"All I remember is looking at the ground and waiting to die..." Those were the harrowing words of one person who firmly believed they were in their final moments of life. But miraculously, they survived.
For many who have had a brush with death, the experience isn't easily forgotten. Some are haunted by the "what ifs," while others are reborn with a new sense of purpose and a fresh lease on life.
When a netizen asked, "What moment made you say, Yep, I’m definitely dead' but survived with no major injuries?" a surprising number of people had stories to share. No less than 24,000 comments came pouring in. From near-drownings, to fires, choking, horrific accidents and other terrifying experiences, these survivors recalled the seconds they were convinced they'd soon be taking their last breath. And the relief of realizing they'd been spared a second chance.
Whether they survived with the help of others, their own quick thinking, or pure miraculous intervention, these tales are reminders of how fragile life can be. And how things can change in the blink of an eye.
Bored Panda has put together the best responses for you to scroll through as you reflect on your own years gone by. May they motivate you to live life to the fullest because you really never know when your last day will be... We also share some expert survival tips and you'll find those between the images.
#1
Warning- this is a very scary story, esp for parents, but has a happy ending. Many details fuzzy, inconsistencies, misused terms o plenty I’m sure.
When my wife was 14 she was riding in a car with four other kids. Nobody was wearing seatbelts, because, early 1980’s. They T-boned someone going very fast. My wife went through the windshield (head, neck) and then went back into the car (whiplash I guess). The damage to her face and neck happened on the way back in. She got the worst of the damage.
After the EMT’s saw her, they told the LifeFlight (helicopter) not to bother flying her to the ER based on her condition. She was driven to the ER as she barely clinging onto life. Her mom (my MIL) told me that when she was in the waiting room of the ER a nice lady sat and talked with her for quite a while. She was very nice/pleasant and was trying to calm my MIL down. My MIL later figured out this was the person who would be giving her the news that her daughter (my wife) didn’t make it. That part of the story hit me the hardest. My wife was in an induced coma for a long time, required a ton of blood, and had a long recovery process.
Because I’m speaking of her in present tense, you know how the story ended. Mild neck/face scarring was the most notable remnant of the accident. The only signs of brain damage is suspected based on her choice of husband.
When my wife was 14 she was riding in a car with four other kids. Nobody was wearing seatbelts, because, early 1980’s. They T-boned someone going very fast. My wife went through the windshield (head, neck) and then went back into the car (whiplash I guess). The damage to her face and neck happened on the way back in. She got the worst of the damage.
After the EMT’s saw her, they told the LifeFlight (helicopter) not to bother flying her to the ER based on her condition. She was driven to the ER as she barely clinging onto life. Her mom (my MIL) told me that when she was in the waiting room of the ER a nice lady sat and talked with her for quite a while. She was very nice/pleasant and was trying to calm my MIL down. My MIL later figured out this was the person who would be giving her the news that her daughter (my wife) didn’t make it. That part of the story hit me the hardest. My wife was in an induced coma for a long time, required a ton of blood, and had a long recovery process.
Because I’m speaking of her in present tense, you know how the story ended. Mild neck/face scarring was the most notable remnant of the accident. The only signs of brain damage is suspected based on her choice of husband.
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48points
If you've never heard of the "Rule of Three," it's knowledge that's crucial for survival. Basically, a person can survive three minutes without oxygen, three hours in unprotected environments, three days without water, and three weeks without food.
Knowing this helps should you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to prioritize your needs in order to survive. Many people might think to look for food first but that's not the case, say the experts. "Foremost, it is essential to find a suitable shelter, then you require sufficient water. Food is last on this list," notes the Survival Kompass site.
The team adds though, that this rule can change depending on where you find yourself. If you're stranded on a hot, deserted island, water might be your priority.
#2
I ate one of those Brach’s oval shaped hard candies (think they were called Sparklettes) at home alone when I was 6. Got stuck in my throat. I stood there in shock for a few seconds as I started to realize I couldn’t breathe. I ran crazily around the room and ended up colliding hard into the back of the couch which caused the candy to go flying out. Best accidental Heimlich ever.
