Thirteen Lives: Where is Cave Diver Rick Stanton Now? – The drama “Thirteen Lives” on Amazon Prime tells the story of a daring rescue carried out by a group of divers who come from all over the world to save strangers. Twelve boys and their football coach are trapped in a cave that is so heavily flooded that it is hard to locate them or even start a rescue, putting their lives in danger. Two divers are called into action when nothing seems to be working, and it appears as if the captive people will never be freed in time. At that point, everything begins to change for the better.
The movie goes into great detail about the rescue operation, showing it from every perspective to demonstrate the teamwork that made it a success. But the protagonist of the tale is Viggo Mortensen’s, Rick Stanton. We’ve got the information you need if you’re wondering what happened to him after the movie’s events.
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Who is Richard Stanton?
Richard William Stanton, MBE, GM (born 1961), specialises in rescue operations through the British Cave Rescue Council and the Cave Rescue Organisation. He has been referred to as “the face of British cave diving,” “one of the world’s most proficient cave-divers,” and “the top cave diver in Europe.” Stanton has been a resident of Coventry for a long time and worked as a firefighter for the West Midlands Fire Service for 25 years before retiring. He was honoured with the George Medal on the Civilian Gallantry List in 2018 for his significant contribution to the Tham Luang cave rescue.
Stanton was born in 1961 and spent his formative years in Essex’s Epping Forest District. He claims that The Underground Eiger, a television show he viewed as a child, sparked his interest in cave diving. He says, “After viewing that, I just knew that cave-diving was for me.” Stanton attended Aston University and became a member of the diving and caving clubs while there. He learned to dive on his own in Cumbria and on Lancashire’s River Lune.
Stanton has been a resident of Coventry for a long time and worked as a firefighter for the West Midlands Fire Service for 25 years before retiring. At Wookey Hole in Somerset, Stanton and Volanthen set a world record in 2004 for the highest depth ever reached in a British cave by cave diving to 76 m (249 ft). In the Pozo Azul cave system in the Rudrón Valley in Spain, Stanton, Volanthen, Jason Mallinson, and René Houben broke the world record for the longest cave penetration dive in 2010.
What Happened to Rick Stanton and Where Is He Now?
Living in Coventry, England, is Rick Stanton. He has spent his entire life to cave diving, where he has become one of the most accomplished individuals in the world. He has never been married. Stanton, who is described as “not the most domesticated of men,” views cave diving as a “thinking activity” that necessitates careful planning and constant composure. Additionally, it allows him to travel to locations that have never been visited before.
Stanton, a former firefighter with 25 years of work experience, is regarded as one of the most famous cave divers in both Britain and the entire world. He took up diving as a hobby, eventually progressing to the point that he began creating his own diving equipment. He still participates in rescue operations through the Cave Rescue Organization, which is how he found himself involved in Thailand’s Tham Luang cave rescue. He has received many accolades for his efforts. He has been awarded the George Medal, the Queen’s Gallantry Medal, and the 2018 Pride of Britain Award for Outstanding Bravery.
He had already been given the Order of the British Empire membership and the Bronze Medal of the Royal Humane Society. He was given the Hero of the Year Award at the West Midland Fire Service’s Aspire Awards in 2021. In the same year, he also received an honorary degree from the University of Bristol’s Speleological Society and a chapter coin from Mark Wood, the chapter chairman of Great Britain and Ireland Explorers Club. His book, Aquanaut: A Life Beneath the Surface: The Inside Story of the Thai Cave Rescue, was released in 2021.
Even after the rescue, Stanton has always been a private person who has never really liked being in the spotlight. “The cave, where it’s going, and how it ends is the only things I’m interested in. I guess that’s what drives me; I’m not sure why, but that’s all,” he said to the Guardian. Although he has acknowledged that he periodically receives images and updates from the youngsters he saved, he doesn’t stay in touch with them. He doesn’t want to talk about it much, but he acknowledges that a lot has changed in his life since the rescue.
He has gained local fame in Coventry and international notoriety, particularly in the cave-diving fraternity. Along with working with filmmakers, he has produced films about tragedy. He acted as a consultant for “Thirteen Lives,” assisting the producers in uncovering information that was either misreported by the media or was only known to the divers. He now frequently serves as a guest speaker, sharing his stories and inspiring others.
Against all odds, witness the incredible true story of the greatest rescue the world has ever seen. Directed by Ron Howard, #ThirteenLives is coming to select theaters July 29 and to @PrimeVideo August 5. pic.twitter.com/ToWLSqmXSv
— Thirteen Lives (@thirteenlives) June 28, 2022
“With the past three and a half years, not a single day has gone by where I haven’t been involved in Thai rescue in some capacity. It has undoubtedly played a significant role in my life, he acknowledged. Apart from its widespread praise, Stanton underwent a personal transformation due to the rescue operation. Before that, after decades of cave diving, he had begun to doubt the significance of his obscure pastime.
He delves into the complicated feelings he experienced when he lost interest in diving into his book. In his essay, he said, “I’d spent my life to attaining the summit in this one activity that was totally worthless; it provided nothing to anybody.” When the thirteen people trapped in a cave in Thailand needed to be rescued, Stanton’s unique set of talents proved to be the pivotal factor in the rescue operation. It does seem like everything I’ve done has been leading up to this, he added.
Regarding “Thirteen Lives,” he was thrilled to learn that Viggo Mortensen would be playing his part. I never really considered who would play me in a movie, but he would be in the running, the man added. He thinks the performer did a great job with his accent and gave his character a very genuine portrayal. Stanton thinks he is still a regular person who only did what was within his power, even though his acts might have been heroic, especially after the movie. I don’t consider myself to be a hero. In Coventry, I still live alone,” he declared.
The boys had the best leader to get them through it all. #ThirteenLives pic.twitter.com/jNiwyFiITJ
— Thirteen Lives (@thirteenlives) August 4, 2022
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