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How I Survived

That's Life! 38 Episodes Sep 16, 2026

How I Survived features incredible first-hand accounts from people who faced life-threatening situations and managed to escape. Each episode tells a gripping true story of survival and resilience, as survivors relive the moments that changed everything. The podcast offers an intimate look at human courage and the will to live.

Episodes

Robbed Of Her Childhood: Bek Condello On Escaping A Cult Sep 16, 2026 3618 What if leaving your faith meant losing everyone you'd ever loved?  CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains themes of childhood abuse, physical punishment, sexual trauma and coercive control. If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call 000. For confidential 24/7 crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au. Support is also available through Beyond Blue

Stephanie Browitt: “I Survived the Volcano. Half My Family Didn’t.” Sep 9, 2026 2565 Could you survive a volcanic eruption? It's a question Stephanie Browitt never thought she'd have to answer. And yet in 2019, a volcanic eruption on New Zealand’s White Island changed Stephanie's life forever. At just 23, she suffered burns to 70 per cent of her body and lost her younger sister, Krystal, and her father, Paul, in the tragedy. Seven years later, she's written a book about it.&

The Day I Learned My Stepdad Was A Child Killer - Sherele Moody Sep 2, 2026 2389 What does it mean to put a name and a story to every woman and child lost to violence? For more than a decade, journalist and activist Sherele Moody has been documenting the lives behind the statistics, creating a record of Australia’s femicides through Australian Femicide Watch and the Red Heart Movement. But this isn’t just advocacy for Sherele, it’s very personal. A special bo

Jess Denham: The Story She Was Never Allowed To Tell Aug 26, 2026 3093 What if the person who was meant to protect you was the one you needed protection from? This is a story of survival, resilience and reclaiming your voice after years of being silenced. Jess also speaks publicly for the first time about living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), sharing what it's really like to live with a condition that is so often misunderstood. CONTENT WARNING: This&

Charlie Verco: He Paddled Towards The Shark To Save Her Aug 19, 2026 2060 When everyone else swam for shore, Charlie Verco paddled the other way: straight towards a great white shark. On a clear, busy Saturday morning at Coogee Beach in June 2026, the 25-year-old surf lifesaver and elite board paddler was training when a woman, Leah Stewart, was attacked just ahead of him. What he did next made headlines around the world. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains detailed

BONUS: You’re Gonna Want To Hear This — Stories of Survival Aug 19, 2026 54 A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners! We’re bringing you some of the best stories of survival from Marie Claire's podcast, You’re Gonna Want To Hear This.  From extraordinary stories of survival and resilience to raw, intimate conversations about style, substance and the moments that change us, these are the stories you’ll be thinking about long after you&rsqu

An Ordinary Day Turned Violent - This Is Chloe & Christine's Story Of Survival Aug 13, 2026 2640 You've been patiently waiting on new episodes of How I Survived, so please accept this little treat from us! On Marie Claire Australia's podcast, You're Gonna Want to Hear This, you'll hear extraordinary stories of style, substance and survival. If you like this incredible episode, just pop on over to wherever you like to listen to or watch your podcasts to binge the Marie Claire's incredible back

Trapped in the desert for THREE NIGHTS Apr 6, 2020 2660 Setting off to hike to the Lost Palms Oasis, hidden deep within the Joshua Tree National Park, 35-year-old Kiwi Claire Nelson couldn't wait to immerse herself in the Californian desert's otherworldly beauty. She had everything she needed for the four-hour hike, including plenty of water. She'd even left an extra bottle in the car for when she got back. But, in the blazing hot desert, she'd need ev

"I wrestled a CROCODILE for 25 minutes" Mar 30, 2020 1101 It was a steaming hot March afternoon in Weipa, a mining town on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia. At a safety course, 28-year-old mine worker Todd Bairstow couldn't wait to knock off, treat himself to an ice-cold beer and go fishing. But, finishing up and trudging down to the creek with his little puppy running alongside him, they weren't completely alone. See, crocodile

Crushed in an erupting volcano Mar 24, 2020 1631 *Quick note: We're working from home due to Covid-19, so this podcast is coming to you from Beth's wardrobe. Enjoy, and we hope you're all staying safe and sound. Lots of love, the HIS team xxxHeaving his massive backpack on, 22-year-old Kiwi William Pike was itching to get up the mountain. He and his mate James Christie - who he'd met at uni while studying to be a primary school teacher - were ab

A stranger stabbed me, then stole my baby Mar 16, 2020 1276 With the TV murmuring softly in the background, Desiree Page, 39, relaxed back into the reclining sofa, cuddling her 13-month-old son Cory. It was late at night, and her husband Gary, a long-haul charter bus driver, was away for work. Usually, Desiree would religiously lock every door and window before she went to bed. But, with her sleeping son in her arms, she dozed off. A sound sleeper, she did

