They were discovered alive after nearly 2 weeks of being trapped and assumed dead. They survived orderly and healthy within the depths of the earth for more than 2 months. And last week, one by one, each of the 33 Chilean miners were rescued alive and well, in what many have freely called a modern day miracle. So what’s next for the new heroes of Chile?And that might just be A-OK for the 33 men, who had more than 2 months to talk, bond, and plan for the day when they’d reach the surface and freedom once again. Reportedly, the men all made a pact that once rescued, they would operate as ONE unit, sharing equally in all details and profits from any aspect of their miracle story. Or as miner Yonni Barrios put it: “If we do this right, we will never have to work again in our lives.” His words could not be more true and accurate.
In the few short days since the men were rescued, they have literally been bombarded with offers, gifts and cash. The Chilean government had already agreed to basically support each man and his family financially until they were able to get back on their feet. But the generosity didn’t stop there. One mining tycoon offered a $10,000 gift to each man, while requests for the first live television interview were pouring in with offers of $400,000 per miner. Other gifts include a free iPod from Apple CEO Steve Jobs, soccer jerseys from the Real Madrid Soccer Team, free soccer games from the Manchester United Team in England, and even a special invitation to Edison Pena, the miner who so loved Elvis Presley music, he frequently led the group in a sing-a-long of Elvis songs. For him, he will receive a free, all expense paid trip to Elvis’ Graceland Mansion in Memphis. There are commercial endorsement offers for chocolate bars, mining equipment, and even beer. And naturally, there are movie and book deals in the works. WOW!
But despite their new found celebrity, the miners seem extremely well grounded. And despite reports that they sometimes succumbed to fist fights during the early days of their entrapment, the men all seem very connected and committed to their “all-for-one-and-one-for-all” mentality. As one miner recently asked scores of Chilean well-wishers: “I am just an ordinary man. Please don’t treat me like a celebrity.”
Hopefully, this “comman-man” mentality will hold as the dollars continue to roll in.
