ADVERTISEMENT

We all love a good “based on a true story” film or a documentary with so many twists and turns our brains can’t comprehend that they actually happened. Truth is stranger than fiction, anyway. And while not everyone has the platform or the budget to share their wild stories with the world, many people still have these unbelievable tales, just sitting inside their brains waiting to be shared.

Thankfully for us, one Reddit user recently started a conversation by asking others to detail the craziest things that have ever happened to them, and people certainly delivered in the responses. We’ve compiled a list of the most shocking and intriguing stories down below, so you too can read them and marvel at these crazy tales and unbelievable coincidences.

Be sure to upvote the anecdotes you find most entertaining or surprising, and feel free to share your own “craziest thing that ever happened to you” story down below. Then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring strange and inexplicable occurrences, we think you’ll enjoy this list right here.

#1

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them I was abducted when I was 15. My “best friend” helped the pimps (who she was working for) help sell me.
I had a pimp, named Goldie, beat the s**t out of me the first night and then made me go out on the streets. He followed me every time I was picked up to make sure I didn’t run away. I finally found a opportunity, and ran away with a couple of bucks in my pocket. Another pimp helped me escape. When I finally made it home, my parents were so happy. The rest of the world, not so much.
Kids at school found out and I was labeled a wh*re forever. This was 30 years ago, and I just had a girl I went to HS with message me on Facebook to tell me that I have to always remember I’m nothing but a cheap hooker. This was after she saw my name in a mutual friends post. I informed her I work with social workers and police officers who try and help victims of trafficking. That the shame spiral for these poor girls leads to all rate mortality at an alarming speed. That my partner and best friends know what happened to me.
I used to let it shape me. I used to think I was just an ex hooker so no one would ever love me or want me. That I wasn’t supposed to be happy or ever have a good job. Or that I would lose it all if anyone ever found out.
I’m only in my 40s now but I’m wise enough to have figured out all of my fears were just from PTSD. I do deserve happiness and a good life. I’m not an ex hooker- I was a kid and a victim.
Kids - if anyone tells you that you aren’t s**t, please remember you are AWESOME. And if your situation is s**t, I promise you. It can get better. Hugs from an Oregon mamma.


Edit : thanks so much everyone! Holy smokes I woke up to so much support and so many great messages and comments. You guys made my whole week.

JungFuPDX , RODNAE Productions Report

Add photo comments
POST
charlotte-e-collett avatar
Bean
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a harrowing story, but I’m glad it has a happier ending

natasha_wentink avatar
Tash Wen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, just wow. What a thing to go through. And what the hell kind of person feels the need to attack another without context, 30 years later? People suck, but you are a hero.

micah_2 avatar
Micah
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone who's very unhappy with their own life. That's not an excuse, it's just the only reason I can imagine outside of having a personality disorder. I honestly can't fathom the thought process that would lead you to attack someone who was a victim, 30 years after their experience.

Load More Replies...
brittenelson_1 avatar
B.Nelson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You were NOT a "hooker", you were an assault victim. Full Stop.

amandalawshe avatar
Florida, but without the beach
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s so hard to see people are still so awful even after becoming “mature adults” with life experience. Good for op overcoming her past, seeing her self worth and helping other girls overcome their pasts as well. And the girl from high school, I really hope she gets her karma

dcteubel avatar
Iampenny
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, I can't even begin to imagine what she went through. I am so glad she survived and is doing great and is helping others. She is a hero and shouldn't let anyone tell her any different.

sergiobicerra avatar
Sergio Bicerra
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How sad has someone to be to send that message 30 years later? Good on op not to lash out, but I guess she's way better than me.

catrinwatts avatar
Mam cymraeg
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a 42 yr old mother of 3 girls I feel so lucky to know there are amazing women out there who not only got them selves through such an ordeal but who help others through it thank you

nitka711 avatar
Nitka Tsar
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who the heck calls a kid who was forced into prostitution a w***e? You know what? I'd rather be friends with real prostitutes, then with people like that! What horrible persons!

suzn34 avatar
Susan Bosse
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What a miserable and HORRID person the girl from school must be. I'm so happy you turned your awful experience into something positive and are choosing to help give others a fighting chance in life! We need more people like you.

