Buzz
Death is an unavoidable part of life, yet some individuals have faced the Grim Reaper directly, stood their ground without hesitation, and survived to share their incredible experiences. Even when every possible outcome pointed to their demise, these individuals defied the odds.
Whether it was due to sheer skill, timely intervention, incredible luck, or perhaps the Grim Reaper taking a day off, these are the remarkable accounts of 10 people who should have perished but lived to tell their stories.
10. Julius Caesar: The Siege of Alesia
In 52 BC, Caesar found himself deep in enemy territory in Gaul. Vercingetorix, a leader of a Germanic tribe, ambushed Caesar’s forces. Vercingetorix then withdrew to a heavily fortified stronghold known as Alesia.
Caesar's supply lines were faltering, and his army teetered on the brink of starvation. A messenger arrived, warning of an imminent massive Germanic reinforcement. Caesar realized escape was impossible. Attacking the fort would be suicidal, and waiting meant certain death by starvation. He could sense the Grim Reaper closing in.
Caesar commanded his men to construct a wall facing Alesia, followed by another wall facing outward, effectively creating a fort within a fort. These walls were astonishingly massive, with the inner wall stretching 18km and the outer wall 22km. The Germanic reinforcements arrived in overwhelming numbers, outnumbering Caesar’s forces three to one.
The Germanic reinforcements launched a full-scale assault on the Roman fort from all directions, with their strongest force targeting the eastern wall. As Vercingetorix simultaneously attacked the inner wall, Roman troops were stretched perilously thin. Caesar rode along the perimeter, personally directing his forces to hold the line against the onslaught. They fought desperately for survival.
In a bold move, Caesar led a cavalry unit to break through the outer wall, circling around to attack the Germanic forces from behind. The Germanic army was caught off guard, thrown into panic, and fled in disarray, with many killed or captured. Caesar emerged victorious, not only over Vercingetorix but also over death itself.
9. William Duell: Surviving Execution by Hanging
In 1740, a young woman named Sarah Griffin arrived in Acton, London, seeking shelter for the night. She met William Duell, a 16-year-old who offered her his barn. Sarah accepted and settled in for the night. Later, Duell went to a nearby pub, bragging about having a beautiful woman in his bed. In a cruel twist, he led five men to Sarah’s room.
The men assaulted Sarah, who tragically died the next day from a stroke. Duell was found guilty of rape and murder, pleading guilty and receiving a death sentence. On 24 November 1740, William Duell was hanged. His body remained suspended for 50 minutes before being cut down and taken to Surgeons’ Hall for an autopsy.
To everyone’s astonishment, William Duell regained consciousness 10 minutes after being placed on the medical table. He had no memory of recent events. After being fed warm broth and given time to rest, he recovered fully by the next day, even reciting the Lord’s Prayer fluently as though he had never faced execution.
8. Harrison Odjegba Okene: Surviving a Sinking Ship
Harrison Odjegba Okene, a Nigerian cook aboard the tugboat RSS Jascon 4, was in the bathroom when disaster struck. A colossal rogue wave hit the vessel, flipping it upside down and causing it to capsize.
He quickly opened the door and witnessed his friends being swept away by the rushing water. Before he could react, the ship was completely submerged in darkness and water. Desperately, he groped along the corridor walls, searching for an air pocket. Miraculously, he found a mattress and a Coke, eventually locating a small air pocket just large enough to breathe.
For three harrowing days, Harrison remained motionless, breathing slowly and trying to block out the sounds of sharks devouring his deceased friends. He faced death head-on in the crushing depths of the ocean.
Finally, he heard knocking and responded frantically. A rescue diver eventually discovered him. Harrison was placed in a diving tank, brought to the surface, and underwent decompression for two days. He swore never to board a ship again.
7. Jose Salvador Alvarenga: 438 Days Lost in the Pacific Ocean
Two fishermen from Costa Azul, Mexico, Ezequiel Cordoba and Jose Alvarenga, ventured 120 km offshore for a fishing trip. Despite knowing a storm was approaching, they decided to take the risk.
They narrowly avoided the storm but were stranded 24 km from shore after the boat’s engine failed. Attempts to radio for help were futile as the batteries were dead. Realizing their predicament, they knew this would be their final voyage.
Coastal winds carried their boat into the vast Pacific Ocean. Without oars, they were at the mercy of the wind. Four days later, they found themselves 450 km from shore. To survive, they caught birds and turtles with their bare hands, drinking their blood. They collected rainwater in discarded plastic bottles and even resorted to drinking their own urine.
After four months, Cordoba lost his sanity, refused to eat, and succumbed to starvation. Eleven months later, Alvarenga had drifted 1100 km from his starting point. He eventually reached Ebon Atoll, a small island in the Marshall Islands, where he knocked on a door and was rescued.
6. Vesna Volovic: Surviving a Fall from a Plane Without a Parachute
On 26 January 1972, Vesna Volovic, a Yugoslavian flight attendant, boarded JAT-367, a flight from Denmark to Yugoslavia. Forty-seven minutes after takeoff, an explosion in the baggage compartment tore the plane in half.
