On October 12, 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 amidst 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?

I Had to Survive: How a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives

Biographies & Memoirs

Canessa, Dr. Roberto

VIERCI, PABLO

Professionals & Academics

Atria Books

Dr. Roberto Canessa recounts his side of the famous 1972 plane crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in the Andean Mountains and how, decades later, the harrowing journey to survive propelled him to become one of the world’s leading pediatric cardiologists, seeing in his patients the same fierce will to live he witnessed in the Andes. As he tended to his wounded Old Christians teammates amidst the devastating carnage, 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. No one could have imagined that there were survivors from the accident in such extreme conditions. Canessa's extraordinary experience on the 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 the world-famous story that inspired the movie Alive! Canessa also draws a unique and fascinating parallel between his work as a doctor diagnosing very complex congenital cardiopathies in unborn and newborn infants 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?

Community & Culture

El 13 de octubre de 1972, un avión de la Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya, que llevaba al equipo de rugby Old Christians—y muchos de sus amigos y familiares— se estrelló en medio de la cordillera de los Andes. Tenía que sobrevivir es el relato cautivante y desgarrador de esa larga experiencia con la muerte que impulso a uno de sus sobrevivientes, Roberto Canessa, a convertirse en uno de los cardiólogos infantiles más conocidos en el mundo. Cuando atendía a sus compañeros heridos en medio de la carnicería devastadora que produjo el accidente, Roberto Canessa, que en aquel entonces tenía diecinueve años y era un estudiante de segundo año de medicina, se sintió la persona más afortunada del planeta: estaba vivo— y por eso mismo, debía estar eternamente agradecido. Mientras el grupo famélico luchaba por sobrevivir, más allá de los límites de lo imaginable, Canessa jugó un rol fundamental para salvar a los demás sobre-vivientes, atravesando, con un compañero, la cordillera de los Andes, examines y sin ningún tipo de equipo, en busca de ayuda. Esta delgada línea entre la vida y la muerte se transformó en un catalizador para el resto de su vida. Tenía que sobrevivir trata de un iluminador relato de esperanza y determinación, solidaridad e ingenio, que aporta une nueva perspectiva a una historia mundialmente concocia. Canessa traza un paralelismo único u fascinante entre su trabajo diagnosticando cardiopatías congénitas muy complejas en niños recién nacidos u fetos, y las decisiones difíciles de vida o muerte que fue forzado a tomar en los Andes. Con ternura y humanismo, Canessa nos incita a preguntarnos: ¿Que hacer cunado todo está tu contra?

Tenía que sobrevivir (I Had to Survive Spanish Edition): Cómo un accidente aéreo en los Andes inspiró mi vocación para salvar vidas (Atria Espanol)

Atria/Primero Sueno Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Canessa, Dr. Roberto. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Canessa, Dr. Roberto

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Canessa, Dr. Roberto. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

I Had to Survive: How a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives

I Had to Survive: How a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives

Tenía que sobrevivir (I Had to Survive Spanish Edition): Cómo un accidente aéreo en los Andes inspiró mi vocación para salvar vidas (Atria Espanol)