A Letter From Gustavo "Coco" Nicolich, A 21-year-old Veterinary Student And Player On The Old Christian's

A letter from Gustavo "Coco" Nicolich, a 21-year-old veterinary student and player on the Old Christian's First 15. This letter was written on the 22nd of October, shortly after the survivors made the devastating decision to begin consuming the dead bodies of their friends and teammates in order to survive.

Coco, a devout Catholic, wrote that "For my part, I asked God in everything possible that this day would never come, but it came, and we have to face it with courage and faith. Faith because I have arrived at the conclusion that the bodies are there because God has put them there, and since the only thing that matters is the soul, I don't have to have great remorse and that if the day came and I could save somebody with my body, I would gladly do it."

His words proved to devastatingly prophetic, as he perished seven days later in the avalanche that carried away eight of the remaining survivors.

Coco's letters were carried home by his friend and teammate Gustavo Zerbino, and they brought great comfort to his family. One of his letters was displayed by his mother, Raquel Arocena de Nicolich, on her bedside table until her death.