How I Survived

Alexa Leary Was Told She’d Die - Now She’s a Gold Medallist

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:00:00 +0000

She was told she wouldn’t survive. Years later, she’s a Paralympic gold medallist. This is the extraordinary story of Alexa Leary.

A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners!

We’re bringing you some of the best stories of survival from Marie Claire's podcast, You’re Gonna Want To Hear This. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/youre-gonna-want-to-hear-this/id1849312864

From extraordinary stories of survival and resilience to raw, intimate conversations about style, substance and the moments that change us, these are the stories you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve finished listening.

If you love How I Survived, you’re gonna to want to hear this.

And if you like what you hear, head over to You’re Gonna Want To Hear This wherever you listen to or watch your podcasts. Find, follow, subscribe or hit the + on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube, and you’ll get a brand-new episode in your feed every Thursday morning.

Paralympic gold medallist Alexa Leary joins us for one of the most raw and powerful conversations we’ve ever had. At just 19, Alexa was involved in a catastrophic cycling accident that left her with a severe traumatic brain injury. Doctors told her family she wouldn’t survive. She lost her memory, had to relearn how to walk and talk, and now describes herself as living a “second life.”In this episode, Alexa opens up about the reality of brain injury - the emotional highs and lows, the loss of friendships, the struggle to regulate her behaviour, and the daily challenges most people never see.She shares what it felt like to be told she might die, what recovery really looked like behind hospital doors, and how she went from ICU to standing on the Paralympic podium.We also talk about her new book Sink or Swim, why she’s chosen to tell her story so honestly, and the message she wants every woman to hear.This is a story about resilience, identity, and what it truly means to start again.

In this episode, we cover:

The accident Alexa can’t remember - and the moment everything changed
Being told she wouldn’t survive
What it’s really like living with a traumatic brain injury
Losing friendships and rebuilding relationships
Emotional regulation, anger and recovery
From hospital bed to Paralympic gold
Why she says she’s living a “second life”
The truth behind her memoir Sink or Swim
Learning to love and accept herself again

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Danielle Bensky: I Was A Teenage Ballerina When I Met Jeffrey Epstein

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:00:00 +0000

At 17, Danielle Bensky was a ballerina in New York with dreams of making it in dance. She thought she had found a way to earn some extra money. Instead, she was drawn into Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking network and spent years carrying the silence, trauma and shame that followed. Now, Danielle is telling her story: of grooming, manipulation, survival and what it took to finally reclaim her voice.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains themes of abuse, trauma and coercive control. If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call 000. For confidential 24/7 crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au. Support is also available through Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or at beyondblue.org.au.

A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners!

If you love How I Survived, you’re gonna to want to hear this.

The episode:

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of You’re Gonna Want To Hear This, marie
claire editor Georgie McCourt speaks with Danielle Bensky - a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s
trafficking network - about grooming, silence, survival and the long road to reclaiming your
voice.

Before the headlines and court cases, Bensky was a 17-year-old ballerina in New York with
dreams of a career in dance. In this conversation, she reflects on how the intense culture of
ballet - with its pressure for perfection, body scrutiny and constant need for approval - created
vulnerabilities that Epstein later exploited.

Bensky shares how she was first introduced to Epstein while searching for ways to earn
money as a teenager, and how what began with conversation and flattery slowly became
manipulation, coercion and abuse. She also speaks candidly about the moment her mother’s
brain tumour diagnosis deepened Epstein’s control over her life.

But this episode is not only about what happened inside Epstein’s world. It’s also about what
came after: the years of silence, the trauma and dissociation that followed, and the healing
power of creativity, community and finally speaking the truth.

Today, Bensky is an advocate for survivors and accountability. In this moving conversation,
she explains why telling the story matters - not only for justice, but for the countless
survivors who still feel too ashamed or frightened to speak.

Her message is simple but powerful: you are not alone.

In this episode we discuss:

Danielle Bensky’s life as a teenage ballerina in New York
How grooming and manipulation often begin with trust and promises
The culture of vulnerability within the dance world
The moment Epstein used her mother’s illness as leverage
Why so many people around Epstein remained silent
Trauma, dissociation and the long path to healing
How art and movement helped Bensky reconnect with her body
The power of survivor communities Why speaking out can help break cycles of shame and silence

A note to listeners:
This episode contains discussion of sexual abuse, trafficking and trauma. Listener discretion
is advised.

