In this episode of the Crux True Survival Story Podcast, medical professionals Kaycee McIntosh and Julie Henningsen explore the harrowing survival story of 7-year-old Roger Woodward, who miraculously survived a plunge over Niagara Falls in 1960. The episode takes listeners through every critical moment of Roger's journey—from a peaceful boat ride on the Niagara River, through the terrifying rapids, to his rescue at the brink of death. The story also highlights the heroism of onlookers and the emotional aftermath for Roger and his family. Tune in for this compelling narrative about the fine line between tragedy and miracle.

On October 12, 2002, world record freediver Audrey Mestre descended 171 meters into the Caribbean on a single breath and never resurfaced alive. This episode investigates the controversial circumstances surrounding the 28-year-old marine biologist's death—from the empty air tank that should have brought her back up, to the lack of medical personnel on site, to accusations of negligence against her husband and trainer, legendary freediver Francisco 'Pipin' Ferreras. More than two decades later, Audrey's story continues to divide the freediving community and spark legal battles over who was truly responsible for this preventable tragedy.

In this episode, host Kaycee McIntosh speaks with Dr. Mitchell Seruya, the pioneering surgeon who performed Theresa's groundbreaking nerve transplant. Dr. Seruya explains how nerve surgery is giving hope to patients with paralysis and chronic pain, and shares his vision for the future of nerve repair, prosthetics, and healing. This conversation reveals the remarkable science—and humanity—behind medical miracles.

A routine surgery left Theresa with a paralyzed leg, transforming her and her husband Brian's lives overnight. This episode chronicles their fight for recovery—from devastating loss to groundbreaking nerve transplant surgery—and the marriage that grew stronger through it all.

What started as a routine lightning storm during a mountaineering expedition in India's Garhwal Himalayas quickly escalated into something far more terrifying. Taylor Pajunen shares her harrowing account of the night that turned a NOLS leadership course into a desperate fight for survival that no amount of training could have prepared them for.

Russian mountaineer Natalia Nagoltseva broke her leg at 23,500 feet while descending Victory Peak in Kyrgyzstan, spending over two weeks trapped in a tent before dying. Her climbing partner Luca Sagia perished from altitude sickness and hypothermia after bringing her supplies in a heroic but ultimately fatal rescue attempt.

On Christmas Eve 1971, 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke fell two miles from a disintegrating airplane into the Peruvian Amazon rainforest—and survived. With a broken collarbone, severe injuries, and wearing only a mini-dress and one sandal, she spent 11 days navigating alone through one of Earth's most unforgiving environments, using lessons her zoologist parents had taught her. She was the sole survivor among 92 people on LANSA Flight 508.

In June 2024, 34-year-old Lukas McClish set out for a three-hour hike near his California hometown and vanished for 10 days in the burn-scarred Santa Cruz Mountains, surviving on creek water drunk from his boot and wild berries while a mountain lion stalked him through the wilderness. This is the story of how an experienced hiker got lost less than a mile from home, the massive search that followed, and the simple survival strategy that kept him alive when rescue seemed impossible.

Five people died instantly when the experimental Titan submersible imploded during a 2023 dive to the Titanic wreck—a tragedy that experts warned about for years but was ignored by OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush in his pursuit of innovation over safety.

On January 25, 2018, French climber Élisabeth Revol and Polish mountaineer Tomasz Mackiewicz reached the summit of Nanga Parbat—the "Killer Mountain"—completing only the second winter ascent of the world's ninth-highest peak. But their triumph instantly turned to nightmare when Tomasz developed snow blindness, severe frostbite, and life-threatening altitude sickness on the descent. A story of physical limits, mental fortitude, heartbreaking choices, and the extraordinary lengths people will go to save a stranger's life in the world's most hostile environment.

When the fishing vessel La Conte sank in the worst storm to hit Alaska in decades, five men were left floating in 90-foot seas without a life raft—and three Coast Guard helicopter crews risked everything to pull off one of the most dangerous rescues in maritime history. This is the story of six hours in freezing water, impossible choices, and the thin line between who lived and who died on January 30th, 1998.

