All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team

By June 30, the boys had spent one week inside the cave. They faced extreme hunger and endured the stench of human waste from going to the bathroom inside the chamber. The cold, wet conditions of the cave were a cause for concern as well. Although they all huddled together to keep warm, they had little body fat left and no calories to burn to produce body heat. Hypothermia could set in and lead to death. The boys used alarms on Thi’s watch to tell them when it was morning and night, and they tried to stay mentally strong. Maintaining the will to survive was crucial for them to last in the harsh cave conditions. Thankfully, the boys had experience overcoming adversity because of their time on the soccer field. To be a successful team, they must keep working and doing their best, even when the game isn’t going in their favor. In Tham Luang, Coach Ek encouraged the boys to do all they could to increase their odds of survival. The boys again started digging with their hands and with rocks to try to tunnel their way out.