The Will to Survive

The will to survive often prompts people to perform heroic actions in difficult situations. In this book, author Marc Aronson described the situation when 33 men were trapped more than 1,000 feet underground in a mine in Chile. With few supplies and rescue only a distant possibility, the men went to great lengths to ensure their survival.

The miners made it to a shelter that was stocked with a few supplies to help anyone who became trapped. While that shelter saved their lives, the supplies were very limited for 33 men facing an unknown amount of time. They began by eating a tiny portion of the food every 12 hours. Then, the food was stretched out to a tiny portion every 36 hours. Luis Urzua, the shift foreman, organized the men into groups to tend their immediate needs. This included digging for water which was reasonably available at that depth...