Resources:
If this conversation raises difficult feelings for you, support is available.

1800RESPECT - 1800 737 732
Lifeline - 13 11 14

Follow Danielle Bensky on Instagram here @dbinthesky

See more:

Jeffrey Epstein Survivors

Margot Robbie Things Changing In Hollywood

👀Watch and listen to the full episode of You’re Gonna Want To Hear This here and wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit Marie Claire for style and substance

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Robbed Of Her Childhood: Bek Condello On Escaping A Cult

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 18:05:00 +0000

What if leaving your faith meant losing everyone you'd ever loved?

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains themes of childhood abuse, physical punishment, sexual trauma and coercive control. If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call 000. For confidential 24/7 crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au. Support is also available through Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or at beyondblue.org.au.

A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners!

We’re bringing you some of the best stories of survival from Marie Claire's podcast, You’re Gonna Want To Hear This.

If you love How I Survived, you’re gonna to want to hear this.

What if leaving your faith meant losing everyone you'd ever loved?

This week on You're Gonna Want To Hear This, Marie Claire Australia Editor Georgie McCourt speaks with author Bek Condello about her extraordinary journey out of one of Australia's most controlling Pentecostal churches.

Raised inside the Geelong Revival Centre, Bek grew up believing the outside world was dangerous. Every aspect of life, from education and friendships to marriage and work was dictated by church leaders. Curiosity was discouraged, obedience was demanded, and fear shaped almost every decision.

In this deeply personal conversation, Bek reflects on the childhood she now recognises as abusive, the lasting impact of religious trauma and the heartbreaking reality that leaving meant losing her family, community and identity.

She also opens up about purity culture, consent, body shame, marrying to escape one form of control only to enter another, and the years it took to trust herself and build a life on her own terms.

Today, Bek has transformed unimaginable loss into purpose. As the state of Victoria investigates high-control religious groups, she explains why sharing her story has become about much more than personal healing... it's about helping others recognise coercion, reclaim their autonomy and know they're not alone.

This episode covers:

Growing up inside the Geelong Revival Centre

How high-control religions shape identity

Religious trauma and childhood abuse

The psychological impact of fear-based faith

Purity culture, consent and bodily autonomy

Escaping a controlling church

Rebuilding life after leaving a cult

Learning to trust yourself again

Why leaving is a process, not a single moment
Bek's advocacy for survivors of coercive religious groups

Can You Handle a Girl Like Me? by Bek Condello is available from mid-July.

Stay up to date with Marie Claire Australia on Instagram

🎧 Listen to You're Gonna Want to Hear This and follow us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

👀 Watch and subscribe to You're Gonna Want to Hear This on YouTube 📺 for full episodes and clips.

Credits:

Host Georgie McCourt

Edited by Leah Porges

Head of Vodcasting Rachel Fountain

With thanks to our amazing team at Marie Claire

Learn More:

You're Gonna Want to Hear This is a production of Marie Claire and Are Media.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephanie Browitt: “I Survived the Volcano. Half My Family Didn’t.”

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:30:00 +0000

Could you survive a volcanic eruption? It's a question Stephanie Browitt never thought she'd have to answer. And yet in 2019, a volcanic eruption on New Zealand’s White Island changed Stephanie's life forever. At just 23, she suffered burns to 70 per cent of her body and lost her younger sister, Krystal, and her father, Paul, in the tragedy. Seven years later, she's written a book about it. Out Of The Ashes has just been published, co-written with her mother Marie.

A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners!

We’re bringing you some of the best stories of survival from Marie Claire's podcast, You’re Gonna Want To Hear This.

If you love How I Survived, you’re gonna to want to hear this.

In this episode of marie claire's podcast You’re Gonna Want To Hear This, Stephanie shares, in extraordinary detail, what it felt like to be caught in the eruption - the moment she heard the bang, the fight to stay conscious, and the thought that kept her alive - getting back to her mum.What you'll hear is a deeply moving conversation about survival, grief, and recovery. Stephanie speaks openly about the physical and emotional toll of her injuries, the long road back, and the moment she had to relearn how to see love again. Today, she is an advocate for body positivity and resilience, using her story to challenge perceptions of beauty, strength, and what it means to rebuild a life after unimaginable loss. This episode is confronting, powerful, and ultimately, a story about love.In this episode, we discuss:

The moment the White Island volcano erupted
The fight to stay conscious and survive
The loss of Stephanie’s father and sister
The role of her mother in her survival and recovery
The realities of burn recovery and rehabilitation
Body image, identity, and learning to live with scars
Grief, resilience, and rebuilding a life

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts
Follow You’re Gonna Want To Hear This for new episodes every week

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Day I Learned My Stepdad Was A Child Killer - Sherele Moody

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 20:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to put a name and a story to every woman and child lost to violence? For more than a decade, journalist and activist Sherele Moody has been documenting the lives behind the statistics, creating a record of Australia’s femicides through Australian Femicide Watch and the Red Heart Movement. But this isn’t just advocacy for Sherele, it’s very personal.

