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What I survived: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Jack Laurence
What I Survived is a true survival podcast featuring extraordinary first-hand stories from people who survived kidnapping, hostage situations, disasters, accidents and other extreme life-or-death ordeals. Each story takes you back to who these people were before everything changed, then inside the moment their lives were pushed to the edge — shipwrecked at sea for weeks, held captive by terrorists, falling 15,000 feet from a plane after a parachute failure, and other extraordinary fights for survival. Through intimate first-hand accounts, we follow the ordeal as it happened, the decisions made under unimaginable pressure, and the resilience and will it took to survive. Then we explore what came after — the physical and psychological recovery, the impact of trauma, and the process of rebuilding a life forever altered. What I Survived is hosted by Australian podcaster Jack Laurence, creator of the award-winning podcasts One Minute Remaining, Wanted and more.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 5 days agonarrative34 min6-min read
Benedict Allen: Becoming a Crocodile Man P3
Benedict Allen, a seasoned explorer, reflects on his near-death experiences and psychological motivations for repeatedly risking his life in extreme environments, culminating in a profound journey of self-understanding through ritual, survival, and connection with indigenous cultures. His story is not just about physical endurance but about confronting inner demons forged in isolation and trauma.
- 1 weeks agonarrative29 min5-min read
Benedict Allen: He Ate His Dog to Survive P2
This episode of What I Survived recounts explorer Benedict Allen’s harrowing first expedition in the Amazon, where after losing all supplies and his dog, he faced starvation, cerebral malaria, and the agonizing decision to kill his dog for survival. The story is a visceral exploration of human fragility, moral collapse under duress, and the mind’s power to sustain life through imagination.
- 2 weeks ago31 min
Benedict Allen: Lost and Dying in the Amazon | Lost in the Amazon P1
At just 22 years old, British explorer Benedict Allen set out to travel 600 miles through the remote northeast Amazon. It was supposed to be an expedition. Instead, it became a fight for survival.Gold miners hunted him. His canoe capsized, swallowing his supplies. Malaria burned through his body — two types of it, including one that could kill him in 24 hours. Starving, feverish and alone, Benedict made a choice that would haunt him for decades.He eventually walked out of the jungle. But something inside him forced him to confront his near-death experience and a question he needed to answer: why had he lived?So he went back. Not to the Amazon, not yet, but to Papua New Guinea. There, he immersed himself in a culture that still held ancient rituals of manhood and underwent a secret ceremony alongside young tribal initiates — to be cut, scarred and beaten, and to try to understand what it meant to survive, to be tested and to be transformed.This is the story of a young man running towards the very thing that nearly killed him. Of unfinished business in the jungle. Of the price of seeking answers that only survival can provide.And of a man who has nearly died nine times.This is Part 1 of Benedict Allen's story on What I Survived. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks agonarrative40 min6-min read
Undercover in The Real Soprannos P4
This episode of What I Survived tells the harrowing true story of Giovanni Rocco, an undercover FBI agent who infiltrated the highest levels of the American mafia, becoming so trusted he was tasked with carrying out a murder—only to have his entire life dismantled the moment his cover was blown. His journey reveals the psychological toll of living a double life and the irreversible trauma of leaving it behind.
- Sep 1, 2026narrative33 min5-min read
Undercover in The Real Soprannos P3
This episode of What I Survived tells the harrowing true story of Giovanni Rocco, an FBI undercover agent who infiltrated the DeCavalcante crime family — the real-life inspiration for The Sopranos — becoming so deeply embedded that he risked not only his life but the safety of his family. His operation marked the first major mafia infiltration in over a decade, matching the legendary access of Donnie Brasco.
- Aug 25, 2026narrative31 min5-min read
Undercover in The Real Soprannos P2
This episode of What I Survived explores the life of Giovanni Rocco, a former undercover DEA agent whose addiction to danger — not drugs — drove him into the heart of the criminal underworld. His story reveals how the adrenaline of high-stakes operations rewired his brain, turning near-death experiences into a compulsive need.
- Aug 25, 2026narrative30 min5-min read
Undercover in The Real Soprannos P1
This episode of What I Survived follows the harrowing journey of Giovanni Rocco, an undercover FBI operative who infiltrated a New Jersey crime family, only to face profound psychological fallout and institutional abandonment after his mission ended. His story reveals the hidden cost of deep-cover work: not just danger, but identity erosion and systemic neglect.
- Aug 13, 2026narrative2 min4-min read
Season 3
This podcast episode explores the harrowing personal stories of individuals who have faced life-threatening situations tied to organized crime, espionage, and survival against extreme odds. Through intimate recollections and tense narration, it reveals how ordinary decisions can spiral into life-or-death crises when entangled with hidden criminal or geopolitical forces.
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About What I survived
What I Survived is a true survival podcast featuring extraordinary first-hand stories from people who survived kidnapping, hostage situations, disasters, accidents and other extreme life-or-death ordeals. Each story takes you back to who these people were before everything changed, then inside the moment their lives were pushed to the edge — shipwrecked at sea for weeks, held captive by terrorists, falling 15,000 feet from a plane after a parachute failure, and other extraordinary fights for survival. Through intimate first-hand accounts, we follow the ordeal as it happened, the decisions made under unimaginable pressure, and the resilience and will it took to survive. Then we explore what came after — the physical and psychological recovery, the impact of trauma, and the process of rebuilding a life forever altered. What I Survived is hosted by Australian podcaster Jack Laurence, creator of the award-winning podcasts One Minute Remaining, Wanted and more.
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What I survived covers topics including PTSD, Torture and imprisonment, Trauma and survival, Undercover operations. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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