Mailén Díaz Almaguer, the sole survivor of the tragic plane crash in Havana in May 2018, recently shared a poignant reflection as she stood upright with the aid of a standing frame for the first time in nearly a year. This significant moment in her recovery journey was described by Mailén as painful yet enlightening.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Mailén recounted how this experience, part of her rehabilitation routine, evolved into a personal lesson that transcends physical recovery and resonates with everyday life.
"I could only stand for an hour... and it hurt, but I realized something: when we stop doing something for a while, resuming it is challenging. It's like starting over," she wrote.
Returning to the standing frame—a therapeutic device that assists those with mobility issues to stand—was not an easy task. Mailén explained that what she once did for hours without discomfort now felt like a first attempt all over again.
"What I used to do with ease—without pain, without fatigue, for hours—felt like the first time again," she confessed.
The Broader Lesson of Resuming
Beyond her personal experience, Mailén's journey offers a universal lesson: any pause in life demands effort to regain momentum. There are no shortcuts to starting anew.
Mailén extended this idea to spiritual life, comparing it to returning to a spiritual practice after a break. "I thought that's how it happens with spiritual life... we stop seeking God as we did before... and when we decide to return, it hurts. It's challenging. It feels strange. But it's not the end," she reflected.
This message carries a central idea: the pain of returning does not signify failure, but rather adaptation. Trying again is an integral part of the rebuilding process.
"It's enough to resume the habit... for everything to gradually realign," she asserted.
Adaptation as a Path to Growth
Despite the initial discomfort, Mailén's body began responding over time, affirming another lesson from her experience: persistence transforms difficulty.
"The more time I spent standing, my body started to adapt... and I understood that if I continue, I can not only return to where I was... but also reach an even better place," she noted.
The message is clear: perseverance not only allows one to regain what was lost but also to grow from the experience.
Embracing Discomfort for Growth
Mailén highlighted another learning point related to maintaining her posture during the exercise—a physical detail that became a broader reflection.
"To stand correctly, I had to constantly correct myself. And correcting myself was painful," she explained.
However, she embraced this discomfort as necessary: "Correction hurts, but it's necessary... not just physically, but in all areas of life."
In her message, correction emerges as a tool for growth, even if it involves discomfort or confrontation.
"If something hurts today... it might mean there's correction. And although it doesn't feel good in the moment, it will bear fruit in time."
In her latest post, she found meaning in the ordinary: "I love discovering how God speaks in the simple... in what seems routine."
And she concluded with a sentiment that encapsulates not just her story, but the lesson she seeks to impart: "And faced with that, there's only one decision: to keep going."
In that choice—to continue despite pain, pauses, setbacks—lies Mailén Díaz's primary lesson: it's always possible to start anew, even if it hurts.
A Testimony Beyond Her Story
Mailén Díaz has chronicled her recovery journey since the tragic plane crash on May 18, 2018, which claimed 112 lives. Since then, she has endured numerous surgeries, the loss of a leg, and paralysis in both limbs.
By March of last year, she had already shown progress in her rehabilitation, including the use of a standing frame as a key therapy to improve circulation, strengthen muscles, and prevent complications.
Her journey has also been spiritual. In 2025, she announced her pursuit of a Bachelor's degree in Theology at the Methodist Seminary in Havana, solidifying a path that, as she has explained, has helped her find meaning in her experience.
Throughout these years, Mailén has also spoken out about the difficulties in accessing medical supplies in Cuba, making it clear that her journey has not been free of challenges and obstacles.
However, her message emphasizes something deeper than adversity: the ability to learn even from pain.
Key Insights from Mailén Díaz's Recovery
What major lesson did Mailén Díaz learn from her experience?
Mailén learned that resuming activities after a pause requires effort and adaptation, and that persevering can lead to growth beyond merely regaining one's prior state.
How did Mailén Díaz's spiritual journey influence her recovery?
Her spiritual journey provided her with a framework to find meaning in her experiences, and she began studying Theology to further explore and solidify this path.