Real Survival Stories

In 2011, in Joplin, Missouri, a family is caught in the centre of one of the deadliest tornadoes ever to hit the United States. Danielle Stammer is driving to see friends with her husband and kids when the high-pitched wail of sirens splits the air. Extreme weather is on its way. That’s not uncommon here in the USA’s ‘Tornado Alley’. Usually twisters occur out of town. But not today. As wind speeds of over 200mph batter Joplin, Danielle and her family are headed right into its path…

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Rhys Bevan | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound design by Matt Peaty, Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by RJ Macaulay | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Ralph Tittley.

For more on this story, read Danielle’s book Singing Over Me: A Joplin Tornado Survivor’s Journey.

For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started, or visit noiser.com/subscriptions.

If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Email [email protected].

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In May 2012, Brian Brown is flying his small, single-engine private plane from his home in California over to Idaho, to visit his eldest daughter. It should be a simple journey of just a few hours. But when the aircraft is assailed by terrible weather over the Owyhee Mountains all his plans are thrown out of the window. Worse still, Brian isn’t alone. The moment will come when this pilot, husband and father is all out of options…

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Heléna Lewis | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound design by Matt Peaty | Assembly edit by RJ Macaulay | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Ralph Tittley.

For more on this story read Brian’s book Rescued: One Family’s Miraculous Story of Survival.

For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at [email protected]

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On a frosty January morning in 1992, John Thompson - a high school student from North Dakota - gets up. It promises to be an ordinary day of chores on his family’s farm. Simple tasks, ones he’s done thousands of times before. But on this occasion things take a sudden and horrifying turn, as John gets too close to some dangerous farming machinery and suffers devastating consequences. Critically injured and alone, he must rely on ingenuity, inner resolve and the support of the family pet to keep fighting on…

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Joe Viner | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound Supervisor: Matt Peaty | Sound design by Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by Carla Flores, RJ Macaulay | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Ralph Tittley.

For more on this story read John’s book Home in One Piece.

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A former special forces soldier embraces a nomadic existence, sailing the seas aboard his catamaran. But Micha Moeller’s plans for the future come crashing to a halt when, during a single-handed crossing of the Atlantic, he is thrust into the grip of a deadly hurricane. Shipwrecked a thousand miles from shore, Micha’s immediate survival depends on a makeshift life raft, a few key pieces of kit and his own innate drive to live. And even if he can make it through the tempest, the ocean has plenty more nasty surprises in store, lurking in the depths…

A Noiser podcast production.Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Heléna Lewis | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound Supervisor: Matt Peaty | Sound design by Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by Carla Flores, Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Ralph Tittley.

For more on this story read Micha’s book Seven Days of Salt.

For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at [email protected]

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Two skydivers sign up to perform a complex mid-air routine. But on their practice run, Craig Stapleton and his diving partner Katie are thrust into chaos when one small error leads to a domino effect of crises. With his lines tangled and his parachute malfunctioning, Craig must scramble to fix the situation. But as each emergency measure fails one by one, the ground gets closer and closer. He is spiralling towards a crunching, high-speed collision with the Earth…

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Joe Viner | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound Supervisor: Matt Peaty | Sound design by Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw.

For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at [email protected]

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In 2011, mountaineer Brian Dickinson is attempting to scale his fourth major peak in just three years. It’s the turn of Mount Everest, as the navy veteran takes on the tallest of them all. But after the triumph of reaching the summit, Brian’s whole world suddenly turns white and his life hangs in the balance. When prolonged sun exposure bleaches his corneas, he’s unable to see. All alone, with no means of communication and no chance of rescue, he is going to have to overcome Everest again… and this time he’ll be doing it blind…

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Rhys Bevan | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound Supervisor: Matt Peaty | Sound design by Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Ralph Tittley.

For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at [email protected]

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In 2024, a small crew embark on a daring voyage across the North Sea aboard the Naddoddur - a replica Viking ship. Skipper Andy Fitze’s aim is to honour Viking culture, promoting the seafaring traditions of the Faroe Islands and encouraging a future generation of explorers. But in a vessel such as this, nothing is plain sailing. When disaster strikes, the crew must draw on all their training, skill and comradeship if they’re to make it out. But even that may not be enough to avert tragedy…

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Heléna Lewis | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound Supervisor: Matt Peaty | Sound design by Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Ralph Tittley.

If you want to learn more about Viking history, listen to Noiser’s show Real Vikings: https://pod.fo/e/3a3956

For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at [email protected]

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Two brothers are pushed to the brink in the mountains of British Columbia. Chad and Brad MacDonald are enjoying a day of snowmobiling on the slopes near their hometown, keen to spend some much-needed time together. But the light-hearted atmosphere soon dissipates when a simple piece of misjudgement lands them in serious trouble. Trapped with minimal provisions, facing at least one freezing night in the open, their brotherly bond will be tested like never before…

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Heléna Lewis | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound Supervisor: Matt Peaty | Sound design by Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Ralph Tittley.

For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at [email protected]

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At 48 years old, John Graham has already lived more lives than most.

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Rhys Bevan | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound Supervisor: Matt Peaty | Sound design by Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by Rob Plummer | Compositions by OliverBaines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw.

For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at [email protected]

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A young technician is called into action when the USA is threatened with nuclear disaster. In September 1980, Greg Devlin receives an emergency call from his commanding officer in the US Air Force. There’s been a potentially catastrophic fuel leak at a missile silo near Damascus, Arkansas. If the fuel ignites, it could conceivably cause the warhead to detonate, triggering a nuclear explosion right in the very heart of America. Greg and his colleagues must do all they can to try to contain the leak. The stakes could not be higher…

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins.

Written by Joe Viner | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound Supervisor: Matt Peaty | Sound design by Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Ralph Tittley.

For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices