In this chilling kickoff to our Spooky Month of Assassinations, we explore the presidential assassination attempts that came terrifyingly close to changing history. From Andrew Jackson beating his attacker with a cane to Theodore Roosevelt finishing a speech with a bullet in his chest, these “almost fatal” moments show how razor-thin the line between survival and tragedy can be. Each story highlights not only the danger these presidents faced but also the resilience and determination they displayed in the face of mortal threat. History could have turned out very differently, but these near-misses left us with lessons as haunting as the attempts themselves.