A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners!

We’re bringing you some of the best stories of survival from Marie Claire's podcast, You’re Gonna Want To Hear This.

If you love How I Survived, you’re gonna to want to hear this.

This week on You're Gonna Want To Hear This, Marie Claire Australia Editor Georgie McCourt is joined by Sherele Moody to share the story that changed her life - the moment she discovered her stepfather was responsible for the murder of two young girls. A revelation that would go on to shape her life’s work.

From a childhood marked by abuse and instability, to building one of the most significant databases of violence against women in Australia, Sherele speaks with unflinching honesty about trauma, survival, and the cost of speaking out.

She also unpacks the systemic failures that continue to put women at risk - and why the question isn’t why women stay, but why it remains so difficult to leave.

This episode covers:

The personal story behind Sherele’s activism
The reality of femicide in Australia - and what the numbers miss
Why domestic violence systems are failing women
The emotional toll of documenting over 3,000 deaths
How community, connection and action can drive change

If this conversation raises issues for you, support is available.

In Australia, contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline (13 11 14).

To find out more about Sherele's work, go to australianfemicidewatch.org

🎧 Listen now to You’re Gonna Want To Hear This 🎧

👀 Watch You’re Gonna Want to Hear This on YouTube 📺

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Jess Denham: The Story She Was Never Allowed To Tell

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 20:00:00 +0000

What if the person who was meant to protect you was the one you needed protection from? This is a story of survival, resilience and reclaiming your voice after years of being silenced. Jess also speaks publicly for the first time about living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), sharing what it's really like to live with a condition that is so often misunderstood.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains themes of childhood abuse and coercive control. If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call 000. For confidential 24/7 crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au. Support is also available through Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or at beyondblue.org.au.

A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners!

We’re bringing you some of the best stories of survival from Marie Claire's podcast, You’re Gonna Want To Hear This.

If you love How I Survived, you’re gonna to want to hear this.

This week on You're Gonna Want To Hear This, Marie Claire Australia Editor Georgie McCourt speaks with world champion runner Jess Denham, who is telling her story publicly after years of being unable to do so.

Raised in isolation and controlled by her parents, Jess appeared to be a sporting prodigy. But behind closed doors, she was enduring unimaginable abuse. Today, both of her parents are in prison for those crimes.

In this deeply personal conversation, Jess also shares why she's fighting for stronger protections for survivors and helping change the way Australia responds to sexual violence.

This episode covers:

Growing up as a homeschooled child prodigy under total parental control
Living a hidden double life as a champion runner while surviving abuse
Isolation as a tool of abuse and why escape felt impossible
Finding the courage to report abuse to police
Living with dissociative identity disorder (DID) and dismantling the stigma around it
How trauma shapes the brain and body in survival mode
Rebuilding trust, identity and community after a lifetime of betrayal
Healing through art and creative expression
The fight against victim-blaming and sensationalized media reporting
Advocating for stronger protection of survivors' counseling records
A message of hope for survivors: "you're not your worst chapter"

Stay up to date with Marie Claire Australia on Instagram

🎧 Listen to You're Gonna Want to Hear This and follow us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

👀 Watch and subscribe to You're Gonna Want to Hear This on YouTube 📺 for full episodes and clips.

Credits:

Host Georgie McCourt

Edited by Helen Smith

Head of Vodcasting Rachel Fountain

With thanks to our amazing team at Marie Claire

You're Gonna Want to Hear This is a production of Marie Claire and Are Media.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Verco: He Paddled Towards The Shark To Save Her

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0000

When everyone else swam for shore, Charlie Verco paddled the other way: straight towards a great white shark. On a clear, busy Saturday morning at Coogee Beach in June 2026, the 25-year-old surf lifesaver and elite board paddler was training when a woman, Leah Stewart, was attacked just ahead of him. What he did next made headlines around the world.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains detailed descriptions of a shark attack and serious injury that some listeners may find distressing.