Vesna was hurled toward the tail of the plane. A food tray flew down the aisle, pinning her at the rear and preventing her from being ejected like the others. Her naturally low blood pressure caused her to lose consciousness.
The tail section plummeted 9800 meters into a densely forested area near Srbska-Kamenice. The thick trees softened the impact, sparing Vesna from fatal injuries. A local villager discovered the wreckage and rescued her from the crash site.
Vesna sustained severe injuries to her legs, pelvis, and head but miraculously survived. She was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Her unconscious state during the fall prevented her heart from failing due to shock, ultimately saving her life.
5. Aaron Ralston: Surviving Against All Odds
On 26 April 2003, Aaron Ralston embarked on a mountaineering expedition in Horseshoe Canyon, Wayne County, Utah. While navigating the canyon, he slipped, causing a boulder to dislodge and crush his left hand, trapping him.
Ralston formulated a desperate plan. He attempted to chip away at the boulder using his multitool blade, hoping to free himself. For 127 hours, he worked tirelessly but without success. He recorded a final message, documenting his dire condition. In a last-ditch effort, he resolved to amputate his trapped left arm.
Summoning all his courage, Ralston twisted his left hand, snapping the bone. He then cut through the skin and muscle with his now-blunt multitool blade. Using the pliers, he severed the nerves in his arm one by one, enduring excruciating pain.
Miraculously, Ralston survived and freed himself. He quickly bandaged the stump of his arm and used his climbing gear to descend. After trekking seven miles, he encountered a pair of Dutch tourists who came to his aid.
4. Brock Meister: Surviving Internal Decapitation
Brock Meister, a 22-year-old from Plymouth, Indiana, was driving home after dinner with friends. While operating his friend’s truck, he hit an icy patch at 60 km/h, causing the vehicle to spin out of control. The truck rolled multiple times before landing upright, albeit facing the wrong direction.
Brock’s friend, who was driving ahead, saw the accident and rushed to check on him. Despite being covered in blood, Brock was conscious and responsive. Paramedics arrived and took him to a nearby hospital, where doctors were stunned by his condition.
Brock had suffered an internal decapitation—his spine was detached from his skull, held in place only by skin and muscle. Most victims of this condition die instantly or during transport. However, Brock underwent a successful surgery to reattach his spine using a metal rod.
3. Frank Selak: Seven Near-Death Escapes
Frank Selak, a 32-year-old Croatian music teacher, seemed to possess an extraordinary ability to cheat death. In January 1962, he was on a train that derailed and plunged into an icy river. Selak survived, swimming to shore with a broken arm and hypothermia.
A year later, he was on a flight from Zagreb to Rijeka when the rear door burst open, ejecting passengers into the sky. Miraculously, Selak landed on a haystack, escaping with only minor injuries. Four years later, he was on a bus that skidded off the road and sank into a river. Once again, Selak survived, swimming to the surface and reaching the shore with just a few cuts and bruises.
In 1970, Selak was driving his car when an engine malfunction caused the fuel tank to ignite, engulfing the vehicle in flames. He leaped out just moments before it exploded. A few years later, history repeated itself with his new car, and Selak once again escaped with only minor burns. Later, he was struck by a city bus and then by a truck. Perhaps he should consider buying a lottery ticket.
2. Lachhiman Gurung: The One-Handed Hero of the Gurkhas
Gurkhas are renowned for their unmatched bravery and resilience. In 1945, Lachhiman Gurung, a member of the 4th Battalion Gurkha Rifles, was stationed at a camp near Taongda village. While his comrades slept, he stood guard.
One night, Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on Lachhiman’s camp. They hurled grenades at his position, and Lachhiman managed to throw two back. However, as he grabbed the third grenade, it detonated in his hand. The explosion tore off his fingers, mangled his right arm and leg, and left his face bloodied and riddled with shrapnel.
Surviving the grenade blast was miraculous, but Lachhiman’s ordeal didn’t end there. Despite his injuries, he rallied himself, gripping his rifle with his left hand. He fended off enemy soldiers, dodging grenades and gunfire, reloading just in time as more attackers advanced.
The intense battle lasted four hours, during which he miraculously killed 31 enemy soldiers and repelled an assault by 200 men. His comrades provided medical aid, and Lachhiman survived. For his bravery, he was honored with the Victoria Cross.
1. Angela Hernandez: Surviving a Horrific Car Crash
Angela Hernandez was driving her 2011 Jeep Patriot on Highway One in Southern California when a small animal darted in front of her car. She swerved to avoid it, causing her vehicle to plunge off the cliff toward the ocean.
Hernandez regained consciousness as her car filled with water. She had broken collarbones, four fractured ribs, ruptured lungs, burst eye blood vessels, and a brain hemorrhage. Despite her injuries, she smashed the car window, swam to the surface, and then collapsed from exhaustion.
She awoke on a beach 80 meters below the highway. Despite agonizing pain, she walked along the shoreline for seven days until she encountered a woman who called 911. Hernandez was airlifted to a hospital and, against all odds, survived.
