July 13, 2018
EDITORIAL – Rescue in Thailand saw humanity shine through
WEST SHORE VOICE NEWS EDITORIAL, by Mary P Brooke
The global community became transfixed over the discovery and rescue operation of a boys soccer team and their coach stranded in caves in Thailand. From their June 23 entry into the cave system, five days passed until international rescuers started arriving June 28, helping to shore up local expertise. By July 2, all 13 missing persons had been found alive. The phased rescue began July 7 and the whole group was out from underground and into hospital by July 10.
Through international news and social media, people around the world learned about the skills, expertise and equipment used by the diving community, about the complexities of emergency rescue operations, and the various physical and psycho-emotional health concerns that follow from spending over two weeks in a dark dank cave, never fully knowing if they would ever get out.
We can all expect to see a TV movie pretty darn fast about this incredible journey by the Wild Boars and their coach. But while that script is being written, this BBC summary of the operation is recommended for its chronological and technical detail and creative story-telling: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44791998
Things that have fascinated people about this story: the participation of Navy Seals, the idea of being stranded in such dire and life-threatening conditions, how the event was so unexpected (set off by spontaneously celebrating a team member’s birthday), and the impact on families.
Some likely outcomes include: a sudden boost to Thailand’s tourism industry; discussion about modern-day loose usage of the term hero (this event was packed with real heroes); more people signing up for diving classes; a contribution to the growing awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and in Canada a weird ripple effect about how team sports communities handle and endure a crisis (with the Humboldt Broncos bus crash disaster still only three-months fresh).
The entire rescue scenario is just about the top event that we’ve seen in a long time that has brought people and nations of the world closer together, by essentially dissolving the boundaries of nationhood as some very powerful and poignant aspects of humanity shone through and beyond the differences.
This article was first published on page 2 in the July 13, 2018 Rugby & Rock the Shores issue of West Shore Voice News.
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