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I Had to Survive
- How a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives
- Narrated by: full cast, Thom Rivera, Traber Burns, Elijah Alexander, Neil Shah, Hillary Huber, Kyla Garcia, Tavia Gilbert, Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
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I Had to Survive
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Publisher's Summary
On October 13, 1972, a Uruguayan Air Force plane carrying members of the Old Christians rugby team - and many of their friends and family members - crashed into the Andes Mountains. I Had to Survive offers a gripping and heartrending recollection of the harrowing, brink-of-death experience that propelled survivor Roberto Canessa to become one of the world's leading pediatric cardiologists.
As he tended to his wounded teammates amid the devastating carnage of the wreck, rugby player Roberto Canessa, a second-year medical student at the time, realized that no one on Earth was luckier: He was alive - and for that, he should be eternally grateful. As the starving group struggled beyond the limits of what seemed possible, Canessa played a key role in safeguarding his fellow survivors, eventually trekking with a companion across the hostile mountain range for help. This fine line between life and death became the catalyst for the rest of his life.
This uplifting tale of hope and determination, solidarity and ingenuity, gives vivid insight into a world-famous story. Canessa also draws a unique and fascinating parallel between his work as a doctor performing arduous heart surgeries on infants and unborn babies and the difficult life-changing decisions he was forced to make in the Andes. With grace and humanity, Canessa prompts us to ask ourselves, what do you do when all the odds are stacked against you?
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What listeners say about I Had to Survive
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Karla Broadfoot
- 2021-10-12
Wow...
Hearing Roberto's story of the time in tha Andes and where life took him is amazing.. a truly exceptional human being..
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2021-04-01
Great survival story by an obnoxious egomaniac
The first half of this book is a very entertaining account of Canessa's early life, the crash, and the escape. Through these events, Canessa is a good storyteller, and his recollection of the events is descriptive and compelling. However, the second half of this book is just awful. Whole chapters are written by Canessa's family members and by the families of his patients, and these contributing authors do nothing but worship the ground that he walks on. It is beyond me how anyone (or any editor) could stand chapter after chapter espousing one man's humility, kindness, generosity, determination, and every other positive attribute. Dedicating half of the book to singing Canessa's praises is at best terrible storytelling and at worst a a garish display of vanity, narcissism, and egomania. Canessa is obviously wielding a severe case of savior complex. Perhaps a laudable trait for a cardiologist, its an insufferable flaw for an author.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sophie Duncan
- 2016-05-11
Life changing
A book you won't be able to put down. It will transform the way you look at the perceived worries of your day to day life. New outlook on the beauty in each day, each bite of food, and each night you have a roof over your head.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Kevin P Jeffries
- 2016-06-01
for a mountain survival book it is boring
I have read other stories related to this incident and found this particular one to be extremely slow repetitive and boring. while I have deep respect or for the author for his experience and skill as a physician he is not a writer. this story goes into more detail about his surgical success then into the lives of those who survive with him. the details on the mountain are vague are out of sequence with others description of events.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- JJPTW
- 2018-02-19
No Maps
Enjoyed the content and readers but could not access the maps that were supposed to be attached (PDF). Disappointing!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Baruch Klassen
- 2017-01-27
Survival
A beautiful biography of Roberto Canessa with many life lessons. His experiences while surviving a plane wreck teach him life lessons that later help him in his medical career, saving the lives of babies with heart conditions.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Donna Bedwell. I love this item! Just about like one I have had 25 yrs plus!!!!
- 2021-07-13
Incredible story
Maybe I read this at the wrong time ( recovering from an injury)? But while the first half was riveting, I guess I shall never know about the last half cause I could not finish it. Maybe some other day, but I doubt it. It goes from unbearable tension do da, da, da, dum. My term for BORING. But who knows, maybe it is just me.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- TG
- 2020-01-17
Wow
This was an interesting view into what goes into making someone who they are. And what comes to the fore front when you’re in dire circumstances
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- J C
- 2023-11-15
Great history
I love when people tell their history. It is not as much about the Andes even but how it affected dr Canessa, what he became, the ppl he had helped. Very deep, very touching.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mendy
- 2023-08-27
A story with many happy endings!!!
A tale of survival and victory that continues on this very day. I especially enjoyed how each major figure in the book had there own narrator and the many testimonials of the people who he had saved as a doctor. He has inspired countless people to survive their own battles atop their own mountains and come out victorious. An excellent story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jose Rendon
- 2023-06-07
Difficult to pause!
Such a great and comprehensive read on the experiences of Roberto Canessa and how his life after his rescue was shaped by his experiences. The excerpts contributed to those who’ve benefitted from the work he went into afterwards is touching and a testament to how far reaching a person’s influence can be. Definitely add this one to your library.
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