Dead or Survive

In this episode of Dead or Survive , Cheryl takes you deep into one of the most incredible survival stories of our time—the 2018 Thai cave rescue. Twelve boys and their soccer coach are trapped four kilometers underground as monsoon rains flood the cave behind them. For ten days, no one knows if they're alive. What follows is a global rescue effort involving divers, engineers, medics, monks, and o...

We’re back! Did you miss us? Because we’ve got an episode that’ll make you clutch your limbs and your pearls. Cheryl kicks things off with a chilling survival story straight from the Arctic — a terrifying polar bear attack that left victims fighting for their lives. It’s brutal, it’s real, and it’s exactly what we do best: people surviving the unthinkable. Then Rob… well, Rob brings the heat (and...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl shares the remarkable story of Julia Butterfly Hill, the environmental activist who lived in a redwood tree for over 700 days to save it from being cut down. Perched high above the ground on a small platform in a 1,500-year-old redwood named Luna, Julia endured brutal storms, loneliness, and threats — but never gave up. Her peaceful protest became a global symb...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl shares the harrowing and inspiring story of Natascha Kampusch, the Austrian girl who was abducted at age 10 and held captive for over eight years in a hidden cellar. Subjected to intense psychological and physical abuse, Natascha’s survival — and eventual escape — is a powerful testament to resilience. Cheryl walks you through her disappearance, confinement, da...

On the night of July 31, 1976, a wall of water tore through Big Thompson Canyon in Colorado, triggered by an unexpected and devastating thunderstorm. The flood caught residents and tourists off guard, killing 144 people in one of the deadliest flash floods in U.S. history. But not everyone was lost. Cheryl tells the stories of those who faced the torrent and lived to tell the tale — stories of res...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl shares the chilling story of Tina Bowen, a young woman who survived an encounter with one of the most disturbing predators in modern true crime — Daniel LaPlante. Before becoming a convicted murderer, LaPlante was already breaking into homes, stalking his victims, and “phrogging” — hiding inside their houses for days at a time. Tina survived. Others weren’t as...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl unpacks the wild, head-spinning tale of Patty Hearst — the kidnapped heiress who became one of America’s most controversial figures. In 1974, Patty was abducted by the radical Symbionese Liberation Army, and what followed was a transformation no one saw coming. She went from victim to revolutionary, wielding guns in bank robberies and sparking a national debate...

It's the off season, summer has begun! We know that you will miss us though, so from time to time we will be posting these mini episodes throughout the summer. This episode is Cheryl's turn. This week's submissions include a scary bike trail ride, an evil aunt and listening to your gut. Hope you enjoy!

Imagine losing your children — and your grandchild — without a trace. That’s what the Clouse family endured for over four decades. In 1981, Dean and Tina Clouse were murdered, their bodies discovered but never identified. Their infant daughter, Holly, was nowhere to be found. Then, 42 years later… she was found. Alive. Safe. And unaware of the horror that had unfolded after her disappearance. This...

Imagine being completely surrounded by roaring flames — the air thin with smoke, cinders raining down like artillery, and everything around you turning to ash. That was the reality for Ed Pulaski and his crew during the Great Fire of 1910. But with grit, leadership, and one bold move, Ed saved nearly every man under his command. This week, Cheryl shares the incredible story of one of the deadliest...

Welcome to the first ever Johnny on the spot! Rob takes control of the mike for a very short dose of Darwin award. If you enjoy this, and think we should do it more, please let us know!

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl dives into the horrifying case of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. — the Golden State Killer. A former police officer turned serial predator, DeAngelo terrorized California from 1974 to 1986 with a spree of violence that included at least 13 murders, 51 rapes, and over 100 burglaries. But some victims survived — and their courage helped bring this monster to justice....

