Yours, Miners and Ours

It's been 59 days since I boarded the plane and left my wife and three kids behind.

This Friday we will be reunited.

And it will feel so good.

Even if only for a few days.

I have spent much of those 59 days thinking of my family.

Texting with my family.

Skype-ing with my family.

Missing my family.

I have also spent much of those 59 days enjoying life.

Doing what I want.

When I want.

Where I want.

As much as I miss them and as hard as this has been, I have nothing to complain about.

Not when you compare my life to the 33 brave men and their families who have captured our hearts from across the world.

Watching the incredible images of the last few days from Chile has served as reminder #5397 just how lucky I am.

Like me, they too have been separated from their wife.

And their kids.

And in some cases their mistress.

Them, not me.

They left for work 70+ days ago.

Today, they are home.

Finally.

It is impossible to comprehend what life must've been like for them.

True, I may, possibly, be able to relate on some tiny level to how much those men have missed their wife.

And their kids.

And their dog.

But that's where the comparison stops.

For the last two months I showered every day.

Twice if I wanted.

I eat three meals every day.

Four if I wanted.

More if I wanted.

I also could watch any reality show I wanted.

I wasn't forced to live one.

Like millions of people around the world, I watched as the hype built for this rescue attempt.

You couldn’t help but recognize what was about to happen.

But honestly, I had no idea how amazing it would be.

The first miner to reach safe ground was exciting.   

So was the 2nd.  And the 3rd.   And the 13th.   And the 19th.   And the 26th.   And the 28th.    And the 32nd.

And finally, the 33rd.

It never got old.

With each man brought back to earth and brought back to his family, the story got even better.

Seeing the reaction of the men who were rescued and the reaction of the men doing the rescuing was truly inspiring.

But to see the reaction of the family members waiting to hold their hero was overwhelming.

I don't do very well watching other people cry.

I usually join in.

You should’ve seen me at the movie Ghost.   It was ugly.

For anybody who was able to watch the rescue in Chile and keep a dry eye, shame on you.

This was a real life miracle, unfolding right in front of our eyes.

These things just don't happen.

Ok, Capt Sully might disagree.

But with all of the bad in this world and all of the stories that seem to gobble up our attention, this was one for the good guys.

This was truly must see TV.

Just imagine if Survivor, Amazing Race, Fear Factor and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Outta Here got mixed into one. 

Come on -- 33 miners trapped nearly a half a mile underground.

They survived by eating one spoonful of tuna every two days.

17 days later, they get a note out that they are ok.

Oliver Stone, is that you?

Then, with more camera angles than a match at Wimbledon, we watch these men take a 2,200 foot ride back to safety.

In a capsule the size of a New York apartment.

If you want to see a story like this, it usually involves George Clooney or Matt Damon.

Not Florencio Avalos Silva the first guy to be brought back.

Or Ariel Ticona Yanez, who became a father while being trapped underground.

Or Jose Henrique Gonzalez, who has been married for 33 years, worked at the mine for 33 years and was one of 33 trapped men.

I wonder if he’s heard of Larry Bird?

Perhaps the most shocking part of this story was how good these men looked when they got out of the capsule.

Especially after what they’d been through.

What was in that cave after all?

They were all clean shaven.

Hair and makeup was perfect.

The clothes were dirty, but not messy.

Nobody was hungry.

It was exactly like a Hollywood set.

Which is exactly where this story is headed.