A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners!

We’re bringing you some of the best stories of survival from Marie Claire's podcast, You’re Gonna Want To Hear This.

If you love How I Survived, you’re gonna to want to hear this.

More on Charlie Verco's incredible story of courage:

Charlie grew up a North Bondi nipper and is now one of the country’s best ocean paddlers, the youngest ever winner of the Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard World Championships. In this conversation he walks Marie Claire Editor Georgie McCourt through the rescue minute by minute: reading the shark’s behaviour, the moment Leah was dragged under, towing her to shore one-armed when she lost consciousness, and the lifeguards and paramedics whose training saved her life on the sand.

It is a story about courage, but Charlie is uneasy with the word hero. He talks honestly about fear, adrenaline and imposter syndrome, how surf lifesaving and sport trained him to think under extreme stress, what a shark expert later told him, and why he is now urging two things: better shark safety on Australian beaches, and for people to donate blood.

In this conversation, Charlie Verco joins Marie Claire Editor Georgie McCourt to talk about the Coogee Beach shark attack, what it takes to act in a crisis, fear of the ocean, surf life saving, and why blood donation saves lives.

This episode covers:

The Coogee Beach great white shark attack: what Charlie Verco saw on Saturday 13 June 2026
Why he paddled towards the shark instead of swimming to safety
What it is like to come face to face with a great white shark
How surf lifesaving training and Ironman racing prepared him to act under extreme stress
Towing an unconscious woman to shore one-armed on a paddleboard
What a shark expert later told him about great white behaviour
The beach response: tourniquets, lifeguards and the teamwork that saved a life
Managing fear, adrenaline and the shakes after a traumatic rescue
Going back into the ocean: how Charlie feels about the water now
Shark safety in Australia: drones, detection and what he thinks needs to change
On being called a hero, and the imposter syndrome that comes with it
Why he is urging Australians to donate blood, especially O negative

If this conversation raises issues for you, support is available.

In Australia, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24/7 crisis support. To support the cause Charlie raises in this episode, you can donate blood through Australian Red Cross Lifeblood (O negative is especially needed in emergencies).

Donate blood (Australian Red Cross Lifeblood): https://www.lifeblood.com.au

Support Leah Stewart (family GoFundMe): https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-leah-stewart-victim-of-shark-attack-in-coogee

Follow Charlie Verco on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/char1ieverco/

🎧 Listen to You’re Gonna Want to Hear This and follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/youre-gonna-want-to-hear-this/id1849312864

Listen and follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vsxq2nZIMJLnywOXfuxqZ

👀 Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@marieclaireau

Credits:

Host: Marie Claire Editor Georgie McCourt

Supervising Producer: Leah Porges

Head of Vodcasting: Rachel Fountain

Learn More: You’re Gonna Want to Hear This is a production of Marie Claire and Are Media.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: You’re Gonna Want To Hear This — Stories of Survival

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:59:53 +0000

A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners!

We’re bringing you some of the best stories of survival from Marie Claire's podcast, You’re Gonna Want To Hear This.

If you love How I Survived, you’re gonna to want to hear this.

Stay up to date with Marie Claire Australia on Instagram

🎧 Listen to You're Gonna Want to Hear This and follow us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

👀 Watch and subscribe to You're Gonna Want to Hear This on YouTube 📺 for full episodes and clips.

You're Gonna Want to Hear This is a production of Marie Claire and Are Media.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Ordinary Day Turned Violent - This Is Chloe & Christine's Story Of Survival

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 04:55:00 +0000

You've been patiently waiting on new episodes of How I Survived, so please accept this little treat from us! On Marie Claire Australia's podcast, You're Gonna Want to Hear This, you'll hear extraordinary stories of style, substance and survival. If you like this incredible episode, just pop on over to wherever you like to listen to or watch your podcasts to binge the Marie Claire's incredible back catalogue. Find, follow, subscribe or hit the + on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube and you'll get a new episode in your feed every Thursday morning.

