What prepares someone to survive the unthinkable? For renowned polar explorer Eric Larsen, it wasn’t hope or heroism—it was hardship. From the punishing silence of the Arctic to the staggering indifference of a cancer diagnosis, Eric’s life has been shaped by brutal extremes.

In this profound episode of Alive Again, Eric shares how the mindset forged in the most hostile places on Earth—enduring one step at a time, reframing suffering as growth, and confronting fear without flinching—became his unexpected survival guide through cancer.

With striking honesty and humility, Eric reflects on how the same resilience that drove him across frozen continents helped him face mortality, and how—despite the emptiness he encountered—he discovered something deeply human: that compassion is the connective tissue between life and death.

This is not just a survival story. It’s a testament to the human spirit, a meditation on suffering, and a powerful reminder that even at the edge of the world, we are never truly alone.

Story Producer: Dan Bush

To learn more about Eric and his work, go to ericlarsenexplore.com

* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

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