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32points
#3
When i accidentally got d**gged at a party because i drank the drink of a female friend, i left for home on my own and fell from my bike 5 times and landed in the bushes next to the road, i threw up everything i had inside me and was so disoriented that I couldn’t get up anymore, i slept trough the night in the bushes while it was 13C out, and had multiple occasions where I thought i would die, called emergency numbers multiple times but they wouldn't come and eventually got picked up by a taxi chauffeur that brought me home after laying in a wet bush for 8 hours, i couldnt leave my bed for 3 days after that.
Only thing im happy about in that experience is that the female friend didn’t drink it and got home safely.
Only thing im happy about in that experience is that the female friend didn’t drink it and got home safely.
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32points
Your mental attitude can also play a crucial role in whether you live or die in tough situations. Believe you'll survive and you might be halfway there. "Any critical situation not only stresses the human body, but also presents a challenge for the mentality," warns the Survival Kompass team.
That's why it's super important not to panic. Instead of helping, panicking could cause you to act recklessly and make wrong (potentially fatal) decisions. The experts advise taking a few seconds to pause before acting.
The next step is to create a plan and think about what needs to be done. And then to put that plan into action. This structured approach is key to preventing impulsive actions, and can help avoid panic.
#4
Wife was pregnant and we went away for the weekend to house we rented in the mountains. Second day she went to bed early and I stayed up drawing. At 3am she comes downstairs and says she’s in a world of pain and is worried about baby (2 months before due date).
We head out and there is no cell reception. By the time we can call her doctor we realize the time needed to get to a hospital that has the right level NICU we might as well head back to our hospital. Two hours later we are there and due to Covid restrictions I can’t come in.
It was freezing outside and they wouldn’t let me be anywhere in the hospital where I could lay down so I talked my way into some room in the lobby and tried to sleep while sitting. Got kicked out of there and just bummed around waiting for an update. Around noon they say they’ll be keeping her for observation but I still need to clear out from the rental.
Driving back two hours and it starts snowing pretty hard. It’s a semi rural area and if they do plow the snow they haven’t gotten there yet. I’m being careful and fighting off sleep. The roads are super winding and high in the mountains. At some point car starts drifting across the double lines.
I did my best to even out but it completely got away from me. Slide through the opposite lane and continue to the shoulder. I see the ledge and realize if the car doesn’t stop I’ll plummet to my death. Have a brief moment where I think about my daughter and the kid in my wife’s belly I haven’t met yet. Felt like a stab in my heart and that second go off the road completely.
Fortunately there was enough snow in the space between the ledge to trap my car. I passed out in the crash but luckily a couple was a minute or two behind me and their honking snapped me out of it. They pulled me out of the car and went to get help (no service on the mountain). A couple of other people stopped including a guy who had a big pickup. We dug the car out some and rigged the rope so he was able to pull me out.
Despite Covid I had to be physically removed from both these guys because I was hugging them so tight. I was able to make it back to the hospital without anyone knowing. Told them after the kid was born. Sent my guardian angels pictures and $100 gift cards as if that’s adequate.
We head out and there is no cell reception. By the time we can call her doctor we realize the time needed to get to a hospital that has the right level NICU we might as well head back to our hospital. Two hours later we are there and due to Covid restrictions I can’t come in.
It was freezing outside and they wouldn’t let me be anywhere in the hospital where I could lay down so I talked my way into some room in the lobby and tried to sleep while sitting. Got kicked out of there and just bummed around waiting for an update. Around noon they say they’ll be keeping her for observation but I still need to clear out from the rental.
Driving back two hours and it starts snowing pretty hard. It’s a semi rural area and if they do plow the snow they haven’t gotten there yet. I’m being careful and fighting off sleep. The roads are super winding and high in the mountains. At some point car starts drifting across the double lines.
I did my best to even out but it completely got away from me. Slide through the opposite lane and continue to the shoulder. I see the ledge and realize if the car doesn’t stop I’ll plummet to my death. Have a brief moment where I think about my daughter and the kid in my wife’s belly I haven’t met yet. Felt like a stab in my heart and that second go off the road completely.
Fortunately there was enough snow in the space between the ledge to trap my car. I passed out in the crash but luckily a couple was a minute or two behind me and their honking snapped me out of it. They pulled me out of the car and went to get help (no service on the mountain). A couple of other people stopped including a guy who had a big pickup. We dug the car out some and rigged the rope so he was able to pull me out.
