It was just another regular day at the mine, said “Super Mario” Sepulveda, one of the recently rescued Chilean miners, when he realized he was trapped: “I could see two big rocks up ahead that were blocking the shaft. That was a moment of utter despair. I came back down and had to tell the other guys there was no way out.” The men took a vow of silence — “a pact of brotherhood” — promising not to talk about the experience. It was “hell,” Sepulveda says, so why relive it? Also, some of the other guys misbehaved and got all Lord of the Flies–like down there, Sepulveda admits, and they were protecting each other. Until now. To clear up the rumors, “Super Mario” Sepulveda is telling his story:
According to the News, “‘Silence’ sparked rumors among family members and in the press that the miners were having — and hiding — sex.” Really? This is news to us. We hadn’t heard those rumors. Anyway, the trapped Chilean miner sex didn’t happen: “Nothing like that ever went on. We were too busy trying to survive to think of sex. Saying we had sex down there with each other is just plain wrong.” Some strange things did happen, though:
For a moment, we wondered if Super Mario was suddenly trying to get famous, by talking. Could he become the Face of the Chilean Mine, and leave his family behind to head to Hollywood? Alas, who can argue with this:
That is beautiful. You can’t buy that kind of publicity-coaching.
’Super Mario’ Sepulveda: First days in Chilean mine were ‘pure hell,’ calls talk of sex ‘wrong’ [NYDN]
