MAUROPROSPERI

MAURO PROSPERI IS AN ITALIAN POLICE OFFICER WHO GAINED WORLDWIDE FAME AFTER GETTING LOST IN THE SAHARA DESERT IN 1994.

MAURO TOOK PART IN THE 1994 MARATHON IN MOROCCO, A SIX-DAY-LONG ENDURANCE RACE IN ONE OF THE PLANET'S DRIEST AND MOST BARREN ENVIRONMENTS

DURING THE RACE, A SANDSTORM CAUSED PROSPERI TO BECOME DISORIENTED AND LOSE HIS WAY ONE DAY AFTER GOING OFF TRACK, HE FOUND HIMSELF IN AN ABANDONED MUSLIM SHRINE IN ALGERIA. TO SURVIVE, HE KILLED AND ATE BATS. FOR FLUID, HE WAS FORCED TO DRINK HIS URINE, LICK DEW OFF OF ROCKS, AND SUCK MOISTURE OUT OF HIS WET WIPES

FOR NINE DAYS HE WALKED TRAVELED 180 MILES THROUGH THE DESERT AND ATE INSECTS AND REPTILES FINALLY, HE FOUND A SMALL VILLAGE FROM THERE HE WAS FLOWN TO A HOSPITAL DOCTORS SAID HIS LIVER HAD ALMOST COMPLETELY. PROSPERI LOST 35 POUNDS IN BODY WEIGHT DURING HIS ORDEAL IN THE DESERT BUT HE REMAINED AN ENTHUSIASTIC RUNNER AND EVEN RETURNED AND COMPLETED THE RACE IN 2012