Despite Covid I had to be physically removed from both these guys because I was hugging them so tight. I was able to make it back to the hospital without anyone knowing. Told them after the kid was born. Sent my guardian angels pictures and $100 gift cards as if that’s adequate.
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23points
#5
Oh I actually have a story that fits!
I was coming home from a party at 2am in 2016, and made a conscious choice to drive through town rather than take the big highway that skirts the city limits. It would add like 10 min to the trip but hey, it was the first time I'd been back in ages.
That decision literally almost k**led me. Not even 5 minutes after that, the 3 lane "highway" (really just a wide road) passed in front of a mall, and there was a signal light there. Well some drunk idiot decided to turn right into the mall from the far left lane, and I was in the middle lane. I had absolutely no time to stop so I slammed into the side of his car at 65 mph. I remembered yelling "SH**TT" and trying to keep control of the wheels to get the car off the road onto the grass before I blacked out for a few min.
The airbag and the seatbelt combined had fractured my sternum which took the air out of my lungs and made me faint I guess? But it didn't feel like I "woke up" more so like my vision came back into focus and I was aware. But those few moments I was still kind of conscious and in IMMENSE pain. Worst I've ever EVER felt in my life. I hurt from the skin on the soles of my feet to my scalp. Every single inch was in pain and I was like, "So I'm dead, this is my body telling me I'm dead."
So when I came to, heat hit me cause my car was f****d and the engine was as hot as standing IN a fire. So I was convinced my car was about to go up (it didn't), so I tried to get out but the door was wedged shut from the crash and I started to panic. I put my back against the passenger seat and kicked the door over and over until it opened and climbed out.
Every single police officer, EMT, and even the tow truck guy, took one look at my car and told me "You shouldn't have walked away from that crash AT ALL. The fact that all you have is a fracture and some lacerations is a literal miracle".
So yeah, that's how I almost died and thought for sure I was dead but got lucky.
I was coming home from a party at 2am in 2016, and made a conscious choice to drive through town rather than take the big highway that skirts the city limits. It would add like 10 min to the trip but hey, it was the first time I'd been back in ages.
That decision literally almost k**led me. Not even 5 minutes after that, the 3 lane "highway" (really just a wide road) passed in front of a mall, and there was a signal light there. Well some drunk idiot decided to turn right into the mall from the far left lane, and I was in the middle lane. I had absolutely no time to stop so I slammed into the side of his car at 65 mph. I remembered yelling "SH**TT" and trying to keep control of the wheels to get the car off the road onto the grass before I blacked out for a few min.
The airbag and the seatbelt combined had fractured my sternum which took the air out of my lungs and made me faint I guess? But it didn't feel like I "woke up" more so like my vision came back into focus and I was aware. But those few moments I was still kind of conscious and in IMMENSE pain. Worst I've ever EVER felt in my life. I hurt from the skin on the soles of my feet to my scalp. Every single inch was in pain and I was like, "So I'm dead, this is my body telling me I'm dead."
So when I came to, heat hit me cause my car was f****d and the engine was as hot as standing IN a fire. So I was convinced my car was about to go up (it didn't), so I tried to get out but the door was wedged shut from the crash and I started to panic. I put my back against the passenger seat and kicked the door over and over until it opened and climbed out.
Every single police officer, EMT, and even the tow truck guy, took one look at my car and told me "You shouldn't have walked away from that crash AT ALL. The fact that all you have is a fracture and some lacerations is a literal miracle".
So yeah, that's how I almost died and thought for sure I was dead but got lucky.
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22points
#6
I was at the end of a 2 hour journey about 10 mins from home, pretty rural and I was probably complacent because I took that road everyday. I took a bend at 40MPH (legal limit was 60MPH so wasn’t breaking any speeding rules) which I’ve done many times before, probably faster which looking back was really reckless.
