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Have you ever had a life-threatening experience?

Sarapva

Midnight and Snowflake
25 Feb 2007
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It would be interesting to hear about any life-threatening experiences people have had. Since we're here to talk about it, it means it had a good ending!

One of the most scary experiences I've had was in Alaska when I was in a canoeing accident. My sister and her husband and I were in the canoe (against my better judgment I agreed to get in the canoe in a rushing creek that flowed into a glacier-fed river). As soon as we met the current of the river, the canoe capsized in a split second. I found myself underneath the canoe at first, but was able to bring myself up over it. My sister and I were holding onto the bottom of the canoe, and my brother-in-law had gotten to the riverbank. The water was very cold, near freezing, and slowed down our speech and movements.

I had thought in that split second of the canoe capsizing that we had underestimated the danger of the Alaskan wilderness, which is something I had read that people often do in Alaska and northern wilderness, getting themselves into situations where they have to be rescued if they're still alive.

Luckily, the canoe drifted closer to the bank of the river, and I could feel the bottom with my foot. I told my sister to let go of the canoe and grab some tree branches along the edge of the bank, so we did that. As soon as I grabbed a branch and stopped moving with the current of the river, I could feel how strong the current was. It pushed against us so that we had to hold on tight.

My sister climbed out, but the cold of the water was starting to make me feel comfortable (like freezing to death is a "comfortable" death), and it seemed like it would take too much effort to climb over the tree branch. My brother-in-law yelled down, "Do you want me to come down and help you out?" It seemed kind of ridiculous to have him climb down when I was capable of getting out myself, so I forced myself to climb over the branch and up the bank. It took some effort, and I could see how people can die easily from hypothermia. The cold numbs your body so you don't feel anything, and then you even start to feel warm. But of course what's happening is that your body is shutting down.

It took quite a while for us to warm up, but we went back to the house and had hot tea and talked about it. We were all shaking visibly for probably an hour afterwards. I know that some people don't like to admit the existence of a "higher power" or God, but I do believe that God had a hand in saving us. Anyone who has this kind of experience can feel how close they've come to death, and it seems obvious that there was a reason we didn't die.

During our normal lives when we're not in danger of getting killed, we can kind of "forget" this thin line between life and death. But a life-threatening experience can scare you right down to your "soul" and remind you that this physical life isn't permanent.
 
Thanks for that thrilling, heart moving (and racing) and well told story! I think that a lot can be learned from such events, yes, but it would take more than just a single personal event to be able to see the big picture in any very objective way.

I have had a number of close calls too. (in fact have also gone under a canoe, but not in such a fast current) The one I'd like to share, however, is not the car accident or the spelunking almost-entrapment moment, but the horse moment. (as Goldiegirl has already been told about)

When I was young, in elementary school, we lived on the country side outskirts of a small town in Alabama--Florence. My cousin (all the relatives lived there in a patch of woods) had two or three horses at the time, and one of them was an Apaloosa which had a bit of a wild streak in it (him/her?).

One morning as I was taking out the trash to throw in the large ditch down aways from the house--which as we humans have done for so long, and being a young boy at that time simply didn't have a clue (and our parents didn't seem to care)--I had to go through the pasture where that horse was kept. I had done it many times, and of course had ridden the horses a little (not that one though) and so had no particular fear of them.

On the way back up to the house that day, for some reason, when I came up beside the horse, it turned quite suddenly which knocked me down, and then reared up (you know, as in High Ho Silver !!) and then came down, it's left (if I recall correctly) hoof just missing my chest area. If, in fact, it had hit me, I too, would far more likely than not, not have been here to write this right now. A blow like that to the chest would have broken my ribs quite completely, and would have likely broken my heart. (sob, sob, sob...hee, hee, hee....) Well, damaged my heart or torn it.

In looking into events like these, as well as Near Death Experiences (NDEs) the big picture is what is to be considered. While no one can deny a higher 'power,' whatever that may actually be, the typical "God" hypothesis cannot be given credit in the long run. However, let's not get off-topic due to this.

