Buzz
Relief is one of the most incredible sensations. Whether it's making it to the restroom just in time or securing the final catch in a World Series game, the surge of endorphins that follows a close call with failure is unmatched. That brief moment of triumph over life's unpredictable challenges is a feeling that can't be beaten.
This list showcases those moments where that feeling of relief is truly earned – near-death experiences that ended in fortunate outcomes. However, in some cases, the sheer weight of what could have been casts a shadow on the relief, sparking changes that influence the way we live today.
10. Shattered Trust
Despite the eerie feeling that comes with the widespread presence of CCTV, there’s no denying the advantages these cameras offer. Their ability to capture evidence of crimes and even help prevent worst-case scenarios is undeniable. A perfect example of this is the attempted kidnapping caught on camera in 2017, which provided crucial evidence.
In Auckland, New Zealand, a couple reported that their 11-month-old baby was kidnapped from their home in the early hours of August 9th. Police sprang into action and managed to locate and return the child within hours. The kidnapper turned out to be the family's hired nanny, Nadene Manukau-Togiavalu, who had concealed her criminal past to secure the nanny job. In the months prior to the abduction, the woman had posed with a fake baby-bump in pictures taken at a supposed 'baby shower' – she wasn’t actually pregnant.
In an era before the prevalence of security cameras, it’s hard to imagine this case being resolved so swiftly, or perhaps even at all. Manukau-Togiavalu was sentenced to three years in prison and, as of 2019, was released on parole.
9. The Fortune of Fate
Similar to trainspotting or collecting beanie babies, there exists a rather dangerous hobby: watching buildings being demolished.
A group of spectators had gathered at a seemingly safe distance to watch the demolition of an old clothing factory in the Czech Republic. Just as the explosives were detonated, a piece of masonry flew out from the collapsing structure and narrowly missed the group. A slow-motion replay revealed that had the concrete chunk hit anyone, it would have been instantly fatal. Fortunately, it missed. Just barely.
8. Strikingly Familiar
While many have criticized the harsh measures implemented by security agencies worldwide in response to the 9/11 attacks, it’s difficult to ignore the number of terrorist plots that have been thwarted thanks to these enhanced security measures. One such plot, which mirrored the events of 9/11, came incredibly close to succeeding in 2019.
A Kenyan national, Cholo Abdi Abdullah, aimed to carry out a copycat attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. He spent years training to become a certified pilot in the Philippines, developed hijacking tactics, and acquired bomb-making materials. Abdullah was receiving direct instructions from al-Shabaab, an African terror group linked to al-Qaeda.
Fortunately, this plot was foiled, but it serves as a chilling reminder that international terror cells are still active and continue to pose a threat to innocent civilians around the world.
7. Sibling Loyalty
You’ve likely heard stories of ‘super-human’ feats by parents or spouses when faced with a crisis. You know the type – a mother suddenly overwhelmed by adrenaline, her muscles freezing as she lifts a pickup truck to rescue her trapped child. This one, however, might be even more astonishing.
Two toddler twins, Bowdy and Brock Shoff, were playing joyfully in their bedroom in their suburban home in Orem, Utah when an IKEA dresser they were climbing on toppled over, pinning Bowdy underneath. Brock immediately tried to push the dresser off, but it wouldn’t budge. He climbed to the other side but couldn’t lift the heavy furniture enough to free his brother.
After a moment of careful thinking, Bowdy wriggled and rolled as best as he could while Brock pushed with all his might, eventually freeing his sibling. Neither boy seemed fully aware of the danger they had been in – when their mother entered the room to check on them, she had no idea what had just transpired or of the bravery Brock had shown. They were simply continuing their playtime.
Upon reviewing the video footage, the boys’ mother immediately bolted the dresser to the wall to prevent a similar incident in the future.
6. The Moon and Khrushchev
Everyone knows the incredible tale of Stanislav Petrov, the duty officer aboard a Soviet submarine who prevented nuclear disaster in 1983 by refusing to believe that the United States had launched missiles against the Soviet Union. Petrov’s instinct that a malfunction had occurred turned out to be spot on.
What’s less commonly known is that the world came dangerously close to nuclear annihilation many years before this incident. In 1960, the situation wasn’t caused by a glitch in the satellite warning system.
It was the moon.
The Thule radar-based warning system in the northern region had pushed NORAD into a state of 'high alert', almost triggering a retaliatory strike, reporting that the likelihood of a massive Soviet missile launch was 99.9%.
The one flaw in this calculation was something not measurable by machines: Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet Premier, was in New York City at the time, making the alleged Soviet launch highly improbable. This fact gave the Americans pause, who, in a state of either calm or panic (depending on the source), concluded that it was most likely a mistake.
It turned out that a rising ‘super blood moon’ was behind the erroneous warning issued by the radar systems in Greenland. If ever there was proof that humans should not rely solely on machines for judgment, this is it.