peekk3rri13 avatar
Peeka_Mimi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That girl who messaged you, peaked in HS. Block and move on.

peekk3rri13 avatar
Peeka_Mimi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was almost trafficked and a "friend" set me up. Fortunately I have a black belt in Kempo, I got away and ran like hell. Unfortunately I grew up in the Barrio and didn't even think of calling the cops, I was only 15 but 34 years later, I carry a lot of guilt from not calling and hopefully stopping them.

checkyourfacts00 avatar
Chickie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Know that not all people are like the one who felt the need to "remind" you of something that you are NOT! I, for one, am happy that you survived and that you are making a positive difference in others lives!

katmin avatar
Kat Min
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Imagine you are forced into sexual slavery, actually manage to escape this nightmare only to be lables a wh*re. Ad thirty years later, someone randomly shames you AGAIN! Heartbreaking. Why is the world so horrible??

ehilton64 avatar
EJGCORGI
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This happened to one of my daughters. Thanks be to God, we got her back, mostly due to her own courage. She is my hero, as is any person who survives this. I've met so many amazing people as my daughter has healed and moved on with her life. Thank you for being a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves and rock for those who may be adrift for a time.

kathalterman avatar
Hey Kat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This reminds me of a current story in my hometown. 15yr old girl was a victim of human trafficking, sexual slavery and physical abuse - to escape she ended up killing the man responsible (I'm not condoning murder mind you). She was just sentenced Wednesday to like 10 yrs probation, a lot of community service, having to live in a women's rehab/counseling type home but no prison (she's now only 17). The kicker is she has to pay the dudes family $150,000 "victim compensation". They've set up a GoFundMe and have raised over half a million for her.

avgeyr_1 avatar
Yayheterogeneity
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How anyone can blame a survivor for surviving an ordeal is beyond me. How can people be so dumb and cruel?! OP you rock and are someone to be admired!

kirpatty avatar
Barong
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You sound like a great person. To go through that and realize that you are and can be something other than what others say you are or what you were made to do. The illicit sex trade, human trafficking, and those that support it, is about as bad as it gets. The willingness to dehumanize and harm others for their own benefit is similar to those that perpetuated and enabled some of the worst and shameful examples of human caused tragedies in history. The lack of value and empathy given for other humans is appalling. Your former high school classmates seem like real pieces of work too. Same lake of empathy. F them. Sounds like you at least have your stuff together, unlike those other asshats. I felt and still feel sorry for what you went through, but after finishing your post, I’m glad to see you are ok. What I do feel sorry for is all those that continue to share the planet with stupid gaping dk holes like you described.

hulkfreeze avatar
Your Neighborhood Alien
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

About how the other pimp helped OP escape: "Ok that’s the craziest part. Bless his heart. He saw me when I ran into a Dunkin’ Donuts in Oakland to hide. He asked me what I was doing and I told him. I was naive. He told me he would take me to the bus station. He said I was too young to be out here like that and I was going to get killed. Considering I almost was killed in B.C. by a jon, he wasn’t lying. I had another girl I was friends with end up found face down in a lake. I was really scared. Something in that mans heart took pity on me? I always thought he was an angel. His name was Ivory Snow, he was black as black and I never asked him how he got the name. He took me to a bus stop (after he got me a decent meal) where I caught a bus to LA where my aunt lived. I still thank that man in me heart all the time. I hope he got out of the game and did good with his life. Obviously there was a good heart in there somewhere, or my Angels were looking out for me that day."

lunacrow avatar
Luna Crow
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mad respect to you for not only being a survivor, but also moving into a field where you're positioned to help others victims!

sapphire_starlight avatar
StarlightPanda!
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The people that treated her like c**p afterwards, they are horrible people. Absolutely horrible. God forbid anything ever happens to them.

lauralee_3 avatar
laura lee
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How sad and pathetic must that person's life be that they felt they need to hurl unearned insults to someone THIRTY YEARS after their trauma, in order to make themselves feel better

ninnie823 avatar
S. Stap
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Man f**k that biotcch from HS and I think it's amazing that you are using your history to lift up others and help those who have been victimized as you were. Keep changing the world!

