{"id":859,"date":"2022-03-05T11:52:20","date_gmt":"2022-03-05T11:52:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/?p=859"},"modified":"2023-01-10T03:08:25","modified_gmt":"2023-01-10T03:08:25","slug":"people-who-cheated-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/","title":{"rendered":"People Who Cheated Death"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-860 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/People-Cheated-Death.jpg\" alt=\"People Cheated Death\" class=\"wp-image-860\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/People-Cheated-Death.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/People-Cheated-Death-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/People-Cheated-Death-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/en\/strudel-sog-girl-woman-near-death-1949587\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">pixel2013 \/ Pixabay<\/span><\/a> \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/publicdomain\/zero\/1.0\/deed.en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">CC0 1.0<\/span><\/a><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are ten people that cheated death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#10_Hit_The_Nail_On_The_Head\" >10. Hit The Nail On The Head<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#9_The_Man_With_Seven_Lives\" >9. The Man With Seven Lives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#8_Worlds_Unluckiest_Luckiest_Man\" >8. World&#8217;s Unluckiest Luckiest Man<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#7_Sole_Survivor\" >7. Sole Survivor<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#6_Tornado_Torment\" >6. Tornado Torment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#5_The_Determined_Frenchman\" >5. The Determined Frenchman<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#4_The_Real_Robinson_Crusoe\" >4. The Real Robinson Crusoe<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#3_Shipwrecked\" >3. Shipwrecked<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#2_Toilet_Trauma\" >2. Toilet Trauma<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/#1_Superhuman_Skydiver\" >1. Superhuman Skydiver<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Hit_The_Nail_On_The_Head\"><\/span><strong>10. Hit The Nail On The Head<br><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-861 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Isidro-Mejia.jpg\" alt=\"Isidro Mejia\" class=\"wp-image-861\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Isidro-Mejia.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Isidro-Mejia-300x176.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Isidro Mejia<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the 39-year-old construction worker <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iol.co.za\/news\/world\/man-gets-nailed-six-times-in-head-and-lives-212198\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.iol.co.za\/news\/world\/man-gets-nailed-six-times-in-head-and-lives-212198\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Isidro Mejia, \u2018getting nailed&#8217;<\/a> took on a brand new meaning one fateful day in 2004.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mejia was fixing a roof when he lost his footing on a ladder and fell onto his co-worker who was using a high-powered nail gun, and you guessed it, the nail gun went off. Almost immediately, six nails were driven deep into Mejia&#8217;s skull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Barely breathing, he was rushed to the hospital and underwent intensive surgery over five days to remove the nails: 4 from his brain, one from his spine, and one lodged in his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doctors said the nails were just millimeters away from rupturing his spinal cord and brainstem, saving him from paralysis or death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite concerns from his neurosurgeon, Mejia miraculously made a full recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_The_Man_With_Seven_Lives\"><\/span><strong>9. The Man With Seven Lives<br><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-862 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Roy-C.-Sullivan.jpg\" alt=\"Roy C. Sullivan\" class=\"wp-image-862\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Roy-C.-Sullivan.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Roy-C.-Sullivan-300x171.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Roy C. Sullivan<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The chances of being struck by lightning are 300,000 to one, so imagine how unlucky park ranger Roy C. Sullivan felt being struck by lightning a whopping seven times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over 35 years, a series of lightning strikes resulted in some incredible injuries. On two separate occasions, Roy&#8217;s hair was set on fire after being struck by lightning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another strike severely burnt his shoulder, and the sixth strike injured his ankle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All very impressive, but it was unlucky number 7 that takes the biscuit. The final time Roy was hit in 1977 resulted in Roy being hospitalized for burns on his chest and stomach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that doesn&#8217;t do it justice because this final strike also coincided with the 22nd time, yep, twenty-two times, which he fought off a bear with a stick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The lightning had attracted its attention, and it tried to steal Roy&#8217;s trout &#8211; but no one takes a trout off Roy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Worlds_Unluckiest_Luckiest_Man\"><\/span><strong>8. World&#8217;s Unluckiest Luckiest Man<br><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-863 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"367\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Frane-Selak.jpg\" alt=\"Frane Selak\" class=\"wp-image-863\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Frane-Selak.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Frane-Selak-300x184.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Frane Selak<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Roy C. Sullivan and Frane Selak have one thing in common; they&#8217;ve danced with death seven times and survived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selak&#8217;s first brush with death came in January 1962, when he was on a train that crashed into a river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was luckily pulled to safety, although the same thing happened again in a bus crash four years later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If that&#8217;s not impressing you, in 1963, Selak also survived a plane crash by being blown out of the plane&#8217;s door, somehow landing on a haystack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, twice in the seventies, he survived car accidents, while in 1995, he was run over by a bus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just a year later, while driving, Selak swerved to avoid a head-on collision and was ejected from his car, but managed to hold onto a tree as he watched his car plummet down 90 meters into a gorge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But all that bad luck finally turned around for him in 2003, two days after his 73rd birthday, he won the equivalent of $1,110,000. Kerching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Sole_Survivor\"><\/span><strong>7. Sole Survivor<br><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-864 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Juliane-Koepcke.jpg\" alt=\"Juliane Koepcke\" class=\"wp-image-864\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Juliane-Koepcke.