Didn’t see until it was too late that a car had spun out on the other side of the corner and another car had pulled up to help. I slammed on but I wasn’t going to stop in time before hitting the cars pulled up/crashed. I was hurtling straight towards the other cars and people who where stood in the road from the other crash. It was like time slowed down and I was at a cross roads; in my mind I had three choices. Continue on my path and hit the other cars and people, veer to the right and go into a field but there was oncoming traffic and there was a chance I’d hit them or veer to the left and fly into a wooded area. I chose the last option, and in that moment I knew the chances of me surviving or not being seriously injured after a 40MPH head on collision to a tree in a 10 year old Ford KA was pretty slim. I just felt a complete peace come over me, turned the wheel and woke up slumped over the steering wheel to some poor man shouting ‘OMG I THINK SHES DEAD’
Turned out I passed out from shock or something before the impact so when I hit the tree I was completely floppy and this contributed to me having no serious injuries. The front of my car was completely disintegrated, after coming to I tried to put my clutch down to take the car out of gear out of habit and my foot hit the tree trunk. The tree was absolutely fine. I drove past that tree everyday for years after and you could see the chunk my car took out of it.
Didn’t see until it was too late that a car had spun out on the other side of the corner and another car had pulled up to help. I slammed on but I wasn’t going to stop in time before hitting the cars pulled up/crashed. I was hurtling straight towards the other cars and people who where stood in the road from the other crash. It was like time slowed down and I was at a cross roads; in my mind I had three choices. Continue on my path and hit the other cars and people, veer to the right and go into a field but there was oncoming traffic and there was a chance I’d hit them or veer to the left and fly into a wooded area. I chose the last option, and in that moment I knew the chances of me surviving or not being seriously injured after a 40MPH head on collision to a tree in a 10 year old Ford KA was pretty slim. I just felt a complete peace come over me, turned the wheel and woke up slumped over the steering wheel to some poor man shouting ‘OMG I THINK SHES DEAD’
Turned out I passed out from shock or something before the impact so when I hit the tree I was completely floppy and this contributed to me having no serious injuries. The front of my car was completely disintegrated, after coming to I tried to put my clutch down to take the car out of gear out of habit and my foot hit the tree trunk. The tree was absolutely fine. I drove past that tree everyday for years after and you could see the chunk my car took out of it.
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21points
When it comes to water, experts say the usual travel rules about being overly cautious don't apply. Meaning, when you see water in a survival situation, you drink it. Dehydration is deadly.
"This does depend on how far you are from civilisation," notes Getaway magazine. "If there are communities nearby, your water is more likely to be polluted with nasties; what’s more, there’s more of a chance that you’ll find your way to rescue before dehydration kicks in. So you can gamble."
#7
Once as a kid I was in the backyard swimming while my family was nearby eating dinner at a round table. Most had their backs to me, but I was like 11 and an experienced swimmer. I got into a toddler's float with leg holes. It ended up flipping over and I was stuck in it. My legs wouldn’t come out of the leg holes. I kicked and thrashed as much as I could, but I was so stuck. And you can’t hear someone screaming underwater. So many thoughts ran through my head…mostly how sad I was that my parents were about to find me dead in a matter of minutes and how they’d never forgive themselves for allowing me to silently drown as they talked with friends.
I tried one more time to kick with all of my might. One leg slipped out and I was able to get the other out after. I was fine. Totally f*****g spooked, but physically ok.
I tried one more time to kick with all of my might. One leg slipped out and I was able to get the other out after. I was fine. Totally f*****g spooked, but physically ok.
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19points
#8
I was pregnant and got meningitis. At work I fell ill and they sent me home because apparently I looked grey. That night my head felt like it was going to explode to the point. I started slamming my head against the wall to relieve it. My husband was absolutely terrified and wanted to call an ambulance but I refused thinking it was a bad headache.
Fast forward to things getting worse and to being taken to the hospital and them saying it's probably a migraine. I have migraines and this was no migraine. A quick witted nurse saw how confused I was (couldn't remember my birthday or our sons bday or even how to sign my name) and she took my temp and did a urine test. As she's taking my temp she goes whoa whoa have you taken your temp before? Your temp is 104! Suddenly all these alarms go off and I can't move. My body felt like I was locked up in a giant cramp-I was having a fever induced seizure but was conscious for the 1st bit. I saw just a storm of drs and nurses and equipment rushing in the assessment room, I thought omg my husband is going to get a call that im gone or a vegetable and my son won't have his mother and this kid in me won't know life.