I agree, life is a very delicate thing in so many ways, and a very, very tough and relentless thing in so many other ways. As long as the earth has any kind of environment capable of allowing some form of life, life will continue--be it any of us animate forms, or not. I'd love to hear some other experiences.
 
I've had classmates pummel me with rocks as I would walk home back in junior high. Wonderful memory, that and my older brother trying to electrocute me by "accident".

And to answer the problem with my older brother, restraining orders sure come in handy.
 
I think I haven't had this experiences in my 25 years life,but I have much nice memory which I can't forget.
 
Interesting thread....
I've had two life threatening experiences, both having to do with water.

The first, I was about 7 years old and my friend went to a water park for her birthday and I wandered off from the group and wound up in the jacuzzi area. Somehow I got myself into the deep end and the water suction pulled me down, thankfully a life guard was there and he pulled me out 👍

Second time, I was about 12 and was wandering in the forest with my friend and we were walking around this area where the trees went into a stream and the roots made a pooling effect so in some places the water was over 6 feet around the trees. The water was still in that area and there was a build up of this foamy stuff that I just had to poke with a stick so I was holding onto the tree roots and leaning out over the water to poke the foamy stuff when I slipped and fell in. At that time I couldn't swim and the water was over my head and I would have drown if my friend hadn't reached into the water and grabbed me, I nearly pulled her in but she managed to lift me high enough so that I could get a hold onto the tree roots and pull myself out.
Being young we laughed it off and went on our way.

Luckily I've since learned how to swim quite well and have no lasting fear of water, having gone canoing, jumped off the highest high dive at the swimming pool, ridden on several ferries, and floated down a raging river on a car tire since then 😌
 
Very interesting :)

A couple from my back-catalogue (by my reckoning I should be dead about 5 times over, the Universe obviously isn't through with me yet :))-

Being caught in a tropical storm at sea off the coast of Thailand in a small fishing boat with 10 foot waves which could quite easily have sunk the craft and drowned us all. That was mad... being out in the middle of black, wet and loud noise- rain driving down from all sides, the boat riding up over massive waves, lightning in the sky and just the faint coastline slowly getting bigger.

My car accident in late 2005 was classy also. Forgive me indulging in the tale- I foolishly was doing about 90mph (a deserted motorway at 2 in the morning, a stupid stunt I've learnt my lesson from). The rear passenger-side tyre blew out (not just punctured, blew out) and sent the car swerving to the right into the central reservation. That was the point where I knew the car was a write-off. Then the car flipped. That was the point where I had one simple thought process: "Well, that's it. I'm dead". That is a very, very surreal thought. No panic, no worrying, just a simple resignation.

The car flipped over three times and then skidded on it's side 200 yards down the asphalt. To me it was mostly a blur, I know this only because a car going in the other direction saw the whole thing and came back down on my side to make sure I was alive.

The car slowly ground to a halt, I picked up my things and climbed out of the sunroof (now on the side). I put my hat on and walked to the side of the road to call the coppers.

Then I just started laughing. My car was in pieces, half of it strewn up the road for a good 300 yards, the entire front was wrecked, and yet I had gotten out alive. Not only alive, but entirely unharmed.

I've never, ever been as happy as that moment I think.

The police and ambulance men arrived, made sure I'd not been drinking, and then ran me home whilst the car was towed away (ツ≫??50 up the spout).

Just to put the matter beyond doubt, here are the photos of what was left of my Punto at the scrap yard:

car2-1.jpg

car1-1.jpg


You can see the wing-mirrors destroyed by the roll, the still open sunroof I climbed out of and the scratches all down the side from the asphalt.

What an experience.
 
well i am so glad to hear all of you are all right...those are some stories there ...

sarapva marsman awesome stories...oh and karlyboo i am glad you are ok..but my car looks worse than yours since it was hit from my side of the door...

any way in my short 21 year life i have had ten near death experiences...four of them was certain end for me...

i have been to many fights containing knives and guns unwillingly ...and that is not even close to being life threatening...

1- i was in another district from where i live..and i saw a friend of mine getting beaten up by a bunch ...i intervened and fought well until i was surrounded by two dozens of men well armed....just when i thought i was gone...a man i don't know asked me of my name..when i told him he said "i know you...you deserve respect...you shall not be harmed" he yelled at the men there and they all went away.