UPDATE: "My husband tried to gas me to death" Mar 12, 2020 3191 When Pepita Nicholls asked her husband of 18 years, Robert Ridgeway, for a divorce, he hatched a dark plan to get revenge. Now, there's been an update in Pepita's incredible story...Host: Beth Young/Interview: Riah Matthews/Producer: Denis Duggan *Police interview published with permission from Queensland Police. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hang-gliding horror: "I wasn't attached!" Mar 9, 2020 1408 It was a sunny, crisp winter's day in Interlaken, Switzerland, and Florida couple Chris and Gail Gursky, married for 26 years and parents to a grown-up son, had the perfect plan to get their hearts pumping - hang-gliding over the gorgeous terrain. They loved zip-lining. Now, it was time to up the ante. And they were keen to get started - it was their first day on holidays.The instructor strapped C

"I was bashed with a baseball bat" Mar 2, 2020 1294 A devoted single mum-of-three, Simone O'Brien, then 37, was looking for love. She'd been divorced amicably from her ex, the kids' dad Trevor, for more than four years. But, working two jobs to make ends meet, and ferrying her kids between school, basketball and playdates didn't leave much time for romance. So, she decided to try online dating.Meeting a successful 42-year-old real estate agent name

Joe woke up without a penis Feb 24, 2020 1460 Knocking off after a hard day of work as a labourer, 32-year-old Joe Green, from Indiana, in the United States, was looking forward to an icy cold beer. Meeting his mum and brother for dinner and drinks, he planned to head home around 10pm. Instead, he dropped off at another bar and kept drinking. One led to another, and by 2am Joe had lost track of how much alcohol he'd consumed. Reckle

We're back next week.... Feb 17, 2020 70 Season 4 of How I Survived is back on the 25th of February. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEST OF: The 3-year-old lost in the bush for 17 hours Jan 27, 2020 1215 You're listening to the Best Of series of How I Survived...We'll be back soon with season 4.When Leisa Bennett couldn't be there for her three-year-old granddaughter Aurora, Max the dog stepped in.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEST OF: Bill sliced his face off with a chainsaw Jan 20, 2020 898 You're listening to the Best Of series of How I Survived...We'll be back soon with season 4.Victorian grandpa Bill Singleton, 70, was working in the bush when horror struck. He'd accidentally sliced his face while cutting wood. He joins Beth to share his story... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEST OF: The surgeon stabbed in his own hospital Jan 13, 2020 856 You're listening to the Best Of series of How I Survived...We'll be back soon with season 4.Victorian neurosurgeon Dr Michael Wong was stabbed at the hospital where he worked 14 times by a former patient, Kareem Al-Salami. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tiffany fell down a waterfall Dec 11, 2019 1403 At the age of 21, Tiffany Johnson was having the time of her life. Travelling Europe on a Contiki tour, she was waking up in a new place almost every day and making incredible friends along the way. It was July 1999 and her tour had stopped in the beautiful tourist town of Interlaken in Switzerland. Surrounded by the Alps, Interlaken was a world away from the family farm in Australia where Tiffany

Bourke Street Massacre: My brother, the killer Nov 25, 2019 1327 Growing up, Angelo Gargasoulas knew his brother James "Jimmy" Gargasoulas was strange. They had a difficult relationship and Jimmy could be unpredictable and violent, but Angelo never thought he'd hurt him. Then, one night, Jimmy not only attacked Angelo to within an inch of his life but he also went on to carry out one of Australia's worst attacks, known as the Bourke Street Massacre. Angelo shar

Susan drank her own breastmilk to survive! Nov 4, 2019 1071 It was Mother's Day - and at Susan O'Brien's home in Wellington, New Zealand, it was hectic. Instead of waking up to breakfast in bed, she was getting ready to compete in a 20-kilometre fun run at the Remutaka Forest Park. Her husband, Daniel, and their two kids, Meisha, nine months, and Jayden, two were coming to cheer her on.It was a mad rush to get out of the house - Jayden needed his breakfast

Introducing: Investigates, a podcast you might love Oct 28, 2019 222 Friends, we have a new podcast that you might love.It's called Investigates and if you love mystery shows, you will love this.Investigates lifts the veil on some of the world's most horrific crimes and baffling mysteries. From Australia's most haunted house to the 37-year-old missing person's case that started a national movement, it's the new podcast that e

"I was swallowed by a hippo" Oct 23, 2019 2122 Each stroke of 27-year-old safari guide Paul Templer's paddle took his canoe closer to the stunning mist-shrouded Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Along with two local guides, Ben and Evans, and a safety kayaker, Mac, they were paddling six clients - a German couple, Joe and Gundy, and four Air France crew - down the Zambezi River into the sunset with a tray of snacks and an eskie full of drinks.The Za