Then nothingness. Lucky for me they just covered me in ice to bring down my temp that stopped the seizure. They took me to ICU and sent me for an MRI and all I remember is them telling me they may have to put me in a coma and do I want my life to take priority over the life of the baby. Sitting in that icu room in total isolation (they didn't know if it was bacterial or viral for a day or two so no one could visit) I had alot to think about and really had to come to terms that I may not make it out of this and my baby may not either. You have to make your peace and stop fearing death and kinda get to work. I wrote letters to loved ones thanks to a very brave and kind nurses help. Happy to report it ended up being viral meningitis. I fought hard and both myself and now my perfectly healthy 3 yo son are doing great. Still have the letters in my safe and hope I never need them handed out. It was a long road to recovery but I've never taken my health or life for granted again.
Fast forward to things getting worse and to being taken to the hospital and them saying it's probably a migraine. I have migraines and this was no migraine. A quick witted nurse saw how confused I was (couldn't remember my birthday or our sons bday or even how to sign my name) and she took my temp and did a urine test. As she's taking my temp she goes whoa whoa have you taken your temp before? Your temp is 104! Suddenly all these alarms go off and I can't move. My body felt like I was locked up in a giant cramp-I was having a fever induced seizure but was conscious for the 1st bit. I saw just a storm of drs and nurses and equipment rushing in the assessment room, I thought omg my husband is going to get a call that im gone or a vegetable and my son won't have his mother and this kid in me won't know life.
Then nothingness. Lucky for me they just covered me in ice to bring down my temp that stopped the seizure. They took me to ICU and sent me for an MRI and all I remember is them telling me they may have to put me in a coma and do I want my life to take priority over the life of the baby. Sitting in that icu room in total isolation (they didn't know if it was bacterial or viral for a day or two so no one could visit) I had alot to think about and really had to come to terms that I may not make it out of this and my baby may not either. You have to make your peace and stop fearing death and kinda get to work. I wrote letters to loved ones thanks to a very brave and kind nurses help. Happy to report it ended up being viral meningitis. I fought hard and both myself and now my perfectly healthy 3 yo son are doing great. Still have the letters in my safe and hope I never need them handed out. It was a long road to recovery but I've never taken my health or life for granted again.
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16points
#9
Boyfriend finally woke me up shortly after we had fallen asleep in a small upstairs bedroom that had a smouldering fire. After we collapsed on the floor and couldn't find the door that was not even five feet away, we kept hitting walls and corners and started to not comprehend anything.
After feeling like I was baking in an oven I laid my head down on the floor thinking I'd never see my son again and how sad it was to die. It felt like eternity and felt very lonely. My boyfriend somehow found his phone on the floor, called 911. Fire department showed up in what felt like two seconds but couldn't break down the front door. They shined the flashlight up to window so he could kick out the AC unit, which he did. They finally came upstairs and we crawled to them and they took us straight to the burn unit since they didn't know what shape we were in. I'm pretty sure the entire hospital toured through our room since they've never seen anyone make it out and look the way we did.
After feeling like I was baking in an oven I laid my head down on the floor thinking I'd never see my son again and how sad it was to die. It felt like eternity and felt very lonely. My boyfriend somehow found his phone on the floor, called 911. Fire department showed up in what felt like two seconds but couldn't break down the front door. They shined the flashlight up to window so he could kick out the AC unit, which he did. They finally came upstairs and we crawled to them and they took us straight to the burn unit since they didn't know what shape we were in. I'm pretty sure the entire hospital toured through our room since they've never seen anyone make it out and look the way we did.
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15points
The Red Cross warns that wild water sources can also have harmful viruses and pathogens that could cause waterborne illnesses. So it pays to know how to purify the water you come across. If you're lucky, you might have tablets, iodine drops, or a UV light purifier on you. But if not, boiling water may be your best option.
And if there's zero water to be found, one of the most famous wilderness survival experts Bear Grylls says it's fine to drink your pee.
#10
The hood on my car came open at 60 on the highway and completely blocked my sight in heavy traffic. I panicked and jerked the wheel a little bit which caused me to fishtail a little bit. I s**t you not, my drivers education teacher's words from five years prior rang in my head to lean down and look through the the space at the bottom of the hood. I pulled over and used some wire I found in the trunk to keep the hood closed.
Any time you close your hood make sure it latches securely by pulling on the hood like you're trying to lift the front of the car off the ground!
Any time you close your hood make sure it latches securely by pulling on the hood like you're trying to lift the front of the car off the ground!
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15points
#11
In one of my first solo flights, when Cessna's pilot door opened during a turn and my belt was the only thing between my a*s and the ground, 2000ft away.