2- when Israel bombed my city 2006 summer i was feet away...witnessing the site of flying corpses every where...if the bomb was to land one minute earlier i would have been in a grave now.

3- when a politician was blown up in Beirut i was across the pavement ...and again i witnessed death...

4- i was walking back to my house when i was caught up in a gun fight two people next to me fell on the floor with gun shots penetrating through them and i was right next to them...

5- i was in a peaceful demonstration against the war in Iraq but it went the wrong way and turned to a riot. the armed forces fired in the air but no body responded...when the situation became so hostile i was trying to run away because i don't agree to such havoc...all of the sudden the military were given the order to fire at will........and there again i was caught up in a gun battle and i could hear the bullets bounce of the floor and when it hit the walls next to me.

6- the most notorious University unrest in Lebanon took place in my university ...and as always i was caught up in a gun fight and some of my friends next to me got shot.

7- when the militants fought the army last summer the fight started in the building i live in ....the military was on my building's roof and shooting at the militants on the building across and the militants would fire back at our building...it was a war literally ..tanks, bombs..big guns....and we civilians were in the middle of it all..thank God non of my family were hurt..but others haven't been that lucky..and i witnessed some real gore blood death for the second time in my life since Israel war.

8- i guess you are bored reading about gun fights i have been through all ready.
9- also a gun fight

10- a car crash that no body would believe i would survive...the door completely crashed into me...i broke the window with my head..and it wasn't even scratched.

and the most amazing thing in all these stories is that i was never scratched....never harmed....never effected....i was right in death's way and i was ok....it is a higher power watching over me..
i have been hurt many times..but not in dangerous situations....just simple fights or accidents...
but in seriously close to death situations i was ok...when people right next to me get shot and i am the only one standing ..now that is a miracle
 
It's too funny, I can't resist...

dilbert20080101047736-1.jpg


I'm sure you didn't mean it that way but it's how it comes off!
 
Chuck Norris once nearly roundhouse kicked me, but stopped short, my head almost exploded. :p (sorry, I couldn't resist)

Anywho, methinks I've only had about three life-threatening experience, all of them directly linked to my notorious lack of common sense.

The one I'd like to tell you all about happened in the summer of my 13th year. I attended a summer day-camp, like I had been doing for the past 4 years or so. Every morning at camp, there would be a thirty minute period where we would play dodgeball inside a large, wooden, outdoor pavilion while waiting for some of the other campers to arrive. I, always having a love of activity, was quite excited every time I played and enjoyed the high speed maneuvers that one had to make in order to dodge or catch the ball being thrown at you. One morning, we were playing a particularly wild game, involving a few of the camp counselors and some of the more athletically inclined campers. The game was going smoothly until I saw one of the other guys throw a ball in my direction, however, it swerved and it looked like I might have been able to catch it. I dived over, not thinking that I was standing near the railing of the pavilion and that beneath it was a 6 foot drop onto the rocky forest floor. I caught the ball in my hands, looked down, and immediately knew that I had made a grave error in judgment; I was now slowly tipping forward as my hips were balancing on the railing. I had a good half a second to thank the Lord for all that he hath given to me before one of the counselors had run over, grabbed me by the ankles and yanked me back into the pavilion. It was quite thrilling.👍
 
At the age of 13 I had a complicated appendix infection caused by a perforation in my 'Meckel's diverticulum (Meckel's diverticulum - Wikipedia)', which is a small bulge in the small intestine that only 2 % of the population has, and even less have problems with it.

Life-threatening about it was the fact that my stomach was slowly filling itself with infected liquid of this perforation (this caused my appendix to infect) and eventually I could get a stomach infection which is by far worse.

It all happened one night, just in one second I had this terrible pain in my stomach and it didn't go away. Next day, my parents took me to emergency cause I felt I was dying (after everything they told me that the pain I felt is generally compared to a women giving birth). Then after some research they decided to do a small cam research inside my stomach to see what was going on (and at the same time they 'fixed me' lol). I had to stay for more than a week in hospital (probably the longest and most annoying week in my life). I had this tubes sticking out of my stomach because liquid still had to leave my stomach. And I wasn't allowed to eat anything except for toast for the first days. And to make it even perfect, it was the hottest summer in ages that time with temperature climbing to 40 degrees.

