All 13 Wild Boars have been successfully rescued after a frantic 2-week mission that had the world on the edge of their seats. Many said that this mission restored their hope in humanity, and it’s not hard to see why. It wouldn’t have been possible without the unsung heroes who risked their lives and showed utter selflessness in rescuing the boys and their coach.
The mission started with Vernon Unsworth, a British explorer who had already explored the cave before all of this happened. He was contacted by his friend to help out and wrote the letter below asking for help from 3 top British divers, Robert Harper, Rick Stanton and John Volamthen.
John Volanthen and Rick Stanton are two of the best cave divers in the world. Through this successful rescue mission, they showed their selflessness and willingness to sacrifice for these boys. Both Volanthen and Stanton are recognized rescue experts, with Stanton as an ex-firefighter and Volanthen as a cave diver.
They are joined by Richard Harris, an Australian doctor who supervised the health checks and treatment of the group in the cave. However, he tragically lost his father right after the cave rescue mission had been completed.
Of those who participated directly in the rescue efforts by diving, the table below shows a breakdown of the rescue team excluding those in transportation.
Of course, there were many more that participated in the rescue efforts. These are the unsung heroes that sacrificed for the sake of the boys, whose selfless compassion touched the whole world.
- She is the owner of the local washing machine store. She and her team of cleaners have been washing and dry cleaning the rescue team’s and divers’ clothes everyday for absolutely no cost.
(Credit: sanook.com@ Instagram) 2. People are coming from hundreds of kilometers away on motor bikes or bicycles just to cook and deliver food for the rescue team for free.
Thai locals delivering food supplies for the rescue project - Of course, not forgetting Saman Guran, an ex-Thai Navy SEAL who gave up his life to deliver oxygen tanks to the boys as the cave’s oxygen levels were dipping below 15%. Unfortunately, he lost his life halfway, and was fondly remembered by the world.
The late ex Thai Navy SEAL Saman Gunan - These are the farmers who sacrificed their rice fields so that the water could be pumped out from the caves. They agreed to allow their fields to be flooded with the caves water, and have lost a year’s worth of produce. However, they’re only happy that they got to help out in saving the group.
Selfless locals who put the rescue mission before their own welfare. (Credit: Spring News Network Thailand) 5. There have been hundreds of volunteers who had been working tirelessly throughout the mission. No matter what they had to do, how dirty the job was, they did it to save the boys.
Selfless locals who put the rescue mission before their own welfare. (Credit:Anindya Ghose @Facebook)
6. Sophie Thaianant realized that the Muslim cave divers needed Halal food. She and her team then started cooking Halal food for them for the duration of the mission for free.
Selfless local preparing free Halal meals for Muslim rescuers.( Credit:Anindya Ghose @Facebook) - Last but not least, the boys’ coach Ekapol ‘Ake’ Chanthawong heroically kept the boys alive by giving them most of his food and water, and kept their spirits up by teaching them how to meditate. He lost his whole family as a child, and trained as a monk for 2 years, thus learning meditation and devoted his life to helping children. When the divers found him, he was found to be physically the weakest.
The children’s parents did not even blame him for the ordeal, but thanked him for taking good care of the children in the cave.
Mentioned in a tribute to the heros and heroines of the rescue mission by Urban Trendz a fabric manufacturer in Sri Lanka , this rescue mission has united the world and made the mission a success.