And now to Chloe & Christine's incredible story:

On an ordinary morning in a Sydney apartment building, Chloe and Christine - two neighbours who barely knew each other - were violently attacked by a stranger inside their own homes.Christine, a wellness therapist and yoga teacher, had just stepped into the shared laundry. Chloe, a photographer and mother of three, was working at her desk with her front door slightly open. Within minutes, both women were assaulted in separate random encounters by the same man - a dentist called Steven Lin from the Central Coast who has later shot dead by police. In this deeply confronting conversation, they share what happened, how they survived, and what recovery looks like just two weeks later. Their stories are raw, powerful, and ultimately grounded in resilience, instinct, and the unexpected strength that emerges in moments of crisis.

In this episode

Two parallel attacks unfold inside the same apartment building
The moment instinct takes over: fight, survival, and split-second decisions
What trauma feels like in the immediate aftermath
The emotional and physical road to recovery
Community support, kindness, and unexpected connection
The reality of women’s safety - even inside the home
Where the system is falling short, and what needs to change

Support and resources If this episode raises anything for you, support is available:

1800RESPECT (Australia)
Lifeline – 13 11 14
In an emergency, call 000

Support Chloe and Christine Links to support Chloe and Christine during their recovery are below:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/violence-survivor-support-chloes-recovery

https://www.gofundme.com/f/surviving-violence-please-support-christines-recovery

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trapped in the desert for THREE NIGHTS

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 17:00:55 +0000

Setting off to hike to the Lost Palms Oasis, hidden deep within the Joshua Tree National Park, 35-year-old Kiwi Claire Nelson couldn't wait to immerse herself in the Californian desert's otherworldly beauty. She had everything she needed for the four-hour hike, including plenty of water. She'd even left an extra bottle in the car for when she got back. But, in the blazing hot desert, she'd need every single drop...

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"I wrestled a CROCODILE for 25 minutes"

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:00:00 +0000

It was a steaming hot March afternoon in Weipa, a mining town on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia. At a safety course, 28-year-old mine worker Todd Bairstow couldn't wait to knock off, treat himself to an ice-cold beer and go fishing. But, finishing up and trudging down to the creek with his little puppy running alongside him, they weren't completely alone. See, crocodiles lurked in the murky waters...

*Thinking of you all, and hope you're staying safe and well in spite of everything Covid-19 is throwing at us. Lots of love from the HIS team. x

Interview/script/host: Beth Young

Producer: Jake Taylor

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crushed in an erupting volcano

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 00:40:45 +0000

*Quick note: We're working from home due to Covid-19, so this podcast is coming to you from Beth's wardrobe. Enjoy, and we hope you're all staying safe and sound. Lots of love, the HIS team xxx

Heaving his massive backpack on, 22-year-old Kiwi William Pike was itching to get up the mountain. He and his mate James Christie - who he'd met at uni while studying to be a primary school teacher - were about to conquer Mt Ruapehu, on New Zealand's north island. It was James' first taste of mountaineering and William couldn't wait to introduce his friend to the sport that he was so mad about. Over a week, the lads planned to climb the mountain's three major peaks - the highest soaring nearly 3000m above sea level. They had all the right gear, the weather forecast was good, but there was another factor that was completely beyond their control - Mount Ruapehu is an active volcano. But, checking in with the local authorities before setting off, they said there was no sign that it was about to erupt...

Interview/script/host: Beth Young

Producer: Jake Taylor

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A stranger stabbed me, then stole my baby

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:00:00 +0000

With the TV murmuring softly in the background, Desiree Page, 39, relaxed back into the reclining sofa, cuddling her 13-month-old son Cory. It was late at night, and her husband Gary, a long-haul charter bus driver, was away for work. Usually, Desiree would religiously lock every door and window before she went to bed. But, with her sleeping son in her arms, she dozed off. A sound sleeper, she didn't hear a peep as a stranger stealthily broke into her home. Suddenly, someone was tugging on Desiree's leg, shaking her awake.

Interview/scriptwriter/host: Beth Young/Producer: Jake Taylor

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UPDATE: "My husband tried to gas me to death"

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 05:02:50 +0000

When Pepita Nicholls asked her husband of 18 years, Robert Ridgeway, for a divorce, he hatched a dark plan to get revenge. Now, there's been an update in Pepita's incredible story...

Host: Beth Young/Interview: Riah Matthews/Producer: Denis Duggan

*Police interview published with permission from Queensland Police.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hang-gliding horror: "I wasn't attached!"

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 16:00:00 +0000

It was a sunny, crisp winter's day in Interlaken, Switzerland, and Florida couple Chris and Gail Gursky, married for 26 years and parents to a grown-up son, had the perfect plan to get their hearts pumping - hang-gliding over the gorgeous terrain. They loved zip-lining. Now, it was time to up the ante. And they were keen to get started - it was their first day on holidays.

