Kumari Shreya
Directed by J. A. Bayona, Netflix’s ‘Society of the Snow,’ AKA ‘La Sociedad de la Nieve,’ is a retelling of one of the most miraculous and harrowing journeys undertaken by a group of people. Based on the eponymous book by Pablo Vierci, the movie focuses on the aftermath of the crash of Flight 571 in the Andes that left its survivors stranded in the snowcapped mountains. While not all of those who survived the initial impact lived to tell the tale, those who did continue to move forward and celebrate life in honor of their struggles and the ones they lost along the way. The release of the beloved film has certainly sparked the world’s interest in learning just where the 16 survivors of the unforgettable incident are today.
Roberto Canessa is a Medical Expert
We are starting off with Roberto Canessa, the man whose actions were crucial in ensuring that the 16 survivors made it out of the Andes. The survivor went on to complete his medical studies with a specialization in pediatric cardiology. In fact, he remains a giant in the field of medicine, having been affiliated with the Italian Hospital of Montevideo and the Hospital Pereira Rosell. The former Vice President of Fundación Corazoncitos was also awarded Uruguay’s National Award of Medicine on three different occasions. He also helped in making respirators for ICUs in 2020 when the world needed fast but efficient equipment.
The Honorary Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography and the American College of Cardiology also entered the Urugyana Presidential race in 1994 and was once given the chance to be the country’s Vice President. More than anything, he has ensured that the arduous but inspiring journey taken by him and his fellow survivors does not get lost. Not only does he talk about his time in the Andes as his position as a Motivational Speaker, but he also published a book in 2016 with Vierci as co-author called ‘I Had to Survive: How a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives.’
Nando Parrado is Now a Business Owner
Fernando “Nando” Parrado is yet another man who remains at the forefront of the minds of those who have gotten to learn about the 1972 plane crash. The survivor decided to follow his dreams and become a professional sports car racer, though he quit the tracks following his wedding to Veronique Van Wassenhove. He then went back to his original plan of helping out in his father’s hardware store. Presently, the father of two, owns a business called MRC and works as a Motivational Speaker.
Additionally, Nando has taken a public approach when it comes to his time in the Andes. Not only has he helped in projects like ‘ Alive: Miracle in The Andes,’ ‘Stranded: I’ve Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains,’ and ‘I Am Alive: Surviving the Andes Plane Crash,’ but he has also written a book called ‘Miracle in the Andes.’ The 2006 book provides Nando’s perspective of the aftermath of the crash and just how he remained motivated to move forward and find a way out.
Carlos Páez Rodríguez is a Proud Grandfather
Another well-known among the survivors of the 1972 crash, Carlos Páez Rodríguez is a Universidad del Trabajo del Uruguay graduate with a BBA degree in Technical Agriculture. He remained in the field for ten years before pivoting to advertising. From January 1992 to October 1993, he was the Director of Nivel Publicidad. He also held the same position for his own company, Rating Publicidad, from January 1993 to February 2001. He has now donned the role of a motivational speaker and even wrote a book about his experience, ‘After the Tenth Day.’ As of writing, he is a proud father of Maria Elena de los Andes “Gochi” and Carlos Diego and has many grandchildren, including Mía, Justina, and Violeta. The survivor also makes a cameo in the Netflix movie while essaying the role of his own father, Carlos Páez Vilaró.
José Pedro Algorta Has Written a Book About the Crash
Though preferring to keep a low profile for the most part, José Pedro Algorta has also spoken about his experience publically. Following his rescue from the mountains, Pedro continued building his career in the field of economics and landed a bank job in Buenos Aires, Argentina. On a more personal note, he got married and soon welcomed two children into this world. He also chose to provide his side of the story through a book called ‘Into the Mountains: The Extraordinary True Story of Survival in the Andes and its Aftermath,’ which was released on January 28, 2016.
Alfredo “Pancho” Delgado Prefers a Priavte Lifestyle
Not long after his rescue from the Andes, Alfredo “Pancho” Delgado was at the Stella Maris College on December 28, 1972, and was the chosen speaker for the group of survivors when sharing several details of just how the group had spent their days. The survivor prefers a life away from the limelight though he has not shied away from paying tribute to those lost in the aftermath of the crash, even scoring a goal during the rugby match held in Chile in October 2012 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the crash.
Daniel Fernández is a Public Speaker Today
For almost three decades, Daniel Fernández chose not to publically speak about his own experience in the Andes. However, when he saw just how invested the world was in the story when he visited the site in 2002, he decided to change his stance on the same. Though he prefers to keep most of the details of his personal life private, he has indeed taken up the role of a Public Speaker and has talked about his story at various events. One of the leaders of the group of the survivors, he remains close with those who were rescued from the mountains.
Roberto “Bobby” François Has a Ranch
Roberto “Bobby” François is one person who has almost never spoken about his tie in the Andes. The 1972 crash survivor had almost lost the use of one of his eyes, though he was apparently recovered from the same. He is happily married to Graciana Manini and is a father of six: Roberto, Federico, Sofía, Josefina, Milagros, and Diego. The agricultural technician is happily helping at his family’s ranch, and he chooses not to publically address his own perspective on one of the most well-known plane crash incidents. That said, it does look like he is still in touch with his fellow survivors.
