8 People Who Survived the Impossible

Throughout history, some people have found themselves in situations that defy logic and science — and yet they lived to tell the tale. From falling out of the sky to surviving nuclear explosions, these eight individuals overcame unimaginable odds.

1. Anna Bågenholm: The Woman Who Came Back from the Cold

While skiing in Norway, Anna Bågenholm fell through a frozen stream and became trapped under the ice. She spent 80 minutes submerged in freezing water, kept alive only by a pocket of air beneath the ice. By the time rescuers pulled her out, her core body temperature had dropped to 13°C (55°F) — one of the lowest ever recorded in a human.

Clinically dead for over 9 hours, Anna was miraculously revived thanks to the incredible efforts of a medical team. After 35 days in critical condition, she recovered fully and returned to a normal life and career in medicine.

2. Poon Lim: The Man Who Survived Alone at Sea for 133 Days

When the ship he was working on was sunk by a German U-boat during WWII, Poon Lim found himself alone in the Atlantic Ocean on a life raft with only a few rations. As supplies ran out, he caught fish, collected rainwater, and even drank his own urine to survive.

He drifted for nearly four months, surviving multiple storms and shark threats, until he finally reached the coast of Brazil in 1943 — having lost only about 10 kilograms and still able to walk on his own. His survival is considered one of the longest known cases of solo drift at sea.

3. Anatoli Bugorski: The Man Who Took a Particle Beam to the Head

Russian physicist Anatoli Bugorski made headlines after surviving one of the strangest accidents in science history — being struck in the head by a proton beam from a particle accelerator traveling at near the speed of light. The radiation exposure was estimated at 200,000 roentgens, enough to kill a person many times over.

Surprisingly, he survived. Though he lost hearing in one ear and suffered from seizures, his cognitive functions remained intact. Bugorski even went on to complete his PhD and continue his research at the same facility.

4. Mauro Prosperi: Lost in the Sahara Desert

Italian ultramarathon runner Mauro Prosperi got lost during the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara Desert after being caught in an 8-hour sandstorm. Disoriented and without landmarks, he wandered for days — eventually covering around 300 kilometers.

To survive, he drank his own urine, ate bats, lizards, and insects, and took shelter in abandoned buildings. After losing 16 kilograms and severely dehydrated, he finally stumbled into Algeria, where he received medical attention. Incredibly, Mauro later attempted the marathon again — only to drop out after breaking a toe.

5. Aron Ralston: Trapped Between a Rock and a Hard Place

While canyoneering in Utah, Aron Ralston became trapped when a boulder pinned his right arm. After five days with no food or water, he realized no one was coming to save him. In an act of sheer will, he amputated his own hand using a dull, cheap multi-tool.

Despite severe pain and blood loss, he hiked out of the canyon and encountered a group of hikers who helped get him to safety. His story was later turned into the film 127 Hours.

6. Vesna Vulović: The Flight Attendant Who Fell from the Sky

Serbian flight attendant Vesna Vulović holds the world record for the highest fall without a parachute. In 1972, a bomb exploded on her flight, and she plummeted from a height of 10,000 meters (33,000 feet).

Miraculously, she survived — albeit with serious injuries including a fractured skull, legs, and spine. After 16 months of recovery, Vesna returned to work at the airline, this time in an administrative role.

7. Roy Sullivan: The Human Lightning Rod

Nicknamed «The Human Lightning Rod,» park ranger Roy Sullivan survived being struck by lightning not once, not twice, but seven times throughout his life. While he suffered burns and injuries each time, none were fatal. His story remains one of the most bizarre records in meteorological history.

8. Tsutomu Yamaguchi: Survived Two Atomic Bombs

Japanese engineer Tsutomu Yamaguchi is the only officially recognized person to have survived both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings in 1945. He was in Hiroshima on business when the first bomb hit, and despite injuries, returned home — to Nagasaki — just in time for the second explosion.

Yamaguchi lived to the age of 93 and died of stomach cancer, but not before sharing his incredible story with the world as a message of peace.