ICYMI: A soccer team of 12 players, ranging in age from 11-16 years old, and their coach were trapped for 10 days in a cave before being found, and many more days before all were rescued from the cave.
Here’s a brief timeline of all that unfolded:
Saturday, June 23: The rescue mission begins after the 13 go missing inside a flooded cave complex in northern Thailand.
Sunday, June 24 – Sunday, July 1: Various search and rescue attempts are made, but all fail due heavy rain and flooding.
Monday, July 2: All 12 boys and their coach are found, perched on a shelf above floodwaters about 2.5 miles inside the cave.
Tuesday, July 3 – Thursday, July 5: The soccer team is brought medical help, fresh water, food and blankets, while experts continue to find the best way to bring everyone safely out of the cave.
Friday, July 6: A volunteer on the dive team and former sergeant in the Thai Navy SEALs, Saman Kunan, dies after his oxygen runs out underwater. (Heartbreaking)
Saturday, July 7: Rescuers race to beat forecasts of heavy rain at the site in northern Thailand.
Sunday, July 8: Four of the boys are rescued and transported to a hospital in Chiang Rai.
Monday, July 9: Four more boys are rescued.
Tuesday, July 10: The final rescue mission brings the four remaining boys and their coach to safety.
Many, all over the world, have been rallying behind the young soccer team and those on the rescue teams.
FIFA (Soccer’s international governing body) extended an invite to the young team for Sunday’s World Cup Final, but following their terrifying ordeal, the boys must remain in hospital for at least 7 more days. FIFA is working with the Thai soccer federation to get a future trip planned, AND English Premier League club Manchester United also invited the players to attend a game next season. England national team player Kyle Walker was using social media to find to connect with the young team so he could send them jerseys.
While the safety of this young team, and seeing all that came together is enough to believe in humanity again, we wanted to highlight someone in particular for “Fletch & Jai’s Feel Good Story” today — Dr. Richard Harris from Australia.
When word broke that the Wild Boars soccer team were located, Dr. Harris happened to be in Thailand on holiday. Immediately, he abandoned his vacation to volunteer his help. The Australian anesthetist went in to assess the boys’s and coach’s health, then stayed with them for three days. The good doctor is believed to have been one of the last rescuers out of the cave.
In a world where it’s easy for us to think, “Oh, someone else will help,” it’s refreshing and encouraging to see such humanity and kindness.
