In March 1980, after 120 years of dormancy, the volcano Mount St. Helens in Washington State begins showing signs of life. Scientists warn that a major eruption is coming, but they’re unable to completely block off access to the mountain. Some locals, like lodge owner Harry Truman, refuse to leave. And on May 18, when the volcano finally explodes, 150 people are caught in the deadly path of destruction. Pre-order your copy of the new Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odds: T...
May 06, 2025•44 min•Season 53Ep. 1
It's March 10, 1979—24 days since their sailboat sank and 15 days since Elmo and Randy arrived at a remote cabin, trapped, powerless to save Cindy and Jena, and consumed by guilt and grief. Once they regain their strength and the snow begins to melt, they discover an old skiff on the beach. At last, Elmo and Randy set out to find the girls, and their way to safety. Pre-order your copy of the new Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odds: Tales & Tips for Animal Attacks and...
Apr 29, 2025•39 min•Season 52Ep. 4
Lamont Jones leaves Dauphin County Prison for the last time, a free man ready to move on with his life. But when his young cousin dies in that same jail, he learns that this is not the only mysterious death that has plagued Dauphin County Prison. The search for the truth will put him at odds with a reality TV show coroner who claims to speak for the dead and people in power who all have something to hide. Listen to Death County, PA: Wondery.fm/DCPA_FD See Privacy Policy at https://art19.co...
Apr 28, 2025•6 min
Elmo and his son Randy leave the girls behind, paddling ahead in their Sport-Yak to find help—but trouble continues to follow. Though they eventually reach the cabin, the CB radio doesn’t work, and as their frostbitten feet thaw, they can barely stand. Helpless, they spend days struggling to recover while miles away, Cindy and Jena remain alone on the freezing beach, without food or fire. Pre-order your copy of the new Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odds: Tales & Tip...
Apr 22, 2025•44 min•Season 52Ep. 3
After a powerful storm destroys their sailboat and leaves them stranded on a remote Alaskan island, Elmo Wortman and his children build a raft, determined to reach a friend’s cabin 25 miles north. Elmo expects southeastern winds to carry them there in a day or two, but the journey is far harsher than he imagined. After several grueling days inching northward, he makes a difficult decision to spare his daughters Cindy and Jena from further suffering. Pre-order your copy of the new Against the Odd...
Apr 15, 2025•41 min•Season 52Ep. 2
A Wondery original podcast so compelling it was reimagined for TV starring Michelle Williams, Jenny Slate, Sissy Spacek, and more… When Molly's diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, she decides to do something bold: she leaves her unhappy marriage and embarks on a series of sexual adventures to help her feel alive. She shares the funniest and most touching details with her closest friend, host Nikki Boyer. As they peel back the layers, we learn that Molly isn’t just grappling with breast cancer...
Apr 14, 2025•6 min
It’s February 13, 1979. Elmo Wortman and his three children are sailing home to Alaska across the frigid North Pacific after a routine orthodontist visit in Canada. But this time, they get caught in a freak storm—80-mile-per-hour winds and towering 20-foot swells rip their homemade sailboat apart, leaving them stranded on a remote island in the dead of winter. Pre-order your copy of the new Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odds: Tales & Tips for Animal Attacks an...
Apr 08, 2025•47 min•Season 52Ep. 1
In April of 1982, Jean Muenchrath and her boyfriend had nearly completed a 230-mile cross-country ski trip through California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. On the final day of their journey, they planned to hike the highest peak in the lower 48 states: Mount Whitney. But on the summit, the pair was engulfed in a blizzard and lightning storm. On this special episode of Against the Odds, Jean Muenchrath narrates the story of the fall that nearly claimed her life and her epic battle for survival. To l...
Apr 01, 2025•47 min•Season 51Ep. 1
Kat Torres has the insta-perfect life. She is rich, gorgeous and not ashamed to share it. Her posts about witchcraft and “alien baths” drew in over a million followers, all chasing the dream of a lifestyle like hers. But as she gathers more followers around her, the secrets beneath her fame grow darker and more dangerous. One woman sets out to bring back her best friend who has fallen under the spell of this modern-day guru. And what begins as a search for a missing frie...
Mar 31, 2025•6 min
When the Americans finally act out and decide to fight for their lives, they’re left alone in an inhospitable mountain rage full of rebel militants and a trigger happy army. Far more than just a rescue mission, the climbers have to cross miles of treacherous terrain in the black of night with hopes that they won’t be mistaken for an insurgent militia by the Kyrgyz army. And if they do make it back to civilization, will they be able to make it all the way back home to the US. And if they do will ...
