10 Incredible Survival Stories

The instinct for survival is ingrained in all of us, some more than others though. These people went to incredible lengths to stay alive against huge odds. Except for maybe #10, who just got plain lucky.

10. Frank Selak

Selak might just be a human cat-man with nine or ten lives, or just the luckiest man alive. He has survived a train derailment into icy waters, the door blowing off a plane he was on, a bus crash while traveling, two cars catching fire while he was driving, drove off a mountain road landing in a tree while he watched his car continue down and explode 300 feet below, and if that wasn’t enough to prove how lucky he is, he won a million dollars lottery.

9. Alive

Sixteen members of a Uruguay rugby survived 72 days a top an unnamed mountain between Chile and Argentina after their plane crashed into the side of the Glacier.

With temperatures at 30-bellow some nights, the survivors were forced to consume those who had been killed or died while on the mountain. It was not until two members finally crossed the dangerous terrain into Chile that the others were also rescued.

8. Roy Sullivan

Roy Sullivan’s story will light up your life. This electrifying fellow has been hit by lightening. Not once, no Roy has been hit seven times! The eighth time the universe missed while he and wife were hanging laundry and got her instead. Tetra Pak even made an ad on the story.

7. Truman Duncan

Truman Duncan is anything but a half a man, anymore. The one time railroad switch man fell off the front of a moving train and was literally cut in two. Still he managed to call 911, wait 45 minutes for help and endure and survive 23 surgeries.

6. Robert Evens

When he woke up on that September morning in 2008, Robert Evens must have heard “this is your lucky day.” The homeless Boulder man was struck that morning by a car in a hit and run accident.

He was treated and released from the local hospital and was walking back toward his camp when he was hit from behind by a train and tossed into a creek. Evans survived both trips to the emergency room that day.

5. Atomic Bombs Survivor

To survive an Atom bomb is extraordinary, to survive two, amazing. Tsutomu Yamaguchi however, survived both Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He is the only man known to have lived through both bombings.

4. Wenseslao Moguel

Believe it or not, Wenseslao Monguel was sentenced to death by firing squad during the Mexican Revolution. He was shot eight times by the squad and a ninth time in the head. Monguel was still alive but pretended to be dead until he was able to make good his escape. For audio version.

3. Juliane Koepcke

Juliane Koepcke was only 17 when lightning struck the plane she and 93 others were flying in. She was sucked out of the plane and still strapped in her seat she landed in the rainforest of Peru.

With a broken collarbone, cuts, bruises and blinded in one eye, the future zoologist made her way downstream until she located a cabin where she was able to tend to her wounds and wait for the owner to return.

2. Paul Templer

Paul Templer got caught in a real game of Hungry Hippos when he was attacked while leading a group of tourist down the Zimbabwe River. Templer had jumped into the waters to rescue another guide when the hippo sprang up and clamped his mouth down on Templer’s head.

Though Templer managed to free himself, the hippo continued its’ attack, severing Templer’s arm, ripping his foot, puncturing his back and chest and breaking several other bones. Templer not only healed after multiple surgeries but remains on the job as a safari guide.

1. Aaron Ralston

Aaron Ralston’s goal to climb all of Colorado’s 14,000 foot high mountains was temporarily on hold after he became trapped by a boulder.

The 2003 incident left Ralston with no choice but to amputate his own arm in order to free him-self after being trapped for five days.

Using the tools he had on him, Ralston amputated his lower right arm, tied a tourniquet and began the eight mile hike back to his car.

Luckily he ran into other hikers and was airlifted by helicopter out of the area to help. Although Aron is a public speaker now he also still climbs mountains.