leannemariedantoni avatar
Agnes Jekyll
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The OP was never a "whore," ever. She was a victim of kidnapping, forced confinement and sexual violence. This is also how the system works--the girl, the victim, is shamed by her community for coming forward and for escaping. the OP is a hero. I can only think of all the other girls and women who could not escape.

patriciafitch avatar
Patricia Fitch
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You are loved, you are beautiful! Thank you so much for caring for victims! You are the beauty in this dark world. This shows me I can get through anything if you survived that, with that mindset! God made you too save a lot of people ❤️

pascale_pierloot avatar
Pascale Pierloot
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can be damn proud of what you have accomplished and how you have managed to turn a bad/ traumatiic experience into something positive. Don't let others define who you are...there will always be dangerous individuals in this world...and also ignorant and unhappy people that think blaming and shaming someone online is the answer. Well it's not and take it from me...her life is far more miserable than yours has beenlll You owe her nothing, no explanation and no answer. Or better still, next time tell her how sorry you feel for her ♥️.

nitka711 avatar
Nitka Tsar
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

By the way: there is a German movie about this topic, if anyone is interested. It's from 1994 and is called "Natalie - Endstation Babystrich". The word "Strich" means something like "the road where prostitutes are". More or less. It has something to do with a law in past history where it said that those women can only be at a specific place behind a "line" (Strich = line). And therefore the word Babystrich means "the place where children ...." you know. I don't remember clearly, but I think there are no explicit scenes and the movie is thought provoking.

jonsharp avatar
Jon Sharp
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thats horrible what happened to you. You deserve the best in life just like we all do.. Except for sad people who try to pass hurtfull judgement. They deserve what they dishourt.

maryhammett avatar
Mary Hammett
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can live with the kids giving you h-e-double hockey sticks in school because . . . Kids can be horrible, but to malign you after THIRTY years breaks my heart --for her, not you because you are FANTASTIC and have overcome and have great support, but that idiot may be just hopelessly angry, unhappy and sad.

hulkfreeze avatar
Your Neighborhood Alien
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also, when asked if OP got justice: "Only in the life well lived sense. I was an honors student and band nerd before all of this happened. I was a hot mess for years afterwards. Now my goal is to get real justice and lobby for victims rights."

creaturecargeaux avatar
Creature Cargeaux
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The fact that she went thru all of that & has used her trauma to help others is inspiring. She's nothing but a badass lady who loved thru something horrible & instead of letting the bad parts of it define her... she had taken that pain & molded it into a tool for other victims/survivors That's strength. That's badass. She's a badass. (Sorry you went thru that & jealous, immature, self hating ppl try to use u to lift themselves up. Ppl are evil. You are not)

michellethecollegestudent avatar
Michelle C
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Her story did shape her in some ways, but in good ways. I cannot imagine being like her bullies who decided that her victimization defined her and her trauma was her fault!! I pity them in fact and pray that they will reconsider how they treat other people.

iwilltoldyousoqm avatar
Sanchez Vasile
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

which basically shows that everyone was part of the prostitution network.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#2

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them I had a beater car in college. It was an ancient Plymouth, made mostly out of duct tape and rust.

I had all of my college books in it. Just kept them there. Easier for studying. Go out to my car and grab what I need. Engineering books, too. So super super expensive.

Someone stole my car out of my driveway with all my books in it.

Police report, all that. No joy. I was heartbroken. How in the world could I do my homework? How could I continue the semester? I was totally f****d.

My mom offered to take me to school that day. I was just ruined. I had no hope. No idea how I would get by.

And on an on-ramp on the way to school, **there she sat**. I just happened to notice her as we were driving by!

The old girl chose *that exact moment to throw her transmission*. When the thief was out joyriding it around and tried to get on the freeway. And I just happened to notice it sitting there.

All my books were still in it.

You just don't get that kind of loyalty with a car anymore. She sacrificed herself in just the right spot so I'd see her and get my books back. I'll always love that car. Godspeed, you old boat.