Roy Harley is a Respected Engineer
Up next, we have Roy Harley, who is a Universidad de la República and Universidad de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay graduate having pursued his interest in Industrial Mechanical Engineering. He has been working alongside AkzoNobel since March 2006, though he obtained his current position as River Plate Decorative Paints Site Manager for Argentina and Uruguay in March 2008. Since 2016, he has also become a Public Speaker and often talks about his time in the aftermath of the crash. On a more personal note, Roy is happily married to Cecilia Surraco and is a proud father of Carolina, Eloísa, and Alejandro. He also had the honor of carrying the 2016 Olympic torch for the games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which made him the only man from Uruguay to do so.
José “Coche” Luis Inciarte Has Tragically Passed Away
Tragically, on July 27, 2023, José “Coche” Luis Inciarte passed away due to cancer. The survivor was married to Soledad and had three children whom he loved very much. He excelled as a dirty businessman and then chose to retire to focus on his interest in painting. Additionally, he is the author of ‘Memories of the Andes,’ which was published on December 7, 2020, not even two years before his passing. His death pained many, including his family and fellow survivors.
Álvaro Mangino Lives Away From Limelight
A former Rugby player, Álvaro Mangino was one of the many survivors who chose to step away from the public eye after being rescued from the Andes. That is not to say that he has not shared details about his life with the public over the years. By the age of 25, he was married to Margarita Arocena and soon became a father of four. Having spent years in Brazil, he worked in an air conditioning company. He also gave an interview for the 2005 edition of ‘Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors’ and seemingly still has a bond with the others who were with him in the mountains. Thanks to his children, Álvaro is now a proud grandfather.
Javier Methol Died at the Age of 79
We are highly saddened to share the news that Javier Methol died on June 4, 2015. The survivor’s death came following his diagnosis of cancer, marking him the first among the 16 to leave the world of living. Resting peacefully in Cementerio del Buceo in Montevideo, Javier was survived by his eight children. His first four, María Laura, Pablo Javier, Anna Inés, and Marie Noel, came from his marriage to Liliana Navarro Petraglia de Methol, who unfortunately did not make it out alive from the Andes. The tobacco business owner then got married to Argentine Ana María Amorrortu and eventually became a father to Guillermo Javier, Rafael Javier, Ignacio Javier, and Ximena María. Javier also holds the distinction of being the Founder and first President of Viven Foundation.
Ramón “Moncho” Sabella is a Businessman
Though he is among the more private of the survivors, Ramón “Moncho” Sabella has indeed opened up about his experience as a survivor of the 1972 plane crash at various events. Though he had initially not known many of the survivors aboard Flight 571, Moncho soon became a part of the group that worked hard to stay alive every day. With a family fruit exporting business, Moncho is thriving in his chosen field. He also reached out to the survivors of the 2010 Copiapó mining accident after their rescue and offered his own words of encouragement.
Adolfo “Fito” Strauch is a Father of Four
While Adolfo “Fito” Strauch has been a part of many projects surrounding the 1972 crash over the years, he has confessed that he sometimes still has trouble understanding just why the world remains captivated by the incident. He did visit the site in 2009 alongside Gonzalo Arijon for the making of ‘Stranded: The Andes Plane Crash Survivors,’ a project he stated provides a cohesive retelling of what had happened in the mountains. Presently, Fito has his own farming ventures in central Uruguay and is enjoying marital bliss with Paula Martín Valdés, along with being the father of four children.
Eduardo Strauch is Pursuing His Passion For Painting
For the longest time, Eduardo Strauch did not share much about his time in the Andes with the world. However, when Ricardo Pena recovered several of his belongings from the crash site and returned them to him in 2005, he chose to take a more public approach. As such, the architect has now become a Public Speaker and even wrote a book called ‘Out of the Silence: After the Crash,’ with Mireya Soriano as a co-author, which was released on June 11, 2019. He has also started to use oil painting to continue to showcase his love for nature, life, and beauty.
Antonio “Tintin” Vizintín is Happily Married
After his rescue from the Andes, Antonio “Tintin” Vizintín chose to return to his study of law. He then became involved in the plastic packaging industry, remaining a part of the same for 13 years. This also allowed him to get to know more about the food industry. He also remained connected to the world food football and is the Vice President of the Uruguayan Rugby Union. The Administrative Board Member for Viven Foundation also serves as a Motivational Speaker. Tintin got married and had two children with his first wife, who unfortunately died soon. As of this writing, he is married to Josefina Serrato and is always delighted to be in the company of his children and grandchildren.
Gustavo Zerbino is a Happy Family Man
There is also Gustavo Zerbino, who went on to be a part of Uruguay’s national team in 173 as well as 1977 for the South American Rugby tournament. The Founder and present Vice-President of Rugby Sin Fronteras (AKA Rugby Without Borders) was also the President of the Uruguayan Rugby Union from 2008 to 2011 before being re-elected for the position in 2015. Gustavo is also the Director of Compañía Cibeles and was once the President of Uruguay’s Chamber of Pharmaceutical and Related Specialties. However, the public speaker seems to take most joy in the company of his family, being especially proud of his role as a grandfather. Over the years, Gustavo has made multiple trips to the crash site and keeps the memories of those lost in the tragedy alive to this day.
Read More: Society of the Snow: Who is Pablo Vierci? Was He on Flight 571?
