Florencio Avalos-
(See more images of each miner can be found on the FlickR photostream.)
Florencio Ávalos. A professional driver, the foreman and "cameraman" topped the list to freedom because his good health could take the risks of being first. Quiet at the surfacing, at the hospital he said,
"It's over, it's over at last."
Mario Sepúlveda. The charismatic video commentator gave out mementos to his rescuers and said, "I seized the hand of God, it was the best hand. I always knew God would get us out of there."
Juan Illanes. The former soldier described his trip up, "like a cruise."
Carlos Mamani. The only Bolivian and non-Chilean in the crew, he shouted his thanks, "Gracias, Chile" and was greeted by the president of Bolivia himself.
Jimmy Sánchez. The youngest at 19 with a baby girl, he wrote a letter, " "God wanted me to stay here, I do not know why. Maybe for me to change. And I thought and I'll change a lot."
Osmán Isidro Araya. More sentimental than the others, he tearily recorded his vow to his wife: "I'll never leave you, I will fight to the end to be with you." He thanked rescuers, "God bless everyone who has supported us through these days."
José Ojeda. A widower and childless, he wrote the August 22 note first telling the world, "We are all well here in the refuge - the 33."
Claudio Yáñez. A former bricklayer, the drill operator had time to think about the marriage proposal his girlfriend sent...and accepted.
Mario Gómez. The eldest who has worked in mining for a half century prayed upon reaching the surface. "I never lost faith that they would find us," he declared, and later said to President Pinera, "Sometimes you need something to happen in your life to understand we only have one life."
Alex Vega Salazar. Debt worried the heavy machinery mechanic, but many gifts await the him and the other men.
Jorge Galleguillos. The guitarist and dancer in the group. "The only thing I wanted was to reach the top."
Edison Peña. The triathlete and Elvis fan kept his fears at bay by running the underground tunnels. I want to be free, I want to see the sun" he said in an earlier anxious message to his family.
Carlos Barrios. He was six months on the job when the copper mine collapsed. He learned he would be a father-to-be, when his girlfriend found out she was pregnant.
Víctor Zamora Bugueno. One of several scribes, Zamora turned to poetry to bide his time. One line: ""Under the earth there is a ray of light, my path, and faith is the last thing that is lost... I have been born again."
Víctor Segovia Rojas. Wisely, Segovia used the time to write his subterranean memoirs. A letter to his family gives a clue: "This hell is killing me. I try to be strong but when I sleep suddenly I dream we are in an oven."
Daniel Herrera Campos. The assistant medic who disapproved of the psychologist advice that was causing "hysteria."
Omar Reygadas. A widower and father of six, the foreman occupied his time with dominoes.
Esteban Rojas. He and his partner Jessica Yanez had been together 25 years, but the cave-in did more than years of hinting, when he famously proposed in a handwritten message, "When I do get out, let's buy the dress and we'll get married."
Pablo Rojas Villacorta. He followed his father and grandfather to work in the mines. He had familial company: cousins Antonio and Estaban.
Darío Segovia. His mining salary was to be seed money for his vegetable business.
Yonni Barrios. The medic's secret double life became world news when his mistress, Susana Valenzuela, met his wife Marta Salinas above ground. For his re-emergence, Salinas yielded the ground to Valenzuela.
Samuel Ávalos. New to the job less than six months, he also worked as a street vendor to support his family of five.
Carlos Bugueño. An automobile was his motive to join mining, but the quiet sound engineer's aiming to return to his safer job as a security guard.
José Henríquez. The spiritual guide, he led prayer groups and reportedly saved lives of miners who had been overcome by gas.
Renán Ávalos. The brother of the first miner to emerge, he counted as No. 25. He had worked the copper mine only four months.
Claudio Acuña. Another matrimonial commitment was made when the father of two proposed to his girlfriend Fabiola Araya, and received the title of "the Romantic."
Franklin Lobos Ramirez. The retired footballer nicknamed "el Mortero Magico" (the magic mortar). The driver said of his captivity, "It was the toughest match of my life."
Richard Villarroel. The 23-year-old kept his job secret from his mother. His return's in time to witness the birth of his son.
Juan Carlos Aguilar. The mechanic and father of two had been working in the mines since 19.
Raúl Bustos. The hydraulic engineer worked at a shipyard, but that had been wrecked by an earthquake. "My God left us alive by a miracle and with a purpose."
Pedro Cortéz. Another sound engineer and keeping the phone lines open, he had among the men his childhood friend, Carlos Bugueno.
Ariel Ticona. He missed the birth of his baby girl, but asked that she be named Esperanza, which translates to hope.
Luis Urzúa. The shift leader has kept the order and the men's spirits. From underground, he told Chilean reader Sebastian Pinera, "Mr. President, we need you to be strong and to rescue us as soon as possible. Don't abandon us." He was the last to emerge, before the rescuers.