BoredBSEE , Oli Woodman Report

Add photo comments
POST
vanessarichardson avatar
Vanessa Richardson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This kind of reminds me of my old car, Linda. It was an old bmw with 359k miles, and I was pulling into my driveway when she finally broke down for good. I genuinely feel like she didn’t want to leave me stranded on the side of the road somewhere. Lol

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them In 2013 I received a notice from my college that my low GPA from the previous semester made me ineligible for financial aid the following semester. It was my last term in grad school and the college was threatening to drop me from all classes if I didn't pay tuition within 72 hours. I went to drown my sorrows at a bar later that night and I met a stranger and we started talking. I told her my story and she offered to pay my tuition. I told her I didn't accept loans from strangers but she said it was a gift. Turns out she was a very wealthy CEO and that night she wrote me a check for $2,500. I paid my tuition, finished school, and we still keep in touch.

yogurtlady , Lukas Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#4

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them When I was a teen in the '80s, I got to meet and briefly hang out with an idol of mine. He was (and still is) an extremely famous rock star. He was very nice but a bit twitchy and very high-energy. Cocaine is a Hell of a drug.

At the end of my little visit, I asked if I could have a photo with him. He said "let's take a bunch!" So I handed my camera to an assistant and he took a few nice normal pictures. As I'm reaching to take back my camera I hear "ONE MORE!" from behind me, and the dude jumps on my back and assistant snaps the photo. Keep in mind that I was a 14-year-old girl at the time, Mr. Rock Star weighed probably 200 pounds, and I was caught completely off guard. It's a miracle that I kept my feet under me and didn't get injured, but I got the most hilarious photo ever!

Fast forward about 35 years, and I by some miracle had occasion to meet him again. I was standing around with some other people waiting, he came in and started shaking hands. When he got to me, he shook my hand, looked me straight in the eye, and said "Hey there Gorilla! How's your back these days?" I was literally shocked speechless. This man, who has been fighting drug and alcohol addiction for most of his life, remembered a 15 minute chat/photo-op with a nervous teenager several decades ago, remembered my name and his little prank, and recognized me in middle age.

What a great guy. I'm still his biggest fan.

Gorilla1969 , freestocks Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#5

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them My dad wrote a book a very long time ago, and signed the copy that he gave to his in-laws. Years after he had died I loaned the signed copy to a guy I was dating. We stopped seeing each other and he never gave it back.

Years later I decided I wanted a copy of my dad’s book even though it wouldn’t be *my* signed copy so I ordered it used on Amazon. The book that arrived is the signed one I’d loaned out. Turns out he had sold it to a used bookstore, and I just happened to order from them.

SSSS_car_go , Studio Media Report

#6

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them Was going to see a concert with some friends. Printed my ticket at home. This was before mobile tickets were ubiquitous. We all decided to meet at a bar about a mile from the venue, then walk over after a few drinks.

Have our drinks and some food and head to the venue. When we get there, I suddenly realize I don't have my ticket on me. Panicked, I run back to the bar. Check my car in the parking lot, nothing. Head inside the bar, check the table we were at, look everywhere. No ticket.

Bummed and dejected, I leave the bar and begin to trek back to the venue to let my friends know I can't go with them. While I was waiting at a crosswalk, the wind blows a bit, and with it, a sheet of paper floats past me and comes to a stop on the sidewalk.

I reach down, pick it up, and it's my goddamn printed ticket. One of the best days of my life.

cparksrun , thapanee srisawat Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#7

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them Taking a beautiful Saturday morning ride home on my motorcycle. Mini van pulled out in front of me. Totalled motorcycle and van. Hospital did a scan of my head. Come to find out I had brain cancer that we caught very early. Which may have saved my life.

