11 Ordinary People Who Survived Things No One Should Survive
Prepare to be amazed by these incredible tales of survival that defy all odds. From plummeting from the sky to being buried alive, these ordinary individuals faced extraordinary circumstances and lived to tell their stories.
1. Vesna Vulovic: The Woman Who Fell from the Sky
Imagine falling 33,333 feet (10,160 meters) and living to tell the tale. That’s exactly what happened to Vesna Vulovic, a Yugoslav flight attendant, in 1972. When JAT Flight 367 shattered at 33,000 feet above Czechoslovakia, Vulovic was the lone survivor of the catastrophe.
Despite suffering severe injuries, including a fractured skull and broken legs, Vulovic’s miraculous survival earned her a spot in the Guinness World Records. Her story serves as a testament to the unpredictability of life and the incredible resilience of the human body.
2. Michelina Lewandowska: Buried Alive and Clawed Her Way Out
In 2011, Michelina Lewandowska faced a nightmare scenario when her ex-partner kidnapped her, bound her with tape, and buried her alive in a shallow grave in a remote forest.
Most people would have given up hope, but not Michelina. With an extraordinary will to live, she clawed her way out of the makeshift grave that was meant to be her final resting place.
Michelina’s story is a chilling reminder of the strength that can emerge when faced with life-threatening circumstances.
3. Juliane Koepcke: Sole Survivor of a Jungle Plane Crash
At just 17 years old, Juliane Koepcke found herself in a situation straight out of a Hollywood thriller. In 1971, her plane crashed in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, killing everyone on board except her.
With a broken collarbone and deep gashes, Juliane didn’t just survive the crash – she thrived. For 11 grueling days, she navigated the dense, unforgiving jungle, relying on her wits and determination. Koepcke’s incredible journey through the rainforest is a testament to human resilience and the will to survive.
4. Harrison Okene: Three Days Underwater
Imagine being trapped 100 feet (30.5 meters) underwater with only a small air pocket keeping you alive. That was the reality for Harrison Okene, a Nigerian cook, when his tugboat capsized in 2013.
For three harrowing days, Okene survived in complete darkness, surrounded by the icy waters of the ocean and the bodies of his deceased crewmates. His rescue, which came just as his air was running out, is considered one of the most incredible in maritime history.
5. Angela Hernandez: A Week on a Desolate Beach
In July 2018, Angela Hernandez’s SUV plummeted 200 feet off a cliff near Big Sur, California. She survived the fall but found herself stranded on a desolate, rocky beach with severe injuries.
For seven days, Hernandez battled the elements. She collected water from dripping moss and walked the shoreline searching for help, all while suffering from a brain hemorrhage, fractured ribs, a broken collarbone, and a collapsed lung. Her rescue came when hikers stumbled upon her wrecked vehicle and found her sleeping on the rocks.
6. Aron Ralston: The Man Who Cut Off His Own Arm
Aron Ralston’s story of survival is not for the faint of heart. While climbing alone in Blue John Canyon, Utah, Ralston became trapped when a boulder pinned his arm against the canyon wall.
After five days with limited food and water, Ralston made the unimaginable decision to amputate his own arm using a cheap multi-tool. But that wasn’t the end of his ordeal – he still had to rappel down a 65-foot cliff and hike out of the canyon before being rescued.
7. Violet Jessop: The Unsinkable Stewardess
Some people have all the luck – both good and bad. Violet Jessop, a ship’s nurse and stewardess, survived not one, not two, but three major shipwrecks between 1911 and 1916.
Jessop walked away unscathed from collisions and sinkings of the Olympic, Titanic, and Britannic. Her incredible streak of survival through some of the most famous maritime disasters in history earned her the nickname “Miss Unsinkable.”
8. The Wild Boars Soccer Team: Trapped in a Cave
In June 2018, 12 young soccer players and their coach became trapped in Thailand’s Tham Luang cave system when sudden flooding blocked their exit.
What followed was an 18-day ordeal that captivated the world.The group survived by drinking water dripping from stalactites and meditating to conserve energy. Their rescue required an international effort involving thousands of people, including expert cave divers. Against all odds, all 13 were brought out alive, in what was hailed as a miracle.
9. D’Zhana Simmons: Living Without a Heart
While not a survival story in the traditional sense, D’Zhana Simmons’ medical journey is nothing short of miraculous. Suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy, the South Carolina teen lived for 118 days without a heart while awaiting a suitable transplant.
Two artificial pumps kept her blood circulating for nearly four months, a testament to both modern medical technology and Simmons’ incredible resilience.
10. Jordan Taylor: The Boy Who Was “Internally Decapitated”
Jordan Taylor’s survival defies medical explanation. After a car accident separated his skull from his vertebrae – an injury known as “orthopedic decapitation” – doctors gave him a 1% chance of survival.
Thanks to pioneering surgery that reconnected his spine to his skull, Jordan not only survived but was back in school just three months later. His recovery is a beacon of hope for those facing seemingly insurmountable medical odds.
11. Jan Grzebski: Waking Up to a New World
Imagine falling asleep and waking up to a completely different world. That’s what happened to Jan Grzebski, a Polish railway worker who fell into a coma in 1988 and woke up 19 years later in 2007.
Despite doctors’ bleak prognosis, Grzebski’s family never gave up hope. When he finally regained consciousness, he found a world transformed by the end of communism, technological advancements, and nearly two decades of global events. His story is a reminder of the power of faith and the human body’s capacity to heal.