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Juliane-Koepcke-300x180.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Juliane Koepcke<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Living through a plane crash is well easy. Well, at least it is compared to surviving a crash and then living for ten days alone in a rainforest while suffering significant injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that&#8217;s exactly what happened to 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke as she flew over the Peruvian rainforest on Christmas Eve of 1971.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plane carrying her was hit by lightning, causing it to break up mid-air and leaving Juliane to plummet 3 kilometers to the forest floor while strapped in her seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Miraculously, she survived the fall, suffering only a broken collarbone, a gash to her right arm, and a swollen right eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, her father had taught Juliane survival skills and located a small stream, which she followed in the hope that it would lead her to civilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After nine days alone, wading through a stream with severely infected insect bites, she found a boat moored near a shelter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next day, she was found by hunters and brought home to safety, where it was revealed she was the only survivor of the plane crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Tornado_Torment\"><\/span><strong>6. Tornado Torment<br><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-865 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Matt-Suter.jpg\" alt=\"Matt Suter\" class=\"wp-image-865\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Matt-Suter.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Matt-Suter-300x184.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Matt Suter<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tornados always look more fun than reality, and 19-year-old Matt Suter learned this the hard way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Against all the odds, the teenager survived after being blown the equivalent of three football fields by a tornado in Missouri in 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 240 kilometers per hour tornado ripped through his mobile trailer, engulfing the windows, doors, and finally, Matt himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He descended into its vortex, passed out, and was eventually dropped into an open field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matt awoke and somehow managed to walk away from the field unscathed, minus a gash on his forehead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matt currently holds the Guinness World Record for the farthest distance survived in a tornado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The longest previously documented incident took place on July 1, 1955, when a tornado carried a 9-year-old girl and her pony 304 meters before setting them down virtually unhurt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, we wouldn&#8217;t recommend riding a tornado, no matter how bored you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_The_Determined_Frenchman\"><\/span><strong>5. The Determined Frenchman<br><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-866 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"370\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Pierre-Cota.jpg\" alt=\"Pierre Cota\" class=\"wp-image-866\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Pierre-Cota.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Pierre-Cota-300x185.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Pierre Cota<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Could you imagine surviving a car crash, a plane crash, and still turning up to work the same day?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For one very determined French engineer, <a href=\"https:\/\/cracked.tumblr.com\/post\/144106796292\/on-january-20-1992-pierre-cota-was-driving-to\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cracked.tumblr.com\/post\/144106796292\/on-january-20-1992-pierre-cota-was-driving-to\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pierre Cota, this happened on January 20, 1992<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pierre was driving to the airport in Lyon, France, when he lost control of his car and was involved in a horrific pileup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He courageously pulled himself from the wreckage, and instead of seeking medical attention like a normal human being, he booked a later flight and headed to the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As it turns out, the plane Pierre boarded happened to be Air Inter Flight 148, aka the doomed flight that crashed into a French mountain, killing 87 passengers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amazingly, Pierre Cota was one of only nine who survived it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;d think he&#8217;d throw in the towel, but not Pierre. The Frenchman carried on his journey and made it in time for his morning meeting in Strasbourg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_The_Real_Robinson_Crusoe\"><\/span><strong>4. The Real Robinson Crusoe<br><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-867 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Alexander-Selkirk.jpg\" alt=\"Alexander Selkirk\" class=\"wp-image-867\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Alexander-Selkirk.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Alexander-Selkirk-300x170.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Alexander Selkirk<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having some alone time on a private beach sounds like anyone&#8217;s idea of paradise, but not for Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, who, in the 18th century, spent four years as a castaway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After being marooned, Selkirk predicted rescue would be imminent, so he read the Bible to pass the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But after weeks of hopelessly waiting, he resigned himself to an extended stay and began to create a life for himself with only rats, goats, and cats for company &#8211; sadly, no volleyball was available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After several years of isolation, two ships drew into the island&#8217;s bay one day. Hopeful that this was his chance at rescue, Selkirk rushed to the shore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But unfortunately, as the Spanish sailors approached, they began shooting at poor Selkirk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Miraculously Selkirk managed to evade capture, and the Spaniards eventually departed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn&#8217;t until three years later that another ship came to his rescue. Selkirk lit a signal fire to alert the British sailors, and a landing party was dispatched to find a &#8216;wildman&#8217; dressed in goat skins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His incredible story fascinated the British public and inspired Daniel Defoe&#8217;s fictional character Robinson Crusoe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Shipwrecked\"><\/span><strong>3. Shipwrecked<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-868 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Tami-Oldham-Ashcraft-and-Richard-Sharp.jpg\" alt=\"Tami Oldham Ashcraft and Richard Sharp\" class=\"wp-image-868\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Tami-Oldham-Ashcraft-and-Richard-Sharp.