Against The Odds – “Madre de Dios: Stranded in the Amazon | Still Waters” (Ep. 3)

Podcast: Against The Odds
Host: Cassie De Pecol (Wondery)
Air Date: January 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this gripping conclusion to the “Madre de Dios: Stranded in the Amazon” series, hosts dramatize the harrowing 31-day survival journey of American newlyweds Fitz and Holly Fitzgerald, who were stranded in the flooded jungles of the Amazon in 1973. Facing starvation, predators, disease, and isolation, the couple navigate not only physical dangers, but moments of psychological despair and deep connection, ultimately culminating in a miraculous rescue. This episode immerses listeners in their most desperate days and the rescue that finally brings them back to civilization.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Surviving the Swamp: Physical and Emotional Toll

• Daily Struggles:

  • The couple is out of food, subsisting on half a teaspoon of sugar each (00:53).
  • Starvation leads to hallucinations, exhaustion, and fevers (16:14).
  • Continuous fight against elements: quicksand-like mud, currents, stinging insects, and oppressive heat (02:40, 08:03).

• Quote:

  • “I don't know how much longer I can do this. Come on, Holly, don't give up.” – Holly’s internal struggle and self-motivation (02:08).

• Psychological Breaking Points:

  • Fitz breaks down and questions his fate, reflecting on his survival through Vietnam only to die in the jungle (09:10).
  • Holly feels a duty to remain emotionally strong, even when she has doubts (09:47).

• Quote:

  • "Why did I survive Vietnam?... Why didn't God let me die then? Why kill me now?" – Fitz (09:27).

2. Food, Hope, and Small Victories

• Scramble for Sustenance:

  • Desperation leads them to try fishing with improvised bait (14:15).
  • All attempts fail until a rainstorm brings snails and frogs, providing the first “meal” in 15 days (19:45).

• Quote:

  • “They’re like escargot. Not quite like the ones I had in France. Maybe because the garlic is missing.” – Fitz, trying to lighten the moment (23:15).

• Holly expresses a deep urge to have a baby, imagining a future despite the grim present (25:00 – 26:20).

3. Insect Invasions and Moments of False Hope

• Bees Attack:

  • Repeated swarmings by bees force them to jump into the swamp and risk further danger (16:57, 33:04).

• Missed Rescue:

  • At one point, a small plane passes overhead, igniting hope, but it doesn't spot them (18:40).

• Quote:

  • “They hold up the SOS sign, waving and screaming... but the plane just keeps going... their only connection to the outside world gone.” (19:01).

4. The Psychological Cost: Love and Despair

• Losing Everything:

  • Fitz loses his wedding ring, symbolizing the slow stripping away of their old lives and identities (36:30).

• Quote:

  • “Everything's been taken from us.” – Fitz (36:58).

• Both debate who might survive, or if either will; Fitz's fatalism contrasts with Holly’s insistence on hope (42:08).

• Quote:

  • "If I die, you won't be alone for long. You'll have plenty of men to choose from." – Fitz; "Don't say that. How do you know I won't be the first to die? ... I love you. Please. We've come this far. We're going to make it." – Holly (43:15).

5. Approaching the End

• Physical Collapse:

  • By the 25th day, they're skeletal, disoriented, and barely registering pain from constant bee stings (44:32).
  • Survival becomes a matter of not moving and not giving in.

• Predators:

  • The threat of jaguars and other animals is constant, but hunger and hopelessness overshadow even those fears (47:01).

6. Miraculous Rescue

• The Encounter:

  • At their weakest, Holly and Fitz notice two indigenous men in a canoe—Roque and Silverio—who miraculously find them while hunting (53:10).

• Skepticism and Relief:

  • Initial fear, due to previous bad encounters, but decided to trust the men who kindly help them (56:30).
  • Roque and Silverio strip the Pink Palace raft for supplies as the couple can barely carry anything themselves (58:30).

• Quote:

  • “Without that fragile raft, they never would have survived this long. It was both their prison and their savior.” (1:00:22).

7. Return to Civilization

• Arrival at Santo Domingo:

  • The tiny camp of Santo Domingo, belonging to Gregoria Desdre’s rubber plantation, appears after weeks of isolation (1:01:45).
  • The kindness of strangers: villagers offer drinks and comfort but monitor their food intake for safety (1:03:12).

• Symbolic Rituals:

  • Holly gives away her straw rings; Fitz thanks their rescuers (1:07:12).
  • The story of a monkey key to both their rescue and family legend becomes a moment of meaning (1:10:10).

• Quote:

  • “Our own Thanksgiving every year… Thank God for Roque and Silverio—and the monkey who led them to us.” – Holly (1:10:33).

8. Aftermath and Legacy

• Recovery:
  • Medical teams in Riberalta are shocked by their condition (1:12:12).
  • Fitz suffered parasite infections from Vietnam; Holly stabilized faster.
• Life After Survival:
  • They resumed their world travels after recovery; eventually, they had two daughters and five grandchildren.
  • Their annual "Raft Day" celebration honors their survival with oranges, fish, and rice—simple reminders of resilience and gratitude (1:14:45).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We'll be okay. We're going to be okay.”
  – Holly, comforting Fitz in a moment of shared collapse (09:47).

• “Why did I survive Vietnam?...Why didn't God let me die then? Why kill me now?”
  – Fitz, at his lowest point (09:27).

• “They’re like escargot. Not quite like the ones I had in France. Maybe because the garlic is missing.”
  – Fitz, finding humor eating swamp snails (23:15).

• “Let's celebrate this day every year. ...Our own Thanksgiving every year. Thank God for Roque and Silverio and that monkey who led them to us.”
  – Holly, marking the meaning of their survival (1:10:33).

• “Without that fragile raft, they never would have survived this long. It was both their prison and their savior.” – Narration on the significance of the Pink Palace (1:00:22).

• “If I die, you won’t be alone for long. ...Don’t say that. ...I love you. Please. We've come this far. We’re going to make it.”
  – Fitz and Holly's exchange about love and survival (43:15).

Important Timestamps

• 00:53 – Final ration of sugar; awareness of critical starvation
• 02:08 – Holly stuck in quicksand-like mud
• 09:10 – Fitz’s psychological breakdown
• 16:57 – First bee invasion
• 18:40 – Missed rescue opportunity with passing plane
• 23:15 – Eating snails and frogs, dark humor and relief
• 25:00 – Holly dreams of a future family
• 36:30 – Fitz loses his wedding ring
• 42:08 – Discussion of mortality and hope
• 47:01 – Night threats, jungle predators
• 53:10 – Roque and Silverio appear, rescue
• 1:01:45 – Arrival in Santo Domingo, first human touch
• 1:10:10 – The story of the monkey, family legend, and survival's meaning
• 1:14:45 – Aftermath, legacy, “Raft Day” celebration

Conclusion

Episode 3 of "Madre de Dios" delivers a visceral, immersive retelling of one of the Amazon’s most extraordinary survival stories. Through dramatized dialogue and rich narration, listeners experience the devastation of hunger, the intimacy of a couple clinging to life and love, and the overwhelming relief of rescue. The Fitzgeralds’ ordeal ultimately becomes a celebration of human resilience, the bonds that carry us through darkness, and the fortune of unexpected kindness. A moving tribute to surviving, together, against the odds.

Resource Mentioned:
If you want to learn more about this story, read “Ruthless Love and Survival by Raft on the Amazon’s Relentless Madre de Dios” by Holly Fitzgerald.