In this Disaster Strikes segment, host Julie Henningsen examines the controversial story of Christopher McCandless, who died alone in an abandoned Alaskan bus in 1992 while attempting to live off the land. Inspired by her recent trip to Alaska—including visits to the replica Magic Bus and the actual bus 142 under restoration—Julie explores McCandless's privileged background, his radical rejection of materialism, and the fatal mistakes that led to his death at age 24. The episode also covers the dangerous "McCandless pilgrim" phenomenon that has claimed additional lives and asks: Was he a heroic idealist or a reckless cautionary tale? A reminder that courage without preparation can be deadly.

In August 2025, climate journalist Alec Luhn fell down an icy Norwegian mountainside, shattering his femur, pelvis, and spine. With no phone, no water, and unable to move, he survived six brutal days by drinking his own urine and enduring a massive storm before a helicopter finally spotted his makeshift rescue flag. His wife wasn't even expecting to hear from him until four days after the accident, making the wait for rescue agonizingly long.

In this episode of 'The Crux True Survival Story Podcast,' hosts Julie Henningsen and Kaycee McIntosh recount the tragic and heroic story of Anton Tselykh. On May 10th, 2025, Anton experienced a catastrophic fall while climbing in the North Cascades, leading to the death of three of his close friends. Despite suffering severe injuries, Anton survived a 500-700 foot fall and managed a grueling nine-hour descent in complete darkness to find help. The episode delves into the critical moments, decisions made, and survival instincts that enabled Anton to overcome insurmountable odds, as well as the lessons climbers can learn from this tragic event.

The Pacific Northwest Survival Games are going national! In this special episode, Kaycee sits down with founder Tony Peniche to discuss the upcoming partnership with Scouting America that could bring survival competitions to 250+ councils across the country. Kaycee also shares her experience competing in this year's games—the adrenaline, the mistakes, the unexpected friendships, and the valuable skills she learned in just 60 minutes per challenge. We talk about everything from shelter building with Oregon hardwood to throwing atlatls (ancient spear-throwing tools used by early humans for hunting), creative camouflage strategies, and how future competitors can prepare for the ultimate outdoor challenge.

**Content Warning: This story contains graphic details about a fatal cave accident involving prolonged entrapment in a confined space. It includes descriptions of claustrophobic conditions, failed rescue attempts, and a tragic death. The content may be particularly distressing for those sensitive to themes of confinement or helplessness. John Edward Jones entered Nutty Putty Cave in 2009 and never came out. A tragic tale of split-second decisions that turned fatal.

Carolina Wila survived 12 days lost in Western Australia's brutal outback after a head injury caused her to abandon her vehicle and wander into 740,000 acres of remote wilderness. Join hosts Kaycee McIntosh and Julie Henningsen as they uncover how this 26-year-old German backpacker endured freezing temperatures, walked barefoot through treacherous terrain, and kept moving even after convincing herself rescue would never come.

When 65-year-old Lithuanian rafter Valdas Bieliauskas slipped on a wet rock in Tasmania's remote Franklin River, his leg became wedged between boulders in freezing rapids—triggering a 20-hour rescue that would end with doctors performing an underwater amputation to save his life. This is the story of an impossible decision, a rescue team pushed to their limits, and one man's refusal to give up.

Experienced hiker Gerry Largay vanished on the Appalachian Trail in 2013, triggering one of Maine's largest search operations. Her story—and the journal she kept during 26 days alone in the wilderness—changed how the hiking community thinks about safety and preparedness

In August 2024, Zach DeMoss swerved to avoid a deer on Idaho's Highway 12 and flew 40 feet through the air into remote wilderness. Catastrophically injured and unable to move, he faced an impossible choice every single hour: endure unbearable pain or let go. This is the story of five days that tested the absolute limits of human survival.