Tell Me What Happened returns for a fifth season of stories that will make you wonder, “What would I do?” If a grizzly attacked? If a cruise ship was sinking? If a night out on the other side of the world ended in a ravine? 

These are true stories of people stepping up to help strangers in peril, from Indonesia to Las Vegas, from the Oregon backcountry to British Columbia and beyond. As always, each of the seven new episodes includes experts weighing in with practical tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Tell Me What Happened, an award-winning original podcast by OnStar, returns January 13.

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For more about the series, check out https://www.onstar.com/podcast.

Season 5 will debut on Monday, January 27th.

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On May 10, 2022, Darren Harrison was one of two passengers flying home to Florida from the Bahamas. They were still over the Atlantic Ocean when the pilot suffered a medical emergency and passed out at the controls, sending the plane into a nosedive. Darren was able to pull out of the dive and regain altitude. But he had no idea how he was going to land the plane.

Robert Morgan is an air traffic controller in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was on his break when a call came over the PA for him to go to the radar room. His supervisor explained Darren’s predicament. It was Robert’s job to direct Darren to the airport and get him safely back on the ground.

We also speak with psychologist Dr. Fanny Ng about how to manage stress and improve decision making under pressure.

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Justin Downey had a choice — change his life or die. At 16, he was addicted to heroin. In his 20s, he was in and out of prison. While serving a three-year sentence, Justin’s kids were taken into state custody. He knew he had to become a new man for his family and for himself. Getting clean was the first step. But he also had to find purpose, community and a way to support himself.

Margo Walsh started drinking when she was 15. By the time she graduated from college, she was an alcoholic. After she got sober, she founded MaineWorks — a company that helps people with substance issues and felony convictions reintegrate into society. There, Justin found what he needed.

We also speak with Nancy Dauphinais, a licensed mental health counselor and addiction professional, about the signs someone is struggling with substance use and how to support them.

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On September 11, 2001, Stanley Praimnath went to work on the 81st floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center, same as he always did. When a plane struck the north tower, Stanley and many others began their evacuation. But when he reached the lobby, he was told his building was safe and to return to work. He was back in his office minutes later when a plane hit the south tower and tore through his floor.

Brian Clark’s office was three floors up from Stanley on the 84th floor. When the tower was hit, Brian and a few of his co-workers headed to the stairwell to escape. When they reached the 81st floor, Brian heard a voice crying out for help. 

We also speak with NYFD firefighter Regina Wilson about how to prepare for an evacuation in the office or at home.

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For more about the series, check out https://www.onstar.com/podcast.

In April 2023, Liv Titor visited Dreamtime beach on Australia's Gold Coast. What happened to her that day felt like a nightmare. After a quick swim, Liv walked out onto a sandbar beside some rocks. Then she felt a pull at her legs and fell into the water. Liv stepped into a rip current that quickly pulled her out to sea towards massive waves and jagged rocks. 

John Gordon, a local surfer, was making the most of the big swells at the beach when he saw Liv get swept away. He knew if he didn’t act quick, she would drown so he ran into the ocean, hopped on his surfboard and paddled towards the deadly current with the hopes of rescuing a stranger.

We also speak with Kelsey Cummings, a lifeguard with the California Surf Life Saving Association to talk about ocean safety.

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For more about the series, check out https://www.onstar.com/podcast.

Lani Williams and her mother, Sincerity, could smell smoke, but that wasn’t rare on Maui. Brush fires happen with some regularity. This fire, they quickly learned, was different. 

Five hundred miles to the south, Hurricane Dora had kicked up unusually troublesome winds. In Lahaina, Hawaii, where Lani and Sincerity lived, those winds downed power lines and whipped sparks into a full-blown wildfire that was closing in on them. They tried to escape the blaze by car, but the main roads were either closed or blocked by a crush of panicked drivers trying to leave town. They were stuck between the fire on one side and the ocean on the other.

Benny Reinicke smelled smoke that morning too and found himself in the same logjam of frightened drivers desperately trying to flee Lahaina. Amidst smoke and flames and exploding cars, he spotted Lani struggling to help her mom climb the seawall and get to safety. He took it upon himself to make sure they made it.

We also speak with wildfire expert Michele Steinberg from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) about how you can identify hazards and strategies to help protect against wildfires.

If you’d like to help the residents of Lahaina and others impacted by natural disasters, you can donate to the American Red Cross at redcross.org/donate/cm/onstar-pub.html/

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For more about the series, check out https://www.onstar.com/podcast.

Bob Tillotson knew the avalanche danger was high when he set out with friends into the Utah backcountry on his snowmobile. But he also knew which areas to avoid. Or so he thought. On January 13, 2024, an avalanche hit Bob without warning, carrying him down the mountain in a wave of snow. When he stopped, he was completely buried and separated from his group.

Dustin Sweeten was snowmobiling with a separate crew that day. Just before he was ready to head home, he saw what looked like an avalanche in the distance and went to go check it out. When he got there, he saw two people from Bob’s group. They told him their friend was buried. Then they saw a glove poking out of the snow. 

We also speak with Sandra Riches, the executive director of British Columbia AdventureSmart, about outdoor winter safety and what to do if you or someone you’re with is in an avalanche.

Video credit: Ammon Sweeten / YouTube @MountainWolf-ut.

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When Gabriel Otrin and Klever Freire stepped into their office elevator, they naturally assumed they’d be able to get out. It was August 2018, and a massive downpour was causing floods all over Toronto. Gabriel and Klever were working late and went to check on Klever’s car in the basement garage. Before they reached the bottom, however, the elevator stopped with a jerk and began to quickly fill with water. They couldn’t open the doors. They were trapped.

Police officers Ryan Barnett and Josh McSweeney had just finished a call when another came over the radio. Two men were trapped in an elevator. When they arrived, the garage was completely flooded and Ryan had to swim to the elevator doors. He could hear Klever and Gabriel inside calling for help. He needed to act fast.

We also speak with Julie Munger, an internationally acclaimed swift-water rescue instructor, about how to safely navigate fast-moving water and urban floods.

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For more about the series, check out https://www.onstar.com/podcast.

Nicole Rakowski arrived in Iceland looking for adventure. She left in a wheelchair. In February 2017, Nicole and two friends hiked to a natural hot spring just south of Reykjavík. When they arrived, Nicole took off her boots, changed into her bathing suit and stepped onto the riverbank beside the steaming water. She immediately began to sink into the mud and felt excruciating pain. She screamed for help. 

Lee Ricasa was taking a relaxing dip in a nearby mud pool when he heard a scream followed by the sight of panicked hikers carrying Nicole and desperately searching for help. A retired firefighter, Lee knew Nicole was in bad shape. She had third-degree burns on her legs and feet. She couldn’t walk. She was drifting in and out of consciousness and could go into shock at any moment. He knew he had to take control of the situation if Nicole was going to survive.

We also talk to Tod Schimelpfenig, an instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School since 1973, about how to treat burns in the wilderness.

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For more about the series, check out https://www.onstar.com/podcast.