The instructor strapped Chris in, then they ran off the edge of the cliff together. But as soon as Chris' feet left the ground, his body sank straight down and he knew something was terribly wrong. Horrifyingly, his harness hadn't been strapped on properly. He wasn't attached. And he was hurtling well above the trees. This is how Chris survived...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I was bashed with a baseball bat"

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 16:00:00 +0000

A devoted single mum-of-three, Simone O'Brien, then 37, was looking for love. She'd been divorced amicably from her ex, the kids' dad Trevor, for more than four years. But, working two jobs to make ends meet, and ferrying her kids between school, basketball and playdates didn't leave much time for romance. So, she decided to try online dating.

Meeting a successful 42-year-old real estate agent named Glenn Cable, they hit it off and went out on a date. Their relationship quickly grew. A perfect gentleman, Glenn showered Simone with compliments and flowers, and he was great with her kids, especially Simone's youngest, Zac. But was he too good to be true?

Soon, red flags began to appear, and Simone decided to call off the relationship. She thought she'd never see Glenn again. But she was wrong. He was about to reveal his true colours...

Interviewer/scriptwriter/host: Beth Young

Producer: Jake Taylor

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe woke up without a penis

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 16:00:00 +0000

Knocking off after a hard day of work as a labourer, 32-year-old Joe Green, from Indiana, in the United States, was looking forward to an icy cold beer.

Meeting his mum and brother for dinner and drinks, he planned to head home around 10pm. Instead, he dropped off at another bar and kept drinking. One led to another, and by 2am Joe had lost track of how much alcohol he'd consumed.

Recklessly deciding to drive home, he fell asleep behind the wheel. Waking up in hospital a fortnight later, his legs had been amputated. And his penis. This is how Joe survived.

Interviewer/scriptwriter/host: Beth Young

Producer: Jake Taylor

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're back next week....

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 16:00:00 +0000

Season 4 of How I Survived is back on the 25th of February.

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BEST OF: The 3-year-old lost in the bush for 17 hours

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 16:00:00 +0000

You're listening to the Best Of series of How I Survived...We'll be back soon with season 4.

When Leisa Bennett couldn't be there for her three-year-old granddaughter Aurora, Max the dog stepped in.

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BEST OF: Bill sliced his face off with a chainsaw

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 16:00:00 +0000

You're listening to the Best Of series of How I Survived...We'll be back soon with season 4.

Victorian grandpa Bill Singleton, 70, was working in the bush when horror struck. He'd accidentally sliced his face while cutting wood. He joins Beth to share his story...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEST OF: The surgeon stabbed in his own hospital

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 16:00:00 +0000

You're listening to the Best Of series of How I Survived...We'll be back soon with season 4.

Victorian neurosurgeon Dr Michael Wong was stabbed at the hospital where he worked 14 times by a former patient, Kareem Al-Salami.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tiffany fell down a waterfall

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 01:36:14 +0000

At the age of 21, Tiffany Johnson was having the time of her life. Travelling Europe on a Contiki tour, she was waking up in a new place almost every day and making incredible friends along the way. It was July 1999 and her tour had stopped in the beautiful tourist town of Interlaken in Switzerland. Surrounded by the Alps, Interlaken was a world away from the family farm in Australia where Tiffany had grown up. To experience the mountains as closely as she could, Tiffany decided to take part in canyoning as an extra-curricular activity. She had no idea her once-in-a-lifetime trip would end in tragedy. This is how Tiffany survived the worst day of her life...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bourke Street Massacre: My brother, the killer

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Growing up, Angelo Gargasoulas knew his brother James "Jimmy" Gargasoulas was strange. They had a difficult relationship and Jimmy could be unpredictable and violent, but Angelo never thought he'd hurt him. Then, one night, Jimmy not only attacked Angelo to within an inch of his life but he also went on to carry out one of Australia's worst attacks, known as the Bourke Street Massacre. Angelo shares his terrifying story.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Susan drank her own breastmilk to survive!

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 16:00:00 +0000

It was Mother's Day - and at Susan O'Brien's home in Wellington, New Zealand, it was hectic. Instead of waking up to breakfast in bed, she was getting ready to compete in a 20-kilometre fun run at the Remutaka Forest Park. Her husband, Daniel, and their two kids, Meisha, nine months, and Jayden, two were coming to cheer her on.

