The most unbelievable stories of survival

Saturday, December 24, 2022

We all know the stories of survival that we heard growing up: The boy scout who got lost in the woods and survived for three days on his own, the pilot who crashed in the Himalayas and walked to safety, and so on. But there are some stories of survival that are even more incredible, stories that stretch the boundaries of what we believe is possible. Here are five of the most unbelievable stories of survival.

1. Aron Ralston: In 2003, Aron Ralston was hiking in Blue John Canyon, Utah when a boulder became wedged against his arm. After being stuck for five days, Ralston amputated his own arm with a pocketknife, and then rappelled down the canyon wall to safety. After his ordeal, Ralston wrote a book and even went on to climb Mount Everest.

2. Juliane Koepcke: In 1971, Juliane Koepcke was the sole survivor of a plane crash in the Amazon rainforest. Despite being injured, she survived for 11 days alone in the jungle before being rescued.

3. José Salvador Alvarenga: In 2012, José Salvador Alvarenga survived for 438 days at sea after his fishing boat was blown off course. He was eventually rescued in the Marshall Islands, having lost over 100 pounds in weight.

4. Anna Bagenholm: In 1999, Anna Bagenholm was skiing in Norway when she fell through a sheet of ice into a freezing river. She was underwater for an hour and a half, and was clinically dead for two hours. Miraculously, she survived and made a full recovery.

5. Richard Parker: In 1820, a British ship sank in the Indian Ocean. The only survivor was a young cabin boy named Richard Parker, who spent the next 47 days drifting in an open boat before being rescued.

These incredible stories of survival prove that no matter how dire the circumstances, it’s always possible to find the strength to keep going. They remind us that no matter how bleak things may seem, there’s always hope. As the saying goes, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”