Stranded in Andes, Only Resilience and Will to Live Helps Man Survive

Little did fifty-five plus, Raul Fernando Gomez Circunegui, from Uruguay know what he was in for when he set out in May on his motorcycle to Argentina.

His family members did not hear from him and nearly four months after he had gone missing, he was found alive miraculously in the remote Andes Mountains. Strangely, he survived the really harsh winter only on raisins and rats.

He got lost while trying to cross the mountains from Chile to Argentina on foot after his motorcycle wouldn't move due to a snag.

He was spotted by Argentine officials accidentally in shelter 2,840 meters (9,318 feet) above sea level when they had been there to check out levels of snow.

Since the door of his shelter was open, they went in and saw this man lying on the floor. He had no strength to stand up but was able to open the door.

He has dropped 20 kgs and is in need of urgent medical assistance. He was also badly dehydrated.

He is presently in the hospital and cannot believe the miracle of his survival. "He's a patient with high blood pressure, a history of smoking and signs of undernourishment. He's going to be fine and in a few days we're going to discharge him," doctors at the hospital said.



Source: Medindia