And what freaked me out most was that my mother was hospitalized the same day as I was (planned though). She had to remove a lymph node which was maybe cancer (eventually it was, but she got trough it and she's doing fine). So both me and my mother were in the hospital at the same time while we are normally perfectly healthy people.

This was by far the worst periode of my life, but for some reason it made me relativise things a lot more.
 
Wow - those are some stories! Some of them remind me of others I'd forgotten. Mars Man, your story reminded me of when my sister was thrown off a horse when she was about 7 years old (I was about 9 - this wasn't life-threatening to me, but it's related!). She was riding double with a friend, and the friend fell right on top of her and knocked the breath out of her. I heard the thumps on the ground, and being only 9 I thought that meant my sister was going to die. I ran next door and one of my friends tried to comfort me, then when we went back and I saw she was okay, I was so relieved and happy!

MadamePapillon - your story reminded me of another time when I was about 9 or 10 and we were visiting relatives in Mississippi. My cousin and my father and I were swimming in a local river (which, compared to the river in Alaska, was slow-moving). We swam with the current around a bend, and I heard my cousin say, "Wow, what a drop off!" Then the next thing I knew, the ground fell from under my feet and I was being sucked under. We later found out it was a whirlpool, which happens sometimes where the water meets and swirls around, creating a suction. I felt a hand push me, and I was out of the whirlpool and could feel the bottom again. My father also went into the whirlpool, but he and my cousin were strong and big enough to get out themselves. My cousin saved my life that day.

karlyboo - you were very lucky you didn't get crushed in that car. You must have been wearing a seat belt. I also have a car crash story, but it's in the "car crash" thread, so I won't tell it again!

Faustianideals - It sounds like you've had some bad experiences, made worse because they were inflicted by other people. Yours and Scorpion da black's experiences seem to be similar that way - that must cause a different feeling from an experience that's an accident. I hope you're safe from people like that now.

Scorpion da black - What memories you have! To have lived through all those gun fights and bombs and survived is really something. I think you survived for a reason, maybe so you can tell us about it who have never experienced those things so we can understand how life is in countries where there's fighting going on. I think your experiences must be very similar to war veterans'.

Something that is becoming more understood lately (at least here in the U.S.) is "post-traumatic stress", where people have similar symptoms after an experience where they were almost killed. Some have reactions even to small things afterwards, where you get sweaty palms and a rapid heart beat. I know I've had those symptoms, especially just after leaving Alaska. I felt like I'd left a war zone.
 
Hmm i've drowned a few times when i was a child, one time in particular i went unconscious few a minutes even. It is very weird drowning though, i remember the worst incident when i almost drowned to death in my grandmothers swimming pool very clearly- at first you panic a great deal, but then an overwhelming sense of calmness and peace comes over you as you run out of your last breath, and then you just black out and don't remember anything after that. Its very...Surreal, or something i guess...

Also once i accidentally inhaled very toxic pesticide fumes that had been sprayed in a property that my mum owned (we had just managed to finally evict some horrible tenants from the property who had abused the house a great deal and practically destroyed it- it was horribly flea, mite and tick infested from all the dead animals they left in the property so the whole house had to be fumigated with highly toxic chemicals to kill the parasites off, the chemicals were so toxic that no-one was allowed in the house for over 5weeks minimum), which made me almost pass out and go unconscious and made me very sick when i regained consciousness, i had terrible migraines and dizziness for ages after that.
I remember my mother was absolutely horrified that i had been in the house, she was panicking a great deal but i was just a kid at the time and i didn't really understand what was going on that well (partly due to the chemicals and partly because i didn't understand how dangerous they were), i had no idea how dangerous the situation i just been in was, if i hadn't got out of the house when i did i would have certainly have passed out, and if no-one had found me then i would have then gone into a coma and suffered from brain damage and died.
 
