As soon as I saw Nando Parrado at the airport I knew this movie was going to be something memorable. Being uruguayan, this story holds a very special place in my heart. I think all of us are linked to the survivors in one way or the other. Luckily we have most of them still around us. They're either the father of a colleague at work, the grandparent of a classmate at school, a friend of a friend's uncle.
In my case, Roberto Canessa was my cardiologist when I was a teenager. He specialized in congenital heart diseases. My parents were alive when the accident happened. I grew up reading books and old news about flight 571. Every anniversary of the rescue we would see videos and photos of the survivors on TV. So when my parents told me that my new doctor was going to be Roberto, this astounding man, I felt like I was about to meet Superman. And when I met him I swear I could feel this peaceful energy coming from him. He was so gentle, so humble. It still brings tears to my eyes to think that my doctor was the same young man that crossed the Andes to save his friends. I cherish those moments I shared with him at his office a lot.
"What's the point of this?", Numa asks at the second half of the movie. There was no point. There's no reason behind the accident. What's important it's what they did after the accident. They could have chosen to stay and wait for their deaths, but instead they decided to keep fighting for their lives until the end. And thanks to that, they survived and became the men they are today. In Roberto's case, he survived to be a cardiologist who saves children's lives. He had to survive. That's his reason.
In my case, Roberto Canessa was my cardiologist when I was a teenager. He specialized in congenital heart diseases. My parents were alive when the accident happened. I grew up reading books and old news about flight 571. Every anniversary of the rescue we would see videos and photos of the survivors on TV. So when my parents told me that my new doctor was going to be Roberto, this astounding man, I felt like I was about to meet Superman. And when I met him I swear I could feel this peaceful energy coming from him. He was so gentle, so humble. It still brings tears to my eyes to think that my doctor was the same young man that crossed the Andes to save his friends. I cherish those moments I shared with him at his office a lot.
"What's the point of this?", Numa asks at the second half of the movie. There was no point. There's no reason behind the accident. What's important it's what they did after the accident. They could have chosen to stay and wait for their deaths, but instead they decided to keep fighting for their lives until the end. And thanks to that, they survived and became the men they are today. In Roberto's case, he survived to be a cardiologist who saves children's lives. He had to survive. That's his reason.
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