Mar 25, 2025•44 min•Season 50Ep. 4
Days without food or water start to weaken the young climbers as their captors push them further into the mountains and further from civilization. But their captors are starting to lose steam too. On a cold dark evening the Americans are left alone with only one of their kidnappers and it dawns on them: there won’t be many more moments where they might be able to overtake their heavily armed captor. But will they have the courage to act? Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, cura...
Mar 18, 2025•42 min•Season 50Ep. 3
After being kidnapped by rebel militants in a remote region of Kyrgyzstan, four American rock climbers are forced at gunpoint toward the Uzbekistan border. But their captors are being trailed by the Kygyz army. Soon, the unwitting climbers find themselves in the middle of a firefight of epic proportions and they have to hide to stay alive. As night falls, the climbers are forced on the move again and they begin to realize if they want to survive they must escape on their own. Be the first to kno...
Mar 11, 2025•45 min•Season 50Ep. 2
In August of the year 2000, four American rock climbers set out to explore the majesty of the Pamir Alai Mountain range in Kyrgyzstan. But only a week into their expedition, they’re taken captive by rebel militants. The group is forced to hike through brutal terrain under the cover of night to avoid detection by the Kyrgyz army. With little to no food or water provided by their captors, the young climbing team had to struggle through severe dehydration and hunger. Finally, they realized they wou...
Mar 04, 2025•45 min•Season 50Ep. 1
On May 22, 2018, Claire Nelson set out on what she thought would be a four-hour hike in Southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park. An experienced hiker, Claire packed plenty of water and followed an established trail in a park visited by millions of people each year. But after taking a wrong turn, she slipped off a boulder and shattered her pelvis. Injured and exposed to the elements, she found herself alone in the desert in a fight for her life. On this special episode, Claire Nelson join...
Feb 25, 2025•45 min•Season 49Ep. 1
In honor of the 100-year anniversary of the Nome Serum Run, Maine musher Jonathan Nathaniel Hayes is recreating the run. And he’s doing it with a team descended directly from Leonhard Seppala’s original dogs. Today, Hayes joins host Mike Corey to talk about the inspiration and preparations to travel hundreds of frozen miles across Alaska. Hayes is the author of The True Tails of Togo the Sled Dog! Dive deeper into thrilling stories of survival with curated book recommendations from the Ama...
Feb 18, 2025•36 min•Season 48Ep. 4
With a blizzard gaining force, the Mayor of Nome decides the safest choice is to halt the relay, rather than risk losing lives and the serum itself. But the storm makes it hard to spread the news of the Mayor’s order. Musher Gunnar Kaasen and his unlikely lead dog Balto decide to push ahead, battling whiteout conditions and 80-mile-an-hour gusts in their quest to make it to Nome. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https:/...
Feb 11, 2025•42 min•Season 48Ep. 3
The diphtheria outbreak in Nome is spreading fast as a relay of dogsled teams races across Alaska, carrying the only available medicine. Leonard Seppala knows that if he and his lead dog Togo take a shortcut across the frozen Norton Sound, they can shave off precious time and make it to Nome faster. But Seppala also knows he risks getting blown out to sea or falling through a crack in the ice, losing his team and the precious medicine he’s carrying. Be the first to know about Wondery...
Feb 04, 2025•43 min•Season 48Ep. 2
It’s the winter of 1925 and in the remote town of Nome, Alaska, children are dying from a diphtheria outbreak that’s spreading fast. But in the dead of winter, the town is nearly impossible to reach and its supply of medicine is dwindling. The only option is to send the medicine by dogsled, in a relay led by one of Alaska’s best mushers, Leonhard Seppala. The teams will have to cross nearly 700 snow-covered miles at breakneck speed, but an epic blizzard is on its way. Be the first to know ...
Jan 28, 2025•44 min•Season 48Ep. 1
In 1984, Carol Shaben was just 22-years-old when her father, politician Larry Shaben, narrowly survived the Wapiti 402 crash. Nearly 30 years later, she chronicled the crash and the unlikely friendships it forged in her book, Into the Abyss . Today, Carol joins host Cassie De Pecol to discuss how the experience shaped the lives of the four survivors, especially her father. Follow Against the Odds wherever you get your podcasts, and dive deeper into thrilling stories of resilience and survival wi...
