Crans-Montana — He was just 16 years old when his life split into a before and an after.

Inside Le Constellation, as flames spread and panic erupted, a teenager made a split-second decision that would save his life. He pulled a table toward himself and flipped it over, using it as a shield against the fire.

Nine of his friends did not survive that night.

Months later, the teenager has returned to the place where everything changed.

Surviving the Fire

According to his account, the fire inside Le Constellation escalated rapidly, leaving little time to react. Surrounded by smoke, heat, and confusion, the teenager searched for any way to protect himself.

“I pulled a table and flipped it to protect myself from the fire,” he said.

Moments later, he escaped by breaking a window — a desperate act that allowed him to flee the burning building. It was the decision that saved his life.

Behind him, nine friends were trapped.

The Weight of Survival

Surviving a tragedy of this scale comes with its own burden. For the teenager, survival is inseparable from loss. That night, he did not just escape a fire — he lost nine friends, all at once.

The impact of that loss has followed him ever since.

Returning to Le Constellation was not about reliving the event, but about confronting it. Walking back into the space where the fire unfolded forced him to face memories that remain deeply etched.

Returning to the Scene

His return to Le Constellation marks a deeply symbolic moment. For many survivors of traumatic events, revisiting the scene can be part of a long and complex recovery process.

Standing in the location where he fought for his life, the teenager confronted the physical space tied to the night that altered everything.

There were no celebrations, no sense of closure — only remembrance.

Trying to Reclaim a Normal Life

Now, at 16, he is attempting to move forward.

This Monday, he is set to return to school, far from Crans-Montana and far from the place where the tragedy occurred. The change of environment is part of an effort to rebuild some sense of normalcy.

Starting school again represents more than an academic milestone. It is a step toward reclaiming daily routines — something that was abruptly taken from him.

Living With Trauma

Experts note that young survivors of mass-casualty events often face long-term emotional challenges, including grief, survivor’s guilt, and post-traumatic stress.

For this teenager, those challenges are compounded by the loss of friends with whom he shared daily life, memories, and plans for the future.

Yet, returning to school and attempting to resume ordinary activities signals resilience — even when the pain remains.

A Story of Survival and Loss

The fire at Le Constellation left an indelible mark on Crans-Montana and on those who were inside that night. While investigations continue into the circumstances of the blaze, the human impact is already clear.

For one 16-year-old survivor, life now exists in fragments of memory, recovery, and cautious hope.

He survived by flipping a table and breaking a window.
Now, he is trying to rebuild a life forever shaped by loss.