10 Real-Life Cases of People Who Survived the Impossible
Discover the astonishing true stories of people who defied death and survived the impossible, showcasing the incredible power of human resilience and determination.
- Alyana Aguja
- 3 min read
From airplane crashes to shark-infested seas, these real-life survival tales demonstrate the incredible resilience of the human spirit in the face of impossible adversity. Each of these stories is a heart-pounding testament to bravery, perseverance, and pure willpower in the battle to survive. Be prepared to be awed at the extremes that humans have reached to overcome nature, catastrophe, and destiny itself.
1. Juliane Koepcke (1971)
Image from Wikipedia
At just 17, Juliane Koepcke survived a plane crash over the Peruvian rainforest, falling 10,000 feet strapped to her seat. Despite a broken collarbone, deep cuts, and an eye swollen shut, she trekked alone for 11 days through the jungle. She used survival skills taught by her father and eventually found help at a remote logging camp.
2. Aron Ralston (2003)
Image from Wikipedia
While solo canyoneering in Utah, Aron Ralston’s arm was pinned by a boulder. After five days of having had very little food or water, he used a dull multi-tool to cut off his arm to release himself. He rappelled 65 feet down a cliff and hiked out until he was rescued.
3. Anna Bågenholm (1999)
Image from FlexiTog
Swedish radiologist Anna Bågenholm lived after being pinned under ice for 80 minutes when she fell into a frozen stream while skiing. Her body temperature had reached 56.7°F (13.7°C), one of the lowest on record in a surviving adult. A medical team resuscitated her, and it took years for her to recover completely.
4. Harrison Okene (2013)
Image from San Diego Union-Tribune
Nigerian chef Harrison Okene was rescued after surviving 60 hours in an air pocket 100 feet beneath the water following the capsizing of his tugboat. He experienced darkness, cold, and increasing carbon dioxide levels as he prayed and conserved air. Rescuers were amazed to discover him alive when they found the wreckage.
5. Mauro Prosperi (1994)
Image from The Guardian
Italian ultramarathon runner Mauro Prosperi became lost during the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara Desert. He survived nine days by drinking his urine, consuming bats, and finding shelter in old shrines. Prosperi eventually found a nomadic family who rescued him.
6. Beck Weathers (1996)
Image from People.com
Beck Weathers was left for dead twice on Mount Everest after a blizzard and altitude sickness-induced near-total blindness. He came back to life miraculously, staggered into camp with frostbitten limbs, and survived through grueling conditions. His recovery involved multiple amputations but fueled his dramatic memoir.
7. Vesna Vulović (1972)
Image from Wikipedia
Flight attendant Vesna Vulović survived a 33,330-foot drop when her plane exploded in mid-air over Czechoslovakia. She was discovered in the wreckage with a fractured skull, broken legs, and temporary paralysis but recovered miraculously. She survived because she was wedged by a food cart in the tail section of the plane.
8. José Salvador Alvarenga (2012-2014)
Image from The Guardian
Alvarenga survived for 438 days lost at sea in the Pacific Ocean when his boat was washed out of course. He subsisted by catching fish and birds and drinking rainwater. When he arrived at the Marshall Islands, he was gaunt but alive, astounding the world.
9. Hugh Glass (1823)
Image from TV Tropes
American frontiersman Hugh Glass was attacked by a grizzly bear and was abandoned for dead by his expedition group. With a broken leg and extensive lacerations, he crawled more than 200 miles to safety, subsisting on wild roots and berries. His remarkable survival was the basis for the movie “The Revenant.”
10. Ada Blackjack (1921-1923)
Image from Oceanwide Expeditions
During an ill-fated Arctic expedition, Ada Blackjack was stranded alone on Wrangel Island when her group fell ill or vanished. She survived two years in severe conditions, subsisting on seal hunting and making tools, without any previous experience of survival. She was later rescued and returned home.