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl takes a different approach. It’s not a survival story — it’s a mystery: Did they survive? In 1962, Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin pulled off one of the most daring prison breaks in history — escaping from Alcatraz and disappearing into the icy waters of the San Francisco Bay. Were they swept away by the current, or did they manage to vanish...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl dives into one of the deadliest survival-adjacent stories in recorded history — the tale of the Champawat tiger, a female Bengal tiger responsible for over 400 human deaths across Nepal and India in the early 1900s. Villagers lived in terror until legendary hunter Jim Corbett stepped in. Hear how this terrifying creature was finally stopped… and the legacy it l...

Happy Easter from Dead or Survive! 🐣 This week, Cheryl brings the Hollywood heat with real-life survival stories from actors who almost didn’t make it off the set. From Johnny Depp’s mid-air horse disaster, to Uma Thurman’s terrifying car crash, to Jackie Chan literally cracking his skull — these stars stared down death and kept rolling. Then Rob wraps up with Darwin Award winners who seriously u...

In October 1987, the world stood still for 58 hours as Baby Jessica McClure was trapped 22 feet below ground in a narrow well in Midland, Texas. It was one of the first true “live” rescue stories, with CNN’s 24/7 coverage making Jessica “everybody’s baby.” Cheryl recounts the tension, triumph, and human determination behind one of the most gripping rescues in modern history. Then Rob takes a walk...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl tells the powerful and heartbreaking story of Holly K. Dunn — the only known survivor of the infamous Railroad Killer, Ángel Maturino Reséndiz. After witnessing her boyfriend brutally murdered in front of her, Holly was left beaten, stabbed, and left for dead beside the tracks. But she survived. And what she did with her second chance at life is nothing short o...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl recounts the incredible Cold War survival story of Lieutenant David Steeves. After his military jet crashed deep in California’s rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains, Steeves was presumed dead. But 54 days later, he reappeared with a tale of ice, starvation, injury, and relentless survival across King's Canyon and Sequoia National Park. What really happened out t...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl shares the unbelievable survival story of Mauro Prosperi. While competing in the grueling Marathon des Sables, Mauro became disoriented during a sandstorm and veered over 180 miles off course into the heart of the Sahara Desert. With no help in sight, he resorted to drinking his own urine, eating bats, and relying on sheer willpower to stay alive. His story is...

We’ve officially hit 50 episodes! Thank you to all our amazing listeners—your support means the world. 🎉 And yes, we announce the winner of our Yeti giveaway on this episode! This week, Cheryl dives into the haunting true story of the Stayner family. In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was abducted and held captive for over seven years. His eventual escape and heroic rescue of another kidnapped ch...

On August 13, 1967, two young women were attacked and killed by grizzly bears in separate incidents on the same night in Glacier National Park. It was a perfect storm of poor park policies, habituated bears, and ignored warnings—until tragedy struck. Cheryl walks you through the terrifying events that would forever change how parks handle bear encounters. It's raw, brutal, and unforgettable. T...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl shares the jaw-dropping survival story of Danelle Ballengee. In 2006, this elite trail runner took a brutal fall during a solo training run in the Utah desert, shattering her pelvis and becoming stranded at the bottom of a canyon. For 56 hours, she fought for her life—and she didn’t fight alone. Her dog Taz braved miles of wilderness to get help and became the...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl shares the jaw-dropping survival story of Kendra Beebe. On August 10, 2008, Kendra was ambushed in her own home by actor Shelley Malil—best known for his role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. What followed was a brutal, unprovoked attack that left her with 23 stab wounds, two collapsed lungs, a nearly severed chin, and a long road to recovery. But Kendra didn’t just...

In one of the most chilling cases of friendship turned nightmare, 12-year-old Payton Leutner was lured into the woods by her two best friends—and stabbed 19 times. Their motive? To please Slenderman, a fictional internet myth they believed was real. But Payton didn’t die. She survived the attack, crawled to safety, and helped expose the twisted belief that nearly took her life. This week on Dead o...

This week on Dead or Survive, Cheryl shares the powerful survival story of Jennifer Schuett. In the summer of 1990, 8-year-old Jennifer was abducted from her bedroom window, assaulted, and left for dead in a field. But through sheer willpower and determination, she stayed alive — and even played a critical role in helping catch her attacker years later. It's a case of unimaginable horror met w...