Kelly went for a run when she felt a chill Oct 8, 2019 1611 Training for her first marathon 38-year-old Kelly Herron, would often find herself pounding the pavement after work. She lived in the Pacific Northwest in the US, which often meant that Kelly would be running in the dark, by herself. Sometimes she'd feel a flicker of fear. So when Kelly's work offered a free self-defence class for all employees on Valentine's Day 2017, she jumped at the chanc

Lost at sea – saved by a bucket! Sep 23, 2019 1238 With his young son in his arms, Maike faced a fight for their lives.Interviewed and hosted by Beth Young/sound design by Denis Duggan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shot as we shopped Sep 9, 2019 1266 Andrew and Kathy McLaren were at the mall when a terror attack unfoldedInterviewed by Riah Matthews/hosted by Beth Young/sound design by Denis Duggan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bear ripped off my face! Aug 26, 2019 1410 Allena Hansen was working on her property with her faithful dogs when disaster struck. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A freak wind tore off my hand! May 9, 2019 865 Harriet Davis, 12, was enjoying a nice day out on the river when her life changed forever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stabbed 14 times in the hospital! Apr 10, 2019 847 Dr Michael Wong was at work when his shift turned to terror. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My husband tried to gas me to death Mar 25, 2019 1247 When Pepita Nicholls asked her husband of 18 years, Robert Ridgeway, for a divorce, he hatched a dark plan to get revenge. Interviewed by Riah Matthews/ host Beth Young/ producer Denis Duggan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I sliced off my face with a chainsaw! Mar 7, 2019 899 Victorian grandpa Bill Singleton was working in the bush when horror struck.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lost in the bush for 17 hours - saved by her dog! Feb 19, 2019 1214 When Leisa Bennett couldn't be there for her three-year-old granddaughter Aurora, Max the dog stepped in.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Season 2 out now! Feb 7, 2019 69 Each fortnight, How I Survived brings you the shocking and unbelievable true story of a person who has survived against the odds, told in their own words. Hosted by Beth Young, these stories are terrifying, inspiring and ultimately prove the power of the human will to live.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KIDNAPPED - How I escaped my hostage hell Feb 4, 2019 1660 'I wasn't just gonna take a bullet to the back of the head.'When Nigel Brennan and his colleague Amanda Lindhout were kidnapped by Somalian rebels, it was the beginning of a living nightmare. Interviewed by Riah Matthews/ host Beth Young/ producer Denis Duggan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CLIFF HORROR: 'She's gone over the edge!' Aug 20, 2018 936 For Shannon Bennett and her 13-year-old daughter Trinity a day out ended in disaster. Interviewer and host: Beth Young/Producer: Denis Duggan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hostage terror - I was used as a human shield Jul 27, 2018 1284 On an everyday Monday morning, Louisa Hope found herself at the centre of a deadly terrorist attack. Interviewed by Riah Matthews/ host Beth Young/ producer Denis Duggan  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I was scalped at 13 weeks pregnant" Jul 20, 2018 816 Michelle Dowsett, 42, worked as a school teacher but lived on a farm with her husband, Bob, and two young kids, Josh, 2, and Liv, 18 months, so it wasn't unusual for her to lend a helping hand when it came to yard work.Bob and her uncle, Craig, were having some trouble with one of the farm machines, so Michelle lent a hand. Eventually they fixed the problem and were just about done, which is when

Abducted, drugged and left for dead. Jul 13, 2018 1201 Rachele Godsall was kidnapped and had her throat slashed by the man she'd loved for nine years. 'He just looked at me and he didn't say anything, and he just cut my throat.' Now, she tells her shocking story in her own words on our podcast 'How I Survived'.If you need help, please call 1800 RESPECT or visit https://www.1800respect.org.au/ CreditsInterviewer and host: Beth YoungProducer: Denis Dugg

"I survived Ted Bundy - the world's worst serial killer" Jul 3, 2018 1074 For 37 years, Rhonda Stapley hid a terrifying secret...At age 21, Rhonda was offered a ride by Bundy in his signature tan Volkswagon, where he later assaulted her. Bundy attempted to choke Rhonda to death and raped her. Amazingly, she escaped his clutches by plunging into a fast-moving river, which carried her to safety. She joins Beth to share her incredible story...CreditsHost: Beth YoungIntervi

"I was shot in the face by a stranger" Jun 22, 2018 927 After a quiet night in at home in Newcastle, James Myers went to bed - he had no idea, but his worst nightmare was about to begin. Two hours later, a masked intruder burst into his bedroom wielding a gun and started shooting. James was shot in the face five times, but somehow he survived. James still has one bullet under his tongue and another in his skull, just above his brain and he joins B

Introducing the How I Survived podcast May 3, 2018 30 Each week, How I Survived brings you the shocking and unbelievable true-story of a person who's survived against the odds, told in their own words. Hosted by Beth Young, these stories are terrifying, inspiring and ultimately prove the power of the human will to live.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How I Survived

Episodes

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