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15points
#12
So way back in the year 2004, I went into labor with my first (and only) child. I was a month shy of 19 & basically went in blind due to a sketchy support system.
So I do the pushing bit, hear the girl cry, but feel a LOT of pain still along with a... gushing sensation. Me, not having any point of reference assumed this was normal, but started to get woozy & sort of disconnected feeling. Then I hear my aunt, who was with me, say, "Should she be bleeding that much?" The doctor said, "No, but I'm trying to stop it." I remember a feeling of confused panic, then I passed out from blood loss. Apparently as soon as the pushing started, my uterus ruptured & I nearly bled to death.
So I do the pushing bit, hear the girl cry, but feel a LOT of pain still along with a... gushing sensation. Me, not having any point of reference assumed this was normal, but started to get woozy & sort of disconnected feeling. Then I hear my aunt, who was with me, say, "Should she be bleeding that much?" The doctor said, "No, but I'm trying to stop it." I remember a feeling of confused panic, then I passed out from blood loss. Apparently as soon as the pushing started, my uterus ruptured & I nearly bled to death.
15points
Whether you need heat to stay warm, or a way to boil water, being able to light a fire is going to come in handy. But what if you don't have a lighter or matches? According to Grylls, one way is to pierce a lithium cellphone battery with a knife. It should explode and create sparks. Not something you want to try unless absolutely crucial...
"Alternatively, if you quite like your cellphone, a bit of wire wool and a 9V battery will work almost as well: just touch the wool to both terminals of the battery, and you’re away," advises a travel writer who attended one of Grylls' survival courses.
#13
Had a paintball fight on Christmas morning with 2 cousins and their neighbor kid at around 13 years old with our brand new guns we got as gifts. The neighbor got mad, ran home, came back with a shotgun, and pointed it my face. All I remember is looking at the ground and waiting to die.
The kid was 11-12. He did have his own paintball gun, and had already shot me a couple times before I got him. He was my cousins neighbor. I think it was the first time I ever met him. It was 20ish years ago, as I'm 33 now, so I can't even remember if I told my parents. I don't know if anything happened to him or not. I'll ask my cousin.
Cousin said we never told parents. Maybe we were scared of retaliation. I know I never touched that paintball gun again though.
The kid was 11-12. He did have his own paintball gun, and had already shot me a couple times before I got him. He was my cousins neighbor. I think it was the first time I ever met him. It was 20ish years ago, as I'm 33 now, so I can't even remember if I told my parents. I don't know if anything happened to him or not. I'll ask my cousin.
Cousin said we never told parents. Maybe we were scared of retaliation. I know I never touched that paintball gun again though.
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14points
#14
Tire popped going over a two lane road with steep drops on both sides. My car jerked to the side hard, and my car went sideways. Half my car hung over the side and luckily it's low so it bottomed out. I climbed into the back seat and jumped out the back door.
Some dude in a truck pulled me out and I drove on a flat to the other side and swapped my tire out.
Some dude in a truck pulled me out and I drove on a flat to the other side and swapped my tire out.
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13points
#15
I went out for a surf on a stormy day and thought to myself, “no one else is out, those idiots.” Before being held down by 2 waves after eating it on the first wave of the set. First wave of the session. Was thrown down and held under and while being tossed around my leg rope wrapped around both my legs and one of my arms so I was probably being held at around 5ft under with only one arm free while my board tombstoned (board tip is barely visible at the surface but floats vertical like...a tombstone.) finally managed to catch a breath between sets before taking another 3 or 4 on the head and for sure just thought...well this is it. No ones out, fishermen will find my body or my board. Managed to get my other arm free and got to shore very quickly and then avoided the ocean for a few days even though the waves were absolutely perfect. There’s a reason no one was out, everyone else was 10 minutes down the road at another beach where the waves were smaller and cleaner.
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13points
As we mentioned earlier, finding or building a shelter is critical. They create a barrier from predators, harsh environmental elements and offer a sense of security. The Red Cross advises that you first find a suitable location.
"Look for a nearby water source and access to trees for firewood as well as potential food sources you can hunt or trap," notes the site, adding that you should use natural materials when building your base.
"Look for grass and other soft materials that you can use to sleep inside your shelter. Rocks help build the structure of a shelter and surround a fire."
