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On the day that marks the 50th anniversary of the plane crash, the survivors and relatives of those killed in the tragedy of the Andes met at the Stella Maris College in Montevideo to participate in an emotional mass that was intended to honor “life”.
This was highlighted in a brief speech by Gustavo Zerbino, one of the 16 Uruguayans who survived the 72-day journey that followed the fateful accident in the mountains, which occurred on October 13, 1972.
LOOK HERE: 50 years after the tragedy of the Andes: what still remains of the mountain
“There have never been so many people at a mass on October 13. Children, grandchildren of mountain people, all alive, because this is a celebration of life, those who are not physically present live and we still last”, Zerbino summed up.
The survivor, who, like the sisters of two of those who died on the mountain, spoke after the Eucharist was celebrated during the mass presided over by the Archbishop of Montevideo, Daniel Sturla, thus thanked “all those who are in heaven.” and that, he considered, “they came down to speak” at the ceremony.
To which he underlined that there was never so much “physical, spiritual and emotional union” between survivors, relatives and members of the Stella Maris School and the Old Christians Club rugby team -which organized that flight-, Zerbino also applauded Fernando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, who walked “more than 10 days” to achieve the rescue .
During the mass, which was accompanied by the performance of the Stella Maris choir, also made up of some direct relatives of those who died in the tragedy, Parrado dedicated a prayer to “community” and Sturla highlighted the duality of a story, which, he said, was “at the same time miracle and tragedy”.
MORE INFORMATION: “Tragedy of the Andes”: the Chilean muleteer who allowed the rescue of the survivors died
Recalling the words of the survivors, many of whom have written books or participated in films about the historic episode, the cardinal maintained that the Virgin Mary was a “support” for the families and summed up that ultimately what was experienced, whether in the survival or loss, was “a song of love”.
The ceremony, which was attended by several of the survivors, such as Antonio Vizintín, Fernando Parrado, Roberto Canessa, Roy Harley or Carlos Páez, also included the children and grandchildren of the survivors, as well as the nonagenarian Raquel Arocena, mother of Gustavo “Coco ” Nicolich and the only one alive of the founders of the Library Our Children.
Source: Elcomercio
I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.
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