It was a mad rush to get out of the house - Jayden needed his breakfast, Meisha was still breastfeeding and in a last-minute dash, Daniel searched the house high and low for strapping to protect his wife's feet from blisters. Despite the mayhem, Susan made it in time for the safety briefing. It was a challenging trail and the organiser had an important safety tip. If you get lost or hurt yourself, stay put.

As the starting gun sounded at 9am, Susan was off like a bullet. Still, she searched the crowd for her family. Susan had hugged her loved ones goodbye before setting off. But she'd see them soon. The plan was to smash out the 20-kilometre run in just two hours.

At first, Susan stayed with the 100-strong pack of runners, then they began to fade into the distance.

The trail soon became steep, the ground muddy. Slowing to a jog, Susan navigated her way around branches and jagged rocks, all the while keeping an eye out for the blue flags that were there to guide the runners. Suddenly, Susan realised she was all alone. Surely she couldn't be that far ahead.

She didn't have her phone on her, but Susan's GPS watch told her it'd already been more than two hours. Daniel, Meisha and Jayden would be waiting anxiously at the finish line. Panic quickly turned to fear and Susan began to realise she'd taken a very wrong turn. She was hopelessly lost. This is how Susan survived.

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Introducing: Investigates, a podcast you might love

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 19:00:00 +0000

Friends, we have a new podcast that you might love.

It's called Investigates and if you love mystery shows, you will love this.

Investigates lifts the veil on some of the world's most horrific crimes and baffling mysteries. From Australia's most haunted house to the 37-year-old missing person's case that started a national movement, it's the new podcast that explores some of the most fascinating stories the world has ever seen.

You can subscribe by searching for Investigates in your podcast app or following this link: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/investigates/id1344649849

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"I was swallowed by a hippo"

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 03:24:25 +0000

Each stroke of 27-year-old safari guide Paul Templer's paddle took his canoe closer to the stunning mist-shrouded Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Along with two local guides, Ben and Evans, and a safety kayaker, Mac, they were paddling six clients - a German couple, Joe and Gundy, and four Air France crew - down the Zambezi River into the sunset with a tray of snacks and an eskie full of drinks.

The Zambezi River teemed with wildlife, and a hippo - a fully-grown territorial male bull - was causing havoc along this particular stretch of water. Approaching a group of hippos sunning themselves in the shallows, Paul wanted to steer clear of the Range Rover-sized male. Especially since among the pod of hippos ahead was a female and her calf. So, he decided to cut around the mammoth creatures, through a narrow set of channels. That's when disaster struck. And this is how Paul survived...

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Kelly went for a run when she felt a chill

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 02:35:53 +0000

Training for her first marathon 38-year-old Kelly Herron, would often find herself pounding the pavement after work. She lived in the Pacific Northwest in the US, which often meant that Kelly would be running in the dark, by herself. Sometimes she'd feel a flicker of fear.

So when Kelly's work offered a free self-defence class for all employees on Valentine's Day 2017, she jumped at the chance. Peppering the instructor with questions, Kelly asked, as a runner, what she should do if she felt like she was being followed. The answer was simple: 'Run!' Terrifyingly, she was right.

Three weeks later, on a freezing, wet afternoon, Kelly bundled up, popped on her headphones and set off for a 16km run along the beach. About halfway through her run, Kelly spotted a public bathroom and decided to quickly duck into the ladies. It was in that moment that her life changed forever. This is how Kelly Herron survived.

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Lost at sea – saved by a bucket!

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 17:00:00 +0000

With his young son in his arms, Maike faced a fight for their lives.

Interviewed and hosted by Beth Young/sound design by Denis Duggan.

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Shot as we shopped

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 17:00:00 +0000

Andrew and Kathy McLaren were at the mall when a terror attack unfolded

Interviewed by Riah Matthews/hosted by Beth Young/sound design by Denis Duggan

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A bear ripped off my face!

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 17:00:00 +0000

Allena Hansen was working on her property with her faithful dogs when disaster struck.

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A freak wind tore off my hand!

Thu, 09 May 2019 06:13:11 +0000

Harriet Davis, 12, was enjoying a nice day out on the river when her life changed forever.

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Stabbed 14 times in the hospital!

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 00:20:52 +0000

Dr Michael Wong was at work when his shift turned to terror.