Musicman0 , National Cancer Institute Report

Add photo comments
POST
jopaymemore avatar
Jo pay me more
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had a similar experience. Kept getting a stitch in my side and put it down to a pulled muscle. Over months the pain of it got worse, to the point it would immobilise me. Finally went to the doctor and it turned out to be a large ovarian cyst the size of an American football. I named it Clark After surgery the surgeon told me they had found cancer in my womb while removing Clark, so I ended up having a full hysterectomy. Clark saved my life.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them I (American) was visiting the UK for the first time. I got to my hostel and started chatting with the Australian guy in the bed above mine. When I mention where I’m from, he says there’s a famous restaurant there he really loves and goes to with his family every time they visit. Turns out it was a place I used to work. He says “Hey I have a picture of our server from the last time I was there, maybe it’s someone you know.” It was me.

snake_juicy , Petr Sevcovic Report

Add photo comments
POST
chloeemilyshaw avatar
Chloe SWatson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One New Years in the middle of a small mining village in the UK, my friend a little worse for wear decides the play his didgeridoo in the middle of the street at midnight. Cue an Australian man walking past 'Is that a didgeridoo? I'm from Queensland', followed by lots of drunk cheering in an otherwise empty street.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them My husband and I went to a Tom Petty concert at the last minute only being able to get tickets for the cheap seats. Right before the concert starts somebody approaches us and says ‘do you want to get bumped up’ and I said sure because there can’t be any worse seats than this and he says ‘ I am with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and these are front row seats’. He hands them to me and disappears. My husband and I looked at each other, walk to the front section security guard, showed him our tickets and he walked us to front row center seats and we enjoyed a really great concert.

Sassy-Coaster , Andy Li Report

Add photo comments
POST
wendillon avatar
Monday
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A few artists seem to do this. They reserve a few front row seats and offer them to cheap seats folks so they can be sure the front row contains some actual fans and not just rich snobs looking to show off.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#10

I’m a medic and firefighter. We once had a call for something normal, like chest pain or something, I can’t remember. The caller said he was in his barn/garage, which isn’t weird really around here.

Anyway we pull up on scene and something just felt off. No idea why but something just told me in my gut that something was wrong.

I decided to do a 360 around the building before we went through the door at the front that was clearly the entrance. I walk around and come to a window on the side of the building and look in.

There was a shotgun rigged to the door. The guy had set a booby trap for us. And he had hung himself as well.

We kicked in this plexiglass type material on the side of the building and entered that way. Guy was dead. Nothing we could do about it at that point.

I would have been the first through that door. No idea why I didn’t just walk through it that day.

Edit: I’ll try to answer some of the questions here.

No idea why the guy did what he did, but my hypothesis in situations like this and mass shootings and the like is angry suicide.

The reason I made entry before police were present was because they were more than 30 minutes away and if the guy wasn’t dead I would have attempted to revive him. I assessed the scene and made a risk/reward decision and decided it was safe enough for me to enter from the side of the building.

I’m not religious and I think it was just training and experience that made me double check the scene. Something looked off to me at the time but I can’t even point out what it was. I’ve been in emergency services for about 15 years and this is just one story of weird s**t that has happened in that time.

And thanks to everyone for saying kind things about me still being here. I’m glad I’m here too.

pokemon-gangbang Report

Add photo comments
POST
write_nathan avatar
Hobby Hopper
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People will try to explain this a couple different ways, either this kind of intuition is just you noticing things that you're not consciously aware of, or there's something a lot weirder going on (fringe science kinda thing or even supernatural). Personally, I definitely think the former happens all the time, that we just take in all this stimuli that we're not fully aware of, and our brain is filtering it all in the background and matching patterns, and sometimes it goes "Hey, this might be worth checking out.". Having said that, I like to keep an open mind and don't dismiss the possibility of something far stranger. There's still just so much we don't know, though science continues to unlock little pieces a bit at a time.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them I was walking through the woods with my boyfriend in high school and we found some papers scattered everywhere. They were really old and gross but we were like "oh what if it's the DB Cooper briefcase" or something and picked up a sheet to see what it was and it WAS A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT I COMPLETED AND TURNED IN DURING THE 4TH GRADE.