The next step is to create a small framework that can be piled high with available debris like moss, ferns, grasses, leaves, and pine needles. "Pack the inside of the shelter with debris, and the entrance is sealed to prevent convective heat loss," advises the organization.
#16
Fell asleep driving through the night with my brothers. They were supposed to stay awake and help me stay awake, but were out cold. I woke up as the right front tire kissed the gravel on the side of the highway, ripped the wheel to the left, and managed only to spin out. Weird thing was, while it was happening, I was crystal clear, fully focused, and totally in control -- as if time had slowed down -- but thinking that we were all dead.
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13points
#17
Went white water rafting on the Gauley river and my raft flipped on pillow rock (one of the most famous class v rapids). Scariest moment of my life but, other than unexpectedly swallowing some water and almost vomiting, I came out completely unharmed.
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12points
#18
I was driving down a highway, doing 65 MPH, and suddenly my car started to shake. I tapped the brakes in reflex and my entire car flipped 180 degrees. I'm now facing oncoming traffic, including a semi truck. I was so close I couldn't see the driver compartment. I screamed and jerked the wheel, bringing me in front of a sedan with two people screaming as they watched me appear out of nowhere. I kept screaming and floored the gas pedal. Made it to the side of the road and cried for a long time.
I had blown a rear tire. Hitting the brakes was a terrible terrible choice.
I had blown a rear tire. Hitting the brakes was a terrible terrible choice.
12points
#19
I was a senior in high school, and the student club I was in organized an unofficial beach trip towards the end of the year; no teachers or official permission, leaving me and a few other seniors in charge of supervising everything. After a couple hour’s worth of fun, one of the other students came running up to me and said that three of the younger members of the club had been swept out by a riptide and couldn’t get back towards the shore. Me and two other of the older students, all experienced swimmers, immediately went to go help them; my friends got two of the three kids in trouble and started guiding them parallel to the shore to get them out of the current, but the guy I went for was panicking, barely staying above the water, and started dragging me down with him almost immediately. I yelled for people to get a lifeguard and tried to keep both of us afloat, but after a few minutes (maybe five, maybe ten, it felt like forever) I was getting exhausted, having trouble keeping both of us above the water, and I couldn’t see anyone coming to the rescue. I started getting big mouthfuls of water and my leg muscles were starting to cramp up, and I remember thinking “Holy s**t I might actually die right here, right now” as the current started pulling us further and further away from where everyone was.
Thankfully for everyone involved, one of the students on the beach had flagged down a couple of surfers, who made their way out to where we were as quickly as they could and hauled first the younger student and then me onto the front of their boards and took us back to shore. I’ll always be thankful and appreciative for those strangers who put themselves in the dangerous position of rescuing two drowning swimmers
Edit: As several people have pointed out, it’s not uncommon for people to die doing what I did, i.e swimming into the water to rescue a drowning swimmer without training or equipment; there are a few techniques for rescuing someone drowning in the comments that everyone should learn if they’re ever in the unfortunate situation of having to use them. I should’ve used them, but I was 17 and not thinking straight at the time and almost paid the price because of it.
Thankfully for everyone involved, one of the students on the beach had flagged down a couple of surfers, who made their way out to where we were as quickly as they could and hauled first the younger student and then me onto the front of their boards and took us back to shore. I’ll always be thankful and appreciative for those strangers who put themselves in the dangerous position of rescuing two drowning swimmers
Edit: As several people have pointed out, it’s not uncommon for people to die doing what I did, i.e swimming into the water to rescue a drowning swimmer without training or equipment; there are a few techniques for rescuing someone drowning in the comments that everyone should learn if they’re ever in the unfortunate situation of having to use them. I should’ve used them, but I was 17 and not thinking straight at the time and almost paid the price because of it.
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12points
#20
When I was about 10, I went on a hiking trip with my family. I was walking ahead of everyone else, and on the path I saw a small snake. Snakes being my favourite animal when I was a kid, I exclaimed "oh look, it's a dead baby snake!". I grabbed a short stick and gave it a poke, at which point it lifted it's head up and hissed me before slithering into the bushes. I responded to this by exclaiming "oh look, it's an alive baby snake!". As it happens, snakes in Australia I generally quite venomous, and I'd say I was quite lucky in my encounter.
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12points