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Tami-Oldham-Ashcraft-and-Richard-Sharp-300x178.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Tami Oldham Ashcraft \/ Richard Sharp<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tami Oldham Ashcraft and her fianc\u00e9 Richard Sharp were sailing to San Diego from Tahiti in September 1983 when tragedy struck three weeks into their journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pair got caught in Hurricane Raymond and could not outsail it, so they fought desperately to keep their boat afloat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the 12-meter waves were too much for their small boat, which eventually capsized, knocking Ashcraft unconscious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following day, the storm had passed, and Ashcraft regained consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She scrambled above deck to discover Sharp&#8217;s safety line dangling over the end of the boat, but he was gone, presumed drowned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alone, terrified, injured with a bad cut on her head, and grieving for her fianc\u00e9, Ashcraft unbelievably managed to rig a makeshift sail from what was left of the battered boat and navigated back to dry land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Surviving on peanut butter and canned food, she sailed 2,414 kilometers in 41 days to reach safety in Hawaii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Toilet_Trauma\"><\/span><strong>2. Toilet Trauma<br><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-869 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"330\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Harrison-Okene.jpg\" alt=\"Harrison Okene\" class=\"wp-image-869\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Harrison-Okene.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Harrison-Okene-300x165.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Harrison Okene<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2013, Nigerian sailor Harrison Okene survived underwater for almost three days by crouching in an air bubble after his tugboat capsized while on the toilet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 29-year-old was the sole survivor of the Jacson-4, which overturned after being battered by heavy swells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Harrison was underwater for almost 60 hours, with just a can of coke for company, when he heard a hammering on the deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A team of South African divers scouring the waters on a body recovery operation was shocked to hear faint knocking in reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spooked to find Harrison in his underwater air pocket, the divers rescued him from the sea depths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Worried about his health back on land, he spent two days in a decompression chamber following the ordeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Superhuman_Skydiver\"><\/span><strong>1. Superhuman Skydiver<br><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-870 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"342\" src=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Joan-Murray.jpg\" alt=\"Joan Murray\" class=\"wp-image-870\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Joan-Murray.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Joan-Murray-300x171.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><center><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Joan Murray<\/span><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The possibility of surviving after falling from a height of 4,400 meters is little to none, but not if you&#8217;re superhuman skydiver Joan Murray who had a bunch of lifesaving fire ants on her side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On September 25, 1999, panic struck <a href=\"https:\/\/wacopest.com\/a-skydiver-is-saved-by-venomous-fire-ants-after-her-parachute-fails-to-open\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/wacopest.com\/a-skydiver-is-saved-by-venomous-fire-ants-after-her-parachute-fails-to-open\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Murray when mid-skydive, her main parachute, failed to open<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With nothing to slow her speed, she rocketed to the ground at 128 kilometers per hour, her fall cushioned by a mound of fire ants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Murray lay injured and unconscious, she was stung over 200 times by the ants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unbelievably, rather than adding to her injuries, doctors believed that the shock of being stung released a surge of adrenaline that kept her heart beating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But those ants aren&#8217;t miracle workers, and Murray suffered serious injuries from slamming to the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She had shattered the right side of her body and knocked out the fillings from her teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She went into a coma for two weeks and had to undergo 20 reconstructive surgeries and 17 blood transfusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following her crazy ordeal, she continued to work at the Bank of America, turning down retirement because of disability. She took physical therapy sessions and went on to do a 37th skydive in 2001. What a woman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here are ten people that cheated death. 10. Hit The Nail On The Head For the 39-year-old construction worker Isidro Mejia, \u2018getting nailed&#8217; took on a brand new meaning one fateful day in 2004. Mejia was fixing a roof when he lost his footing on a ladder and fell onto his co-worker who was using &#8230; <a title=\"People Who Cheated Death\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/people-who-cheated-death\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about People Who Cheated Death\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[336],"tags":[361,362,340,363,65,339],"class_list":["post-859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting-facts","tag-cheated-death","tag-fact","tag-facts","tag-near-death-experiences","tag-top-10","tag-top-ten"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=859"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1478,"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/859\/revisions\/1478"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.normanbalberan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}