When her husband was stationed in Alaska, one woman had to relocate her family from Georgia. It was a long drive across a foreign country, made worse by travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Delays meant the family left later than expected, which put them right in the middle of the Canadian winter, driving their truck and towing a rented trailer with all their possessions through snow and ice. When it got to be too much, a stranger — who is also in the military — stepped in to help his own in the most incredible way.

We also speak to Wesley Irek, a lead instructor at the Road America racing circuit, where he teaches a number of high-performance driving classes, including winter driving. Wesley discusses safe winter driving techniques and provides tips on what to do if you’re caught in a blizzard or hit black ice.

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

A German hiker has a dream of hiking the entire Pacific Crest Trail, from the Mexico border to the Canada border. All 2,650 miles, alone. Katharina Gröne, aka City Girl, met numerous hikers along her journey, and made great memories. But quitting wasn’t in her vocabulary, and even though several people suggested it was too late in the season to continue, she kept going until she couldn’t go any farther. But, thanks to a mother’s intuition, Katharina lived to hike another trail.

We also speak to Cheri Higman, chairperson of Seattle Mountain Rescue, about the challenges faced by those hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Cheri also shares tips on how to stay safe on a day-long or multi-day hike.

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

We all interact with people in our day-to-day lives that we never expect to meet again: a clerk at the mall, a bus driver or the person sitting next to you on an airplane. But what if one of those strangers turned out to be the most important person in your life? This is the story of how someone from a police officer’s past ended up saving his life.

We also speak to Dr. Naomi Grant, professor of social psychology at Mount Royal University. Dr. Grant talks about the psychological impact of helping a stranger in such an enormous way, as well as how helping others, even in small ways, can benefit our own mental health.

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

Jill Brown sets ambitious goals for herself. For example, one summer she decided she would paddle across the country from Oregon to Florida. Along the way she faced physical dangers such as rapids, broken bones and rattlesnakes, but also deep personal challenges such as hunger and loneliness. Just when Jill was at her limit, a chance encounter changed the path of her journey.

We also speak to Dr. Cratissa Schley, a clinical psychologist at Deeply Rooted Psychological Services, about why people help others in crisis situations. Dr. Schley explores why a stranger would go above and beyond in helping someone they didn’t know — not just offering shelter but also becoming a trusted confidant — and provides suggestions about how anyone can mentally prepare ahead of time for a trip and overcome challenges on the road.

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

A new series by OnStar that will introduce you to regular people doing incredible things. These are the stories of human connections that change lives. From the banks of the Mississippi to a sandy beach on the Indian Ocean, we’ve found seven stories that celebrate the goodness that lives in all of us. Each story of a good Samaritan comes with expert advice about how you can get out there and explore your world, safely.

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Learn more about the show here:

https://www.onstar.com/podcast