Kumari Shreya
Among the many individuals talked about in Netflix’s ‘Society of the Snow,’ AKA ‘La Sociedad de la Nieve,’ Alfredo “Pancho” Delgado is certainly one whose story easily catches the attention of the world. As one of the 45 people aboard Flight 571 that crashed in the Andes in 1972, Pancho had a long road ahead of him. With familiar faces all around him, some alive and some dead, he soldiered on for 72 days until he was rescued from the mountains.
Who is Alfredo “Pancho” Delgado?
Even though he was not a part of the Old Christians Club rugby union, Pancho Delgado was indeed familiar with many of the individuals who were in it. Excited to visit Santiago, Chile, he convinced Numa Turcatti to join the trip along with his friends. The Uruguayan man ended up being one of the 40 passengers who boarded the flight on October 13, 1972, and did whatever was needed to survive in the harsh conditions he found himself in.
In the aftermath of the crashing of the plane in the Andes, Pancho had some extremely tough decisions to make. As the supplies that the passengers had dwindled, he had to grapple with his morals and faith, comparing them to his need for survival in order to find the correct path. While consuming the flesh of those who had passed away in the tragedy seemingly went against the major beliefs of Christianity, Pancho did partake in the same, knowing that it was the only chance of surviving in barren and cold mountains.
Where is Alfredo “Pancho” Delgado Now?
Following his rescue from the Andes, Pancho Delgado became well-known across the world. He even served as a spokesman during the press conference that was held on December 28, 1972, at Stella Maris College. During this event, he compared the actions taken by himself and his fellow survivors to Jesus Christ at the Last Supper when he distributed the bread. Given the strong conviction that many have in the beliefs of Christianity, Pancho’s words likely helped soothe many who might have been conflicted about the ethicality of some of the tougher situations involved.
Nowadays, Pancho prefers a more private lifestyle. While many of his fellow survivors like Fernando “Nando” Parrado have taken to remain in the limelight, especially in regards to their involvement in the aftermath of the crash, the Uruguayan man has seemingly taken a backstep. That is not to say that he is not connected with others and doesn’t partake in various events. In fact, when the survivors came together in October 2012 in Chile to play rugby on the 40th anniversary of the disaster, Pancho scored a goal on his first try.
Read More: Adolfo “Fito” Strauch: Andes Plane Crash Survivor is Now Father of Four