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My husband tried to gas me to death

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 02:31:19 +0000

When Pepita Nicholls asked her husband of 18 years, Robert Ridgeway, for a divorce, he hatched a dark plan to get revenge.

Interviewed by Riah Matthews/ host Beth Young/ producer Denis Duggan

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I sliced off my face with a chainsaw!

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 06:02:27 +0000

Victorian grandpa Bill Singleton was working in the bush when horror struck.

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Lost in the bush for 17 hours - saved by her dog!

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 03:50:29 +0000

When Leisa Bennett couldn't be there for her three-year-old granddaughter Aurora, Max the dog stepped in.

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Season 2 out now!

Thu, 07 Feb 2019 04:08:47 +0000

Each fortnight, How I Survived brings you the shocking and unbelievable true story of a person who has survived against the odds, told in their own words. Hosted by Beth Young, these stories are terrifying, inspiring and ultimately prove the power of the human will to live.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KIDNAPPED - How I escaped my hostage hell

Mon, 04 Feb 2019 00:52:12 +0000

'I wasn't just gonna take a bullet to the back of the head.'

When Nigel Brennan and his colleague Amanda Lindhout were kidnapped by Somalian rebels, it was the beginning of a living nightmare.

Interviewed by Riah Matthews/ host Beth Young/ producer Denis Duggan

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CLIFF HORROR: 'She's gone over the edge!'

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 05:29:06 +0000

For Shannon Bennett and her 13-year-old daughter Trinity a day out ended in disaster.

Interviewer and host: Beth Young/Producer: Denis Duggan

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Hostage terror - I was used as a human shield

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 07:43:53 +0000

On an everyday Monday morning, Louisa Hope found herself at the centre of a deadly terrorist attack.

Interviewed by Riah Matthews/ host Beth Young/ producer Denis Duggan

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"I was scalped at 13 weeks pregnant"

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 06:56:18 +0000

Michelle Dowsett, 42, worked as a school teacher but lived on a farm with her husband, Bob, and two young kids, Josh, 2, and Liv, 18 months, so it wasn't unusual for her to lend a helping hand when it came to yard work.

Bob and her uncle, Craig, were having some trouble with one of the farm machines, so Michelle lent a hand. Eventually they fixed the problem and were just about done, which is when disaster struck.

'I felt a tug on my hair,' Michelle told that's life!

'My ponytail had snagged on a spinning bolt connected to the motor, and the top of my head had been clean pulled off.'

Michelle shares her incredible story of survival on this episode...

Credits

Interviewer and host: Beth Young

Producer: Denis Duggan

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Abducted, drugged and left for dead.

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 07:48:02 +0000

Rachele Godsall was kidnapped and had her throat slashed by the man she'd loved for nine years. 'He just looked at me and he didn't say anything, and he just cut my throat.' Now, she tells her shocking story in her own words on our podcast 'How I Survived'.

If you need help, please call 1800 RESPECT or visit https://www.1800respect.org.au/

Credits

Interviewer and host: Beth Young

Producer: Denis Duggan

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"I survived Ted Bundy - the world's worst serial killer"

Tue, 03 Jul 2018 01:41:58 +0000

For 37 years, Rhonda Stapley hid a terrifying secret...At age 21, Rhonda was offered a ride by Bundy in his signature tan Volkswagon, where he later assaulted her. Bundy attempted to choke Rhonda to death and raped her. Amazingly, she escaped his clutches by plunging into a fast-moving river, which carried her to safety. She joins Beth to share her incredible story...

Credits

Host: Beth Young

Interviewer: Stacey Hicks

Producer: Denis Duggan

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"I was shot in the face by a stranger"

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 06:44:57 +0000

After a quiet night in at home in Newcastle, James Myers went to bed - he had no idea, but his worst nightmare was about to begin. Two hours later, a masked intruder burst into his bedroom wielding a gun and started shooting. James was shot in the face five times, but somehow he survived. James still has one bullet under his tongue and another in his skull, just above his brain and he joins Beth Young to share his incredible story...

Credits

Interviewer and host: Beth Young/Producer: Denis Duggan

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Introducing the How I Survived podcast

Thu, 03 May 2018 04:15:39 +0000

Each week, How I Survived brings you the shocking and unbelievable true-story of a person who's survived against the odds, told in their own words.

Hosted by Beth Young, these stories are terrifying, inspiring and ultimately prove the power of the human will to live.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.