The detail is from a History Channel recap of important events on July 10 throughout history. Obviously, some are more recent than others.
Some are so recent that I was an absurdly small “extra”–merely a unrecognized bystander–in their resolution.
As fate and fortune would have it, I was in Chiang Rai, Thailand, the week that the search for the soccer boys reached its most intense phase, and throughout the time that they were rescued.
“God,” I remember myself thinking, more than once, as my Gracious Host and I careened through the crowds of international news cameramen and reporting stringers, on an underpowered and rickety motorcycle of which he seemed inordinately proud. “I just hope we two don’t turn up as the lead feature on any eleven o’clock news cycle in any neighborhood known to either of us.”
As it turned out, I needn’t have worried, because by that time the world’s richest man had–not entirely to his credit, then and following–involved himself in the story. And–like the Eye of Sauron–that’s where the news focus went.
Long story short, the whole thing was like a step out of time. One of those increasingly rare moments when the entire world focused on a small, human event and individual bravery. When sometimes unlikely heroes came to the fore. And when all we could do was cheer them on and pray.
Chief of the rescue mission Narongsak Osottanakorn addressed reporters at the end of the 17-day mission, arriving at a media center to a round of applause. He confirmed that a medic and all navy SEAL divers involved in the rescue mission had also left the cave safely.
“Nobody thought we could do it. It was a world first,” he said. “It was Mission Possible for Team Thailand–reuters.com
A couple of years ago I wrote a post about the Ron Howard movie, recounting my personal experience in much more detail. Since I wrote the post, I’ve watched the movie. It’s a great one.
Money shot from the original post: Here we were, at the “old” Chiang Rai airport, now a rather mediocre golf course for elderly. drunken, and wobbly expats, watching the helicopter carrying the brave Thai Navy Seals and a few other significant personages deplaning, at the end of a successful mission. God bless them all.
