When 12 members of a neighborhood jr soccer team took place to check out the Tham Luang cave for a bit of enjoyable together with their assistant coach on June 23, 2018, they never ever expected chaos to ensue. After all, as explored in Netflix’s ‘Thai Cave Rescue,’ they were simply searching for an experience complying with method but soon found themselves trapped inside owing to fast, heavy, swamping rainfall. It hence took an overall of 18 days and also a worldwide team of expert cave scuba divers to make their safe recuperation possible– among whom was Dr. Craig Challen. So let’s find out more regarding him, shall we?
Who is Craig Challen?
As a pure native of the remarkable city of Perth in Australia, Craig in fact attended Eastern Hills Senior High School in Mount Helena before seeking further researches in the regional area. He therefore graduated from Murdoch University with a Bachelor’s level in General Veterinary Sciences, Medicine, and Surgery (1983-1987), just to quickly happily co-establish a pet healthcare facility. The fact is this is likewise around the same time (the early 1990s) that he seriously started getting right into cave exploration, whether it be around his hometown, throughout Australia, or internationally.
Therefore, by the time the late-2000s rolled about, Craig was not just a knowledgeable physician within his establishment yet also a very distinguished technological diver in addition to a small-area caver. As a matter of fact, he earned the Oztek Diver of the Year Award for his solutions in the hobby-turned-profession back in 2009, simply to follow it up by setting a 194-meter record dive in The Kiwi Nation in 2010. The veterinary doctor’s enthusiasm for caving then broadened to such an extent that he made a decision to use up early retirement by selling his medical facility (Australian Animal Hospital) for good in 2017.
Craig’s focus from this point on was simply carrying out brand-new experiences together with his lasting dive partner/friend Dr. Richard “Harry” Harris, unaware they would end up in Thailand a year later. The duo was employed particularly for the (totally unmatched) last rescue objective considering their ideal medical history, yet he still did not shed his nerve anytime. His duty was to inspect the children while getting them over completely dry patches and administering even more anesthesia if essential, which he’s particularly pleased with given that they had 100% success.
Where is Craig Challen Now?
As soon as every trapped football employee was out secure, the expert cave scuba divers responsible for executing the operation appropriately amassed a great deal of global name, fame, and respect. Craig, particularly, was awarded the Star of Courage (SC) as well as the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) by his homeland’s Governor-General for his duty within 2 weeks– on July 24, 2018. And as if that’s not nearly enough, on September 7, 2018, the King of Thailand formally appointed him as a Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Admirable Order of The Direkgunabhorn.
Craig also obtained the 2019 Australian of the Year award alongside Dr. Richard Harris, just months after which the duo published their joint narrative on this haunting issue, ‘Against All Odds.’ Ever since, from what we can inform, not just does the Perth, Western Australia-based retired medical professional continue to serve as a cave explorer, yet he has likewise progressed right into a motivational speaker.
Dr. Craig normally blends subjects like risk-reward, leadership, durability, as well as bravery in his keynote speeches, making it clear he aims to inform others on the importance of seizing possibilities prior to it’s far too late. We need to mention he is also a honored Ambassador for an independent charitable youngsters’s charity called The Smith Family– their objective is to produce opportunities for deprived Australian kids as well as their households to be a part of culture.
In addition, in 2020, Craig set an additional document while doing a return dive in New Zealand and also raised the whole Australasian deepness record to 245 meters (804 feet) along with Harry. Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, South China Sea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are simply a couple of areas he has ventured right into as of creating.
Read Also: Is Thai Cave Rescue Kelly Suwannarat Based on a Real Hydraulic Engineer, Where Are She Now?
Be First to Comment