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    Real Life Stories

    You’ve got to read it to believe it! These true stories seem almost too good to be true, but we promise that we couldn’t make these up. From love to loss and from survival to unbelieavable coincidences—we’ve got the wildest stories to keep you informed, entertained, and inspired.

    photo of the couple collaged multiple times with different color toning

    How David Lee Roth of Van Halen Almost Ruined My Marriage

    I thought the man I’d married was a 
rock star. That turned out to be closer 
to the truth than I ever imagined.

    When the World Shut Down, This 9-Year-Old Created an Unlikely Bond with 6 Chickens

    In a time of isolation from the rest of the world, this little girl found...

    This Couple Adopted a Cat to Help Their Dog with His Separation Anxiety—Now They Have the Most Beautiful Animal Friendship

    Follow this unusual pair of furry friends as they explore the West.

    15 Amazing Facts About the Women of NASA

    The sky is not the limit for these incredible pioneers.

    A Bad Storm Left This Driver Stranded on a Bridge with His Truck Dangling 70 Feet Above a River

    With his truck dangling above a roiling river and a storm whipping 50-mph winds, a...

    These Prisoners Scammed Millions from the Comfort of Their Jail Cells

    A diabolical scam snares everyday Americans. The real shock is that it is pulled off...

    This Teacher Saved a Grandmother’s Life Thanks to Virtual School at Home

    “If it wasn’t for them,” said Phillips, 
“I wouldn’t be here.”
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    17 Short, Sweet Stories About Moms (That Will Make You Want to Call Yours)

    In 100 words or less, readers share their poignant tales of the bond between mother...

    When a Medevac Plane Couldn’t Land Because the Runway Lights Were Out an Entire Village Used Their Headlights to Help it Touch Down Safely

    “Any time a plane flies over that late, you know something is wrong.”

    How an Activist with Disabilities Went from Being a Role Model to a Runway Model

    A disabled activist won’t let Twitter trolls stop her 
from seeing herself as she really...

    This Musician Asks Kids to Trade Their Guns in for Trumpets to Help Combat Violence in New Orleans

    Alarmed by a tragic shooting in 
his hometown, a New Orleans musician 
gives hope to...
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    Reader’s Digest Nicest Places in America

    Every year, our editors read through thousands of nominations from readers to find the Reader's...

    40 Years After Falling for a Girl, He Finally Got to Be with Her

    A lovesick teenager gets the girl—
40 years later.

    A Surf Board Drifted from Hawaii to the Philippines and Started a Friendship Between the Two Owners

    It traveled over 5,000 miles across the ocean and was still in one piece.

    What It Was Like to Escape a Wildfire In the Middle of the Night

    Two retirees recount their narrow escape from their home during a wildfire in Oregon.

    How a Determined Detective Caught a Stalker Who Had Been Humiliating High School Girls in a Small Town

    An elusive hacker humiliated high school girls 
from a small New Hampshire town. Then they...

    A Dog Was Trapped in a Cave for 30 Hours. It Took 8 Cavers to Find Him.

    Buzzman the dog hadn't returned home for a few hours. Thinking it was unusual, his...

    Siegfried and Roy: What Happened the Night of the Tiger Attack?

    For Siegfried & Roy, the master illusionists whose mix of glitz, charm, and white tiger...

    This Couple Agreed to Split the Lottery If They Won. When They Did, She Left with All the Money

    He said they’d agreed to split the winnings. But when they hit the jackpot, she...
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    Nicest Places in America 2021

    Nicest Places in America is a nationwide search for places where people are kind and...

    A Wild Lynx Appeared on My Friends’ Property—And Lived There for Weeks

    Every now and then, you come across a wild animal that appears to seek human...
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    Your True Stories, in 100 Words

    Everybody has a story to share. What's yours? Tell us here for the chance to...

    My Kids Made Fun of Me for Always Carrying a Handkerchief—Then the Pandemic Hit and Everyone Was Using Them

    He has used a pocket handkerchief all his life—and was ridiculed for it. Now, this...