Jan 21, 2025•35 min•Season 47Ep. 4
As the freezing night drags on, the four survivors of a plane crash in the remote Canadian wilderness are running out of things to burn. As hypothermia sets in and their injuries worsen, their spirits begin to falter. Meanwhile, rescuers battle brutal weather conditions in a desperate race to find them before it’s too late. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jan 14, 2025•38 min•Season 47Ep. 3
The survivors of a plane crash in the remote Canadian wilderness free themselves from the wreckage and must rely on the only uninjured passenger among them—a prisoner who was being escorted to face charges—to survive the frigid conditions. Meanwhile, rescue teams scramble to locate the downed plane, but their search is hampered by the dense cloud cover. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewslett...
Jan 07, 2025•44 min•Season 47Ep. 2
On an icy October night in 1984, a young, overworked pilot took off from Edmonton, Alberta, in a small commuter plane with nine passengers aboard, including a politician, a cop and his prisoner. Battling thick cloud cover and the accumulation of ice on the aircraft, the pilot misjudged his descent. Moments later, the plane collided with a hillside in the remote Canadian wilderness. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://won...
Dec 31, 2024•35 min•Season 47Ep. 1
In his Netflix sports docuseries Losers, director Mickey Duzyj explores how people respond to failure in a culture where “winning is everything” – and how failure can sometimes lead to greater success. It’s not surprising then that Duzyj tackles Mauro Prosperi’s survival story, and the ripple effects his journey had on Mauro and his loved ones. Today, Duzyj joins host Mike Corey to discuss the series, and his journey with Mauro back to the Sahara to find the marabout that was crucial to Mauro’s ...
Dec 24, 2024•35 min•Season 46Ep. 4
Mauro Prosperi has lost count of how many days he’s been lost. In despair, he attempts to take his own life. But when he wakes up still alive, he decides he has to keep going – even if that means climbing over a mountain range — and praying that on the other side, he’ll finally find help. In this episode, we discuss suicide and depression. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached at 988. The National Alliance on ...
Dec 17, 2024•43 min•Season 46Ep. 3
Mauro Prosperi wakes up alone and lost in the middle of the Sahara Desert. He’s forced to drink his own urine, and tries and fails to attract the attention of a rescue plane by burning his belongings. Finally, he takes shelter in an abandoned Islamic burial shrine, where he eats bats and drinks their blood. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery Ap...
Dec 10, 2024•41 min•Season 46Ep. 2
It’s April 14, 1994, and an Italian policeman and ultramarathoner named Mauro Prosperi is running the world’s most challenging footrace: the Marathon des Sables, across the Sahara Desert in Morocco. But when a sandstorm kicks up, Mauro finds himself hopelessly lost. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience ...
Dec 03, 2024•44 min•Season 46Ep. 1
On December 9, 2019, Pastor Geoff Hopkins and his 22-year-old daughter, Lillani, visited Whakaari/White Island to celebrate Geoff’s 50th birthday—a long-held dream. But as their boat began its return to the mainland, the volcano suddenly erupted, leaving 47 people on the island to endure its blast. Geoff and Lillani quickly found themselves swept up in a rescue operation. Now, they join host Cassie De Pecol to share the unforgettable story of that day. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest...
Nov 26, 2024•33 min•Season 45Ep. 4
Aboard the Phoenix, the boat carrying many of the survivors back to the mainland, passengers tend to the wounded, who are suffering now from shock in the wake of their terrible burns. Back on White Island, Mark Law and his colleagues come face to face with the awful impact of the eruption. With limited space on their helicopters, they're confronted with a dilemma -- who to evacuate, and who to leave behind. Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experien...
Nov 19, 2024•46 min•Season 45Ep. 3
As a wave of burning steam, ash and debris rolls down toward the shore, 47 tourists and guides sprint for cover, but there is no avoiding the blast. Meanwhile, a boat full of tourists that just left White Island returns to help. And back on the mainland, a local helicopter pilot named Mark Law sees the eruption and makes a fateful decision to fly out to look for survivors. Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be...
Nov 12, 2024•38 min•Season 45Ep. 2
On December 9, 2019, 47 tourists and guides set off to visit New Zealand’s most active volcano — Whakaari / White Island — located 30 miles off the country’s north coast. Visitors are amazed as they hike up to the edge of the blue lake at its center, and peer down into the steaming mouth of the crater. But on their way back down, awe turns to horror when the volcano suddenly erupts and blasts a wave of super-heated ash and steam right at them. Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or whe...
Nov 05, 2024•39 min•Season 45Ep. 1
