his country and his family every single day. We are blessed to have heroes like Brett protecting our freedom…and intensely loving his family at the same time.
And by the way, Happy Birthday to you Stacy! Love you very much…
I guess I’m not much of a believer in miracles. What happened in Chile is what happens every day in small, well-disciplined groups around the world. They were led by a person who had earned their respect and who could keep them focused – despite the long odds. Military units, sports teams, great companies all succeed in this way – by having a single-minded purpose. Admiral Stockdale, who spent more time in a Vietnamese POW camp than any other American, described it this way. “This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they may be.” It was discipline and focus that kept those miners alive. It most certainly was their mindset. That’s why we call them heros; not lucky.
Great points…every single one of those miners is a hero. Thankfully, they had the right leader to encourage them to stay focused on surviving.
I too was so taken by the strength of these men! Determination goes a long way. We can all take a page from this experience and try to apply it to our own lives, however small we may think it is in comparison. I do not know Brett but something tells me I need to thank him for protecting our country, so thank you Brett!
Thanks Lynn…and yes…thanks to Brett!