Following this near-catastrophe, necessary adjustments and upgrades were implemented to prevent the possibility of humanity being wiped out due to the moon's presence.
What would that scenario look like?
5. Incredible Luck
If the video of those Czechs narrowly avoiding flying debris had your heart racing, prepare yourself for an even greater adrenaline surge with this next story. In 2014, a group of spectators at the ‘Jolly Rally’ in Valle d’Aosta, Italy, got more than they bargained for when a yellow Renault lost control, veering off the tracks and crashing into the embankment where they were gathered.
Most of the standing spectators managed to swiftly dodge the oncoming vehicle, but the sitting crowd wasn’t as lucky. Among the five spectators (two men and three women), the two men quickly sprang into action, fleeing from the danger. Two of the young women barely managed to escape, scooting backward just in time as the car flipped toward them. One woman barely moved. Fortunately, she was missed by the wrecked car, as well as the debris that was thrown up by the crash.
What made this even more terrifying was that the young woman had chosen to wear light-colored jeans that day…
4. Dr. MacGyver
A medical emergency thousands of feet in the air with no hope of external help is a nightmare scenario. But for one man traveling from China to New York City, there was a doctor on board, along with a drinking straw, a syringe, and an oxygen mask. Without this random combination of items, the man might not have survived.
Dr. Zhang Hong became aware of the elderly passenger’s distress when he complained of severe pain in his lower abdomen. The doctor quickly intervened, realizing that the man had prostate enlargement. He urgently needed his bladder drained, or his condition would quickly worsen.
With six hours still left on the flight to New York, it quickly became evident that this was a dire, life-threatening situation. There was no proper medical equipment on hand to handle such an emergency, but the resourceful Dr. Hong managed to craft a catheter using a syringe, a drinking straw, and the plastic tubing from an oxygen mask. This makeshift device allowed him to drain almost a liter of urine from the distressed passenger’s bladder. Dr. Hong used the contraption in much the same way one would siphon gas from a car—by sucking and spitting. The real unsung hero, though, was the stewardess who handed him a cup, providing a place to dispose of the released urine.
3. The Drowning Bride
There’s a growing wedding trend where modern brides take a rather daring approach to their photoshoots—“trashing the dress.” This often involves jumping into a body of water or getting covered in mud. Amy Zuno, a New Jersey native, and her husband Eric were the stars of such an event after their 2015 wedding in Mexico. Amy leapt into the sea while their guests cheered her on, but a problem arose almost immediately.
The voluminous material of her wedding gown surrounded her entirely, quickly soaking up water and preventing her from reaching the surface. Resort workers and nearby guests jumped in to help, rescuing her just 25 seconds later. Had they taken just a little longer or panicked, the outcome could have been far worse. In fact, in 2012, another woman in Canada tragically drowned while attempting the same stunt in a river.
Perhaps it’s time to rethink these daring photoshoots? Maybe use Super Soakers for a less dangerous option—or, just donate the dress to charity instead? Just a thought…
2. Not Your Average Car Crash
The haunting footage of a car accident that suddenly erupts into a massive explosion could easily be mistaken for an action-packed Michael Bay film, but in reality, this nightmare was all too real.
Residents in Hurst, Texas had long been voicing concerns over the dangerous road, where numerous accidents had occurred in the past, and reckless drivers treated the suburban street like a high-speed freeway.
In August 2018, a man without a license crashed his SUV directly into the home of Dixie and Charles Bridges. Little did the family, or the responding police officers, know that the crash had severed the gas line of the house, leading to a devastating explosion.
Inside the home at the time were the Bridges and their adult son, with 61-year-old Dixie trapped under the SUV that had just smashed into their house. Miraculously, no one lost their life, although the family and two officers were hospitalized as a result of the blast.
1. The Falling Wife
Few situations are as terrifying as suffering a medical emergency while in mid-air, but even worse is falling from a plane with a malfunctioning parachute. This nightmare became a reality for Victoria Cilliers in 2015, when she jumped from an aircraft only to find her parachute cords tangled. As she plummeted uncontrollably toward the ground, the chute failed to deploy fully. Ground crew, watching in horror, noted that she seemed to fall like a lifeless 'ragdoll' and began preparing a body bag, certain of her death. Her husband, Emile Cilliers, shared their grim certainty—he had deliberately sabotaged her chute (as well as the reserve chute), hoping she wouldn't survive.
Against all odds, Victoria survived. Miraculously, the field into which she crashed, falling at a staggering 130 miles per hour, had been ploughed the day before, which softened the impact enough to save her life.
Emile had previously attempted to kill Victoria by triggering a gas leak in their home. The former Royal Army Physical Training Corps sergeant had hoped to collect insurance money and, with his extramarital affairs, free himself from his marriage. He was convicted of the crime and sentenced to 18 years to life in prison. As of 2020, Victoria is still struggling to move forward, with Emile continuing to control part of her life by refusing to sign the divorce papers, on top of the abuse he inflicted upon her.
