On June 23, 2018, twelve boys from a youth soccer team in Thailand, the Wild Boars, went into the Tham Luang cave with their 25 year old assistant coach. Heavy rain flooded the cave behind them. They were trapped far inside.
Ten days of not knowing
The world watched and waited. On July 2, two British divers, John Volanthen and Rick Stanton, found all 13 alive, huddled on a rock shelf deep in the cave. They were thin and tired, but they were alive.
The coach, who had once been a Buddhist monk, helped keep the boys calm by teaching them to meditate.
Bringing them home
Getting them out was dangerous. A team of international divers and Thai Navy SEALs carried the boys through the flooded passages, with up to 10,000 people helping in all. Between July 8 and 10, all 12 boys and their coach were brought out.
The rescue was not free. Saman Kunan, a former Thai Navy SEAL, died on July 6 while delivering supplies. His sacrifice is part of this story too.
What stays with me
Thousands of people from many countries worked toward one goal. And in the dark, a young coach chose calm and prayer-like stillness over fear.
When you cannot see the way out, start with breathing and stay calm. Then let people help you.
Source: read more about the facts here.
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Help from around the world
Help came from many countries. Divers from Britain, Australia and other nations joined Thai teams. On July 2, nine days after the team went in, British divers John Volanthen and Rick Stanton found the boys alive on a rock ledge deep in the cave. Australians Richard Harris, a doctor, and Craig Challen, a veterinarian, were part of the effort too. Thai Navy SEALs took part, and former SEAL Saman Kunan died on July 6 while delivering air tanks. Soldiers, police and volunteers worked on the mountain. Everyone did a small part of a very large job.
Staying calm in the dark
The boys were between 11 and 14 years old. Their coach, Ekkapol Chantawong, was 25 and had once been a Buddhist monk. He taught them breathing and meditation to help them stay calm and save energy while they waited. When the British divers arrived, Adul Sam-on, who was 14 and spoke English, told them what the team needed. All 13 were brought out by July 10, 2018. It took days, and it took patience from the people in the cave as well as the people outside it.
>What We Can Learn From a Rescue Like This
Big rescues show what people can do when they work together toward one clear goal. Many hands, many skills and a lot of patience made the difference.
Notice that no one person carried it alone. Each person did their part and trusted others to do theirs. That is a good picture of how a strong family, team or church works.
Hope kept people going on the hardest days. When the outcome is uncertain, hope is not denial. It is a choice to keep working and keep caring.
You may not be asked to join something this big. But you can join smaller rescues. Help a friend through a rough time, show up for a neighbor or give your time to a cause you believe in.
Who could use a helping hand this week? Be one of the many hands.
The power of everyone doing their part
No single person saved those boys. Divers, doctors, engineers, volunteers cooks and families all had a piece. Some of the jobs were very small and some were very dangerous. Every one of them mattered.
When a problem looks too big, we think we are too small to help. This story says otherwise. Big problems get solved when enough people each do the part in front of them.
Patience under pressure
The rescue took days of waiting and planning. There was no shortcut, and rushing could have cost lives. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is stay steady and keep working the plan.
If you are in a long hard stretch right now, take that to heart. Waiting is not the same as failing. Keep doing the next sensible thing.
Your part
Think about one problem near you that feels too big. A struggling friend, a school need, a neighbor in trouble. You may not fix all of it, but you can do one piece.
Make the call, bring the meal, give the hour. That is how the world came together then, and it is how it comes together now.
Words from Positive Phil
Believe in the person you are becoming.
A little history
- On June 23, 2018, twelve boys from a junior football team and their 25 year old assistant coach entered the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. Rain flooded the passages behind them.
- Divers found them alive on July 2, about 18 days after they went in.
- All thirteen were brought out between July 8 and 10, with divers guiding each one through flooded passages.
- About 10,000 people helped, including cave divers from the UK, US Air Force personnel, the Australian Federal Police and teams from China.
- Two rescuers died because of the effort: former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan during the operation, and SEAL Beirut Pakbara in 2019.
What we can take from it
Strangers from many countries worked toward one goal. We honor the two men who gave their lives. Hard things get done when people come together.
Source: Wikipedia, Tham Luang cave rescue.
Keep exploring
If this helped, here are more places to go on Positive Phil. Read the Positive Glossary for plain words on big ideas. Find a small act in Kindness Ideas for Real Life. Start a daily habit with 31 Days of Encouragement. Look for comfort in Faith for Every Season. Explore Careers That Help People, or learn about trusted charities and ways to help. You can also try our Choose Your Path story.
Journal prompts
Who works beside me? What shared goal can I support?
Make someone's day
Pass this on. One kind message can change a whole day. Then play a game that does some good.