well sarapva san those experiences only made me stronger...and made me more close to God...
now i realize the saying of our prophet Muhammed " you only live this live as a man passing by a tree, takes a nap, then walks shortly after forward to the after life"

this belief makes me strong realizing that death in inevitable ... so why fear it...
i have no fears i am totally ready....i saw the barrel of the gun right in front of me and i didn't even blink...

it is not like we have a miserable life...that you have to know...i still go to rock concerts...big gigs, throw parties, invite every body and have dinner, go camping, climbing, swimming...walks by the beach..driving chilling out...
we have a happy life...i definitely have a great life..i am not rich, i am educated through hard ship of my father..and my self...and yet i have a great life..that is thanks to my friends and family ...
this is tribute to them
 
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I know that the experiences I had have made me realize the role of God in my life. The main thing I fear now isn't dying, but going against the "path" that I feel I'm supposed to be on. The danger is in getting off the path. As long as I stay on it, I'm living harmoniously and whatever happens is supposed to happen. Off the path things happen because of my own carelessness and because I'm not in harmony with life.

Thanks, scorpion, for explaining how things are for you in your part of the world. It's interesting to know that even with danger looming, you can still live a good life.
 
I know that the experiences I had have made me realize the role of God in my life. The main thing I fear now isn't dying, but going against the "path" that I feel I'm supposed to be on. The danger is in getting off the path. As long as I stay on it, I'm living harmoniously and whatever happens is supposed to happen. Off the path things happen because of my own carelessness and because I'm not in harmony with life.
Thanks, scorpion, for explaining how things are for you in your part of the world. It's interesting to know that even with danger looming, you can still live a good life.

well that fear you spoke about definitely exists in me...i don't want to be what i hate or what i am against ..that is for certain.

and about how we live our lives here...well we have a good time just need to watch our for stray back packs on corners :p
 
Interesting thread.

When I was 15 years old, some friends and I had some arguments with kids from another school in the area. It started by threatening us, while we did not do anything towards them (they where just searching for a fight). We knew their faces, and they knew ours.

On one day when we were sitting in a porch of a building (just the 3 of us) near our school. 2 of these kids came and talk to us... to be more specific to talk to me. I was the weaker looking one (160cm), they started to talk in a normal way, but later atmosphere got more aggressive and the were telling me that I shouldn't be so cool, and that I needed to do normal (which I did, I was just a bit afraid so I tried to look cool). Then suddenly one kid had put his hands in my pocket to see what's inside. I pushed him away from me and we were holding each other for a second while I told him not to touch me, because I wasn't touching him either.

Anyway (I got a whole police report 5 pages, but I don't think it will be an interesting read), they called in some more friends (it was about 3 against 14). We started to fight, punch here kick there, while one guy was pushing me backwards very slowly, again telling me that I shouldn't be that cool next time. While he was pushing me backwards I could feel something sharp in my back... a knife.

I ran away from the area, while some of the other kids still tried to kick me. As I escaped I run to some other friends and asked them what's on my back, they told me I was bleeding and we went to the school where they got me an ambulance (they wanted to call in a helicopter... but that wasn't necessary.)

In the end I think I was very lucky, the knife got inside for only 2cm (paper cutting knife) and I have no problems with my body except for the scare (16 stitches). But it could have been worse; a bigger knife, more than 2 stabs, not being able to escape.

In that week 2 students died in Amsterdam, one was pushed in front of a subway, and the other one was stabbed to death. I guess I was lucky. I don't hate the guy, neither did I hate him soon after wards, hearing he was only 13 years old was afraid and had a paper knife with him. I hope he learned from what happened, and that he has a good job (which I doubt because he got a record on his 13th).

I've became less shy afterwards and got more positive in life... lol I'm going to be a dad within 5 months. lol
 
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nice story dutch baka san
reminds me of my own child hood :p ..i was stabbed 3 times on different occasions..that kinda thing is so common here..i would be in a fight once a week :D

oh and congrats on being a Dad ..i know it is soon for that but ..i8 might forget till then :p
 
I've never been stabbed or shot at - I don't know what that would be like or if it would be like another kind of accident. To have so much anger directed at you that the person actually tries to kill you - that's something I can't fathom. I'm so glad you all have lived to tell about it, though!

And congratulations, Dutch Baka!
 
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