In 1989, Carlos Pellas and his wife Vivian were aboard a flight making its descent into Honduras' international airport. The pilot misjudged the landing, and the Boeing 727 slammed into a mountain, killing 131 people. Remarkably, the Pellas survived, but not without severe injuries. Carlos's shirt was on fire, and Vivian was barely conscious, suffering from 62 fractures, burns covering her body, and severe facial injuries. Carlos heroically carried his wife away from the wreckage, just moments before the plane exploded. They managed to hail a pickup truck, which drove them two hours down the mountain to a hospital in the Honduran capital.
Following the crash, Carlos lost parts of four fingers, while Vivian endured a grueling recovery process that included 28 reconstructive surgeries, numerous skin grafts, and years of rehabilitation. They were among only 10 survivors of this tragic accident, and their journey of recovery would lead them to make significant changes in their lives and the lives of others.
Vivian's injuries were too severe for local Nicaraguan hospitals to treat, forcing her to travel worldwide for specialized care. In the days and months after the crash, she was moved between five different hospitals, often suffering through long, bumpy car rides through hilly mountain roads. During her recovery, she pledged to herself that if she survived, she would dedicate her life to making the recovery process easier for other burn victims.
Burn care is not a significant issue in developed countries; however, in low and middle-income countries, like Nicaragua, it remains a grave health concern. Many children in Nicaragua suffer severe or fatal burns from open fires used in cooking or burning trash. Recognizing this critical issue, Vivian took action.
In 1991, she established the Association for Child Burn Victims in Managua. Since its inception, the association has provided over 520,000 medical procedures to children, all free of charge. Adjacent to the burn clinic, Vivian founded the Vivian Pellas Metropolitan Hospital, which is equipped with modern facilities and medical equipment, making it one of the best healthcare institutions in Central America.
At just 35 years old, Vivian transformed her life following the plane crash. Before, she was a mother of three, feeling aimless and lacking passion. Today, she is a beacon of hope, having changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people through her dedication to helping burn victims.
Carlos Pellas also had a revelation after the crash. As a Stanford-educated fourth-generation Nicaraguan, he aspired to uplift his impoverished nation. With vast holdings in sugar cane plantations and ventures in rum production, real estate, finance, and auto dealerships, his estimated net worth stands at $2.7 billion. Carlos envisioned a way to improve Nicaragua's economy and the lives of its people by learning from Costa Rica’s tourism success and putting Nicaragua on the global tourism map.
Nicaragua has long been a surfing paradise, but most surfers seek budget accommodations. Carlos aimed higher and built a luxury eco-resort named Mukul, which sprawls across 1,670 forested acres of a nature preserve with four miles of pristine beaches. Mukul is a family-friendly resort featuring six spas, an 18-hole golf course, and opportunities for guests to positively impact the local economy through volunteering and other charitable activities.
Through Mukul and his other ventures, Carlos has provided hundreds of jobs, clean water, healthcare, and education to the impoverished region. Before Mukul opened in 2013, Carlos set up a mock hotel room to train housekeepers, many of whom had never made a bed or cleaned a bathroom. He also offered English classes to his employees, who can now communicate fluently.
Mukul encourages guests to visit nearby communities, where they may participate in Pellas-sponsored dance classes for children or meet mothers in the coastal city of El Astillero who craft purses from plastic bags found on the beach. These bags help the mothers provide for their children's education and nutrition, a program the Pellas family actively supports.
The Pellas family faced a horrific plane crash and an even more challenging recovery journey. Instead of retreating into their wealthy lifestyle, they were inspired to create opportunities for others. Vivian's hospitals offer essential care to burn victims at no cost, while Carlos's resort provides jobs and a pathway to elevate his country out of poverty for good.
The story of Carlos and Vivian Pellas is a testament to resilience and the power of personal transformation. Their journey shows how tragedy can lead to lasting change, inspiring others to make a difference in their communities.
