Sign Up For Our Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Newsletters
More Categories
    Select Filters
    Brands
    Topics
    Pets & Animals
    Nicest Places
    People
    Life
    Holidays & Observances
    Arts & Entertainment
    Wellness
    True Stories
    Content Type
    Travel
    Reader's Digest Magazine
    Knowledge

    Survival Stories

    In times of struggle and strife, humanity always finds a way. When the the clock runs low and the chips are down, these unbelieavable stories of survival will remind you of the strength of the human spirit.

    These Two Cave Divers Were Trapped Underwater—with Only Enough Oxygen for One

    They were the first ones to see the underwater caves. But when it was time...

    This Man Was Almost Swept Away in a Flood—Then a Stranger Stepped In

    Unexpectedly, rushing waters grabbed hold of his vehicle and swept him away. He thought he...

    This Climber Was Stuck in a Crevice for 22 Hours—Here’s How He Survived

    Seth Rowe had descended into impossibly small crevices countless times without a problem. This time,...
    Tout icon

    How a Man Survived a Plane Crash—and a 15-Hour Swim with Sharks

    Adrift in the stormy waters, his only weapons a leaky life vest and a desperate...

    This Fisherman Was Attacked By a Shark and Lived to Tell the Tale

    Cue the "Jaws" theme. This article, which appeared in the August 1965 edition of Reader's...

    I’m a Navy Seal—Here’s How Single-Mindedness Saved My Life

    In free fall, Commander Mark Divine didn't rack his brain for a solution. Instead, he...

    The Computer on This Plane Malfunctioned, Putting 315 in a Life-or-Death Situation

    When a “psycho” computer on a jumbo airliner goes rogue and grabs control from the...

    How One Farm Saved This Tiny Town’s Survival Rate

    A church community looks to feed itself 
with the help of an old foe: the...

    A Family Almost Drowned—Until Beachgoers Formed a Human Chain to Save Their Lives

    When two boys are sucked into a rip 
current off Florida’s Gulf Coast, their fellow...

    This Plane’s Engine Failed, and the Only Place to Land Was the Busiest Highway in America

    After the plane clipped his car and crash-landed on the freeway, 
John Meffert doubted that...

    When a Wildfire Engulfed a Mountain Full of Tourists, These Men Sprang into Action

    Matthew Layton and Brian McGee owned rental cabins on Shields Mountain in Tennesse. But one...

    When a Man Was Drowning, These Three Strangers Risked Their Lives to Save Him

    Jumping in the river was easy. Getting back on land? Not so much.

    A Kidnapped Cab Driver Fought for His Life—and Ended Up with an Unexpected Friendship Instead

    A cabbie, 
his kidnapper, 
and the unlikely connection that redeemed them.

    This Is What Happened When the Lone Survivor of a Plane Crash Found Himself Lost In the Freezing Alaskan Woods

    It’s December in the Arctic Circle, 
and World War II airman Leon Crane 
is the...
    Tout icon

    A Hurricane Sunk Their Ship. This Rescue Swimmer Was Their Only Hope of Survival

    A hurricane sank their 212-foot 
freighter and was about to claim their rescue raft too....

    This Newborn Survived Hurricane Harvey and Had the Most Adorable Photo Shoot Afterward

    Turmoil isn't the only thing that comes out of natural disasters and this adorable photo...

    This Man Waded Through a Deadly Mudslide to Save As Many Lives as He Could

    When a mountain collapsed on a small Washington town, he was told to stay away....

    This News Crew Saved a Man Live on Television During Hurricane Harvey

    Some good news coming out of Texas.

    Why These Holocaust Survivors Say Their Life Was Saved Twice

    Because of their horrific early experiences that created nutritional deficiencies, many Holocaust survivors are in...

    How I Got Run Over by an Eighteen Wheeler—and Survived

    The last thing I remember before actually being run over was the hollow sound of...

    Two Pilots Save a Man Dangling from Another Plane in History’s Most Spectacular Mid-Air Rescue

    Second Lieutenant Walter Osipoff was a seasoned parachutist. But one day, everything that could go...

    6 True Water Rescue Stories That Will Make You Rethink How You Swim

    A sunny day at the pool, lake, or ocean can turn dangerous in seconds if...

    I Was Kidnapped By a Terrorist in Iraq. This Is How I Survived.

    He thought he was getting on a bus to go home, but he soon realized...

    A Leisurely Hike Turned Into a 5-Day Nightmare After We Took a Wrong Turn

    The author was looking forward to a day of hiking with her husband in a...

    This Dog Miraculously Survived an Accident 1,400 Miles from Home—and Managed to Get Back

    After Holly lost her beloved owner in an car accident far from home, their small...