"How's the dog?" -- I Love Him Already

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As they emerge: How each man spent his first moments above ground

Posted: October 13th, 2010 -- 10:38 AM ET

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Copiapo, Chile (CNN) - Some gave a thumbs-up, waved Chilean flags, and hugged their loved ones. One dropped to his knees and prayed, while another asked about his dog. One led the crowd in a cheer for Chile. And then they were all wheeled away on stretchers.

These are how the Chilean miners - emerging from the dark San Jose mine after more than two months - savored their first moments above ground.

The first miner to reach the surface, Florencio Avalos, beamed and hugged everyone around him as he walked on the earth's surface for the first time in 69 days. He took a few moments to embrace his weeping family before he was taken away for a medical evaluation amid cheers.

As the second miner, Mario Sepulveda, exited the rescue hole, he reached into a large yellow bag and handed out what appeared to be rocks to officials and rescue workers. Sepulveda cracked jokes in his first moments above ground and led the crowd in a cheer for Chile. As the 40-year-old was hauled away on a stretcher for his medical evaluation, he asked his wife, "How's the dog?"

Juan Illanes, an electrical mechanic retired from the Chilean military, beamed from behind his dark sunglasses when he became the third miner to be rescued. Like the other men, Illanes wore dark goggles to protect his eyes against from the new light, after having been in the gloom for about two months. His letters to his wife while he was trapped displayed humor and optimism.

A collection of small, hand-held Bolivian flags amid a sea of Chilean flags greeted Carlos Mamani, the lone Bolivian miner and the fourth to reach the earth's surface. Mamani knelt on the ground and pointed to an image resembling the Chilean flag on his T-shirt, acknowledging the cheering crowd. The rookie miner and Chilean President Sebastian Pinera embraced before Mamani was taken away for his medical exams.

The youngest miner, 18-year-old Jimmy Sanchez, was the fifth miner extracted. Sanchez, who worked as an environmental assistant, does not like confined spaces and has said he misses his mother's cooking. He is the father of an infant girl.

Osman Araya fell into the arms of his wife and kissed her repeatedly as he emerged from the mine. The sixth miner to be rescued thrust his fists into the air with thumbs up as he was wheeled away on a stretcher.

Seconds after stepping out of the rescue capsule, the seventh miner, Jose Ojeda, unfurled a large Chilean flag in front of the crowd. The widower suffers from diabetes and served as secretary for the trapped miners.

Claudio Yanez stepped out of the rescue capsule and extended a thumbs-up to the crowd. Once freed from his harnesses, the eighth rescued miner rushed toward his fiancee, knocking off her hard hat.

Mario Gomez, the oldest of the trapped miners at age 63 and a spiritual leader of the group, worked himself out of the rescue capsule, spread out his arms and gave two thumbs up. Then he displayed the Chilean flag and hugged and kissed his wife.

Clasping the national flag, the miner -- who suffers from a mine-related lung disease and has only two fingers on one hand due to a previous mining accident -- then gently dropped to his knees and spoke silently to God.

Alex Vega, a 31-year-old heavy machine mechanic, arrived at the surface flashing an enthusiastic thumbs-up, and then hugged and kissed his girlfriend.

The 11th miner to emerge was 56-year-old Jorge Galleguillos. He had been on medication for hypertension, but he looked strong and relieved as he got his first glimpse of freedom. He waved, gave a thumbs-up and embraced his brother, and was greeted as well by two presidents, Chile's Sebastian Pinera and Bolivia's Evo Morales.

The 12th miner to be rescued, Edison Pena, was no longer "All Shook Up," as the Elvis Presley song goes. An Elvis fanatic who led the trapped miners in sing-alongs, Pena, 34, looked fit and exuberant. He waved and shook hands and hugged colleagues, loved ones and dignitaries.

Carlos Barrios, a 27-year-old foreman at the mine, emerged to stirring applause. The 13th miner to be rescued looked in good health as he embraced a loved one and was greeted by pats, hugs and handshakes of others. He has a 5-year-old son and is a fanatic soccer fan and regular player.

The 14th miner to be rescued was Victor Zamora, 33. He and his wife are expecting a baby in six months and plan to name her Paz Victoria. And after he came up to the surface, he passionately hugged his wife. After workers placed him a stretcher, Chile's president chatted with him. Zamora is a carrier pigeon handler, a poet and a fan of reggae legend Bob Marley.

Victor Segovia, the 15th extracted miner, looked a bit weary but relieved just the same as he was greeted by well-wishers and Chile's president. He kept a journal during his ordeal in the hole, and his updates helped keep rescuers up to date on the miners.

Daniel Herrera, 27, edged out of the rescue capsule and hugged his elated mother, who had said she wouldn't leave the site until she could depart with him. Herrera, a truck driver who took on the duties of a paramedic assistant during the ordeal, looked very moved as people greeted him, the 16th miner to be freed.

Omar Reygadas, a 56-year-old foreman, was greeted by hugs and solemnly knelt down. He also unfurled a Chilean soccer team flag while he was on a stretcher.

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