His is a story that many will recognize, but few have an opportunity to hear first hand. Nando Parrado recounts the extraordinary tale of how he and 15 of his teammates survived for 72 brutal days after their plane crashed into the frozen Andes Mountains over 30 years ago. It remains one of the paramount survival stories of all time.
Since his ordeal, Nando has become a successful businessman and television producer. He is CEO of four companies in Uruguay. He also hosts several popular television programs in Uruguay including shows on nature, public affairs, autos and travel. He is also a highly sought-after speaker on the international lecture circuit and has shared the platform with such notable dignitaries as Elizabeth Dole, Doris Kearns Goodwin, General Norman Schwarzkopf, Dee Dee Myers, Sam Donaldson and Colin Powell.
In his spare time, Nando enjoys racing motorcycles, sports cars, stock cars and watercraft. He has many awards, including the European Team Cup for stock car racing and the Open Watercraft Championship inPunta Del Este, Uruguay. In 1991, Nando was part of a team of drivers who raced across the Sahara in stock model Peugeots. The trip, from Morocco to Tunisia, covered 8,500 km and took 28 days.
A native of Montevideo, Uruguay, Nando graduated from Stella Maris College run by the Irish Christian Brothers. He also participated in a study abroad in the United States that allowed him to attend high school in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Nando speaks five languages and travels extensively.