Nothing could have prepared me to see my own name in my own childhood handwriting in the middle of the woods lol

JewishFightClub , Steven Kamenar Report

#12

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them I moved away from my hometown when I was 20. I started working for a company that had several locations around the city. One day I just happened to be walking past one of the locations that I didn't work at because I was going to an eye appointment. Right as I was walking by, a guy I knew from that other location walks out the door and tells me that my mom is on the phone. She was desperately trying to get in touch with me because my grandfather had died. She knew the name of the company I worked for but didn't know which location I worked at, so she got an operator to connect her with one of the locations at random. The guy I knew said he was on the phone with her and was just starting to explain that I didn't work at that location when he looked out the window and saw me walking by.

thatswacyo , Pixabay Report

#13

Our guitarist was late to band practice so we decided to go to the mall and pick up our drummer's pre-ordered copy of GTA4. We decided we were hungry but we were ultra broke so we went to Wendy's. We happened to be talking about quad core processors (brand new tech) and how the rumors we heard was that they were prone to crashing. This old guy behind us interrupts us and tells us he finds them to be quite stable. We talk computers with him a bit and he says he'd be interested in hiring us for an infusion of youth into his company. He gave us his card and told him we appreciated the offer.

We look him and his company up later and he's a legit billionaire. Private jet billionaire. We apply and the interview was basically a formality because he met us in the lobby and said he was going to tell them to push us through.

I went from blockbuster to a corporate job as a software tester due to a series of coincidences.

SuperPants87 Report

#14

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them Me, my husband & 2 young kids decide to go to a Six Flags park on a Saturday. I picked out everyone clothes for the day, but my husband decided to wear a different shirt, an ugly green polo. I hated the shirt and acted pissy all the way to the park during the two hour drive.
We arrive and got in line to get admission tickets then a stranger walks up and asks us if we want to get in free as he had season passes and it was some kind of "bring a friend" type of promo day.
We thanked him for saving us admission costs and asked him "why did you choose us out of all he people here?".
It was because my husbands shirt color was the same color of his favorite sport team.
My husband laughed about it all day.

noseymimi , Keagan Henman Report

#15

This was early seventies when I was about 1 year old. My parents went on a camping trip in New Hampshire, got to the site late, and had to set up everything in the dark. My parents put me in this German-made baby leash thing and wrapped it around their arms, because I would "sleep crawl" and there was no crib.

The next morning my father awoke to tugging on his wrist. He finds me dangling by the leash straight over a several hundred foot shear cliff. They had set up the tent not knowing how close they were to the side.

If it hadn't been for a little leather strap attached to a harness around me, I would have plummeted to my death without making a sound that night and no one would have known for hours. It was possible they wouldn't have found my body because the valley below had coyotes at the time.

Ninnux Report

#16

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them I opened my wallet to show my friends I had no monies, and a moth flew out of it.

Edit: I first related this incident 9 years ago, and it got ~500 karma. 3 years ago it was ~4000.

I think maybe all need a laugh more as time moves on.

Plethorian , Emil Kalibradov Report

Add photo comments
POST
ethanlang_1 avatar
Man in the ceiling
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am also a moth, my day job is flying into empty wallets then flying out when they are opened. I’m paid like a famous actor

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

I was visiting the Statue of Liberty with my family. Accidentally bumped into a woman. When I turned around to apologize I realized it was the exchange student we had hosted a decade before. What a coincidence that we were visiting NYC from TN and she was visiting from Denmark at the same time, we both decided to visit the Statue of Liberty at the same time, and I just so happened to clumsily run into her. It’s a small world

jessicamazing_ Report

#18

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them I was working a front desk job at a small office in a strip mall. A car pulled up, went over the curb, through the window, and hit the desk as I was sitting there.

JTO74 , Copernico Report

#19

I had an ear infection that was misdiagnosed for years, from when I was about 25-33. During that timeline, it spread out of my ear canal and into the surrounding bone. Then, due to an atypical born formation in my skull that would have otherwise been asymptomatic, the infection traveled up my skull and into my cranial cavity, unbeknownst to me.

The symptoms I experienced were only in my ear, where I felt fluid and pressure. I finally demanded that an ent place a tube to try to clear out the infection.

The tube drained for about three weeks, and finally the ent I had gone to panicked and misdiagnosed me with a cerebrospinal fluid leak. He rushed me to the ER without even testing the fluid, and he intended to cut my skull open to look for a cerebrospinal fluid leak that didn't exist. I was in the ER on a table with the doctors running preop antibiotics when I got a call from a friend of the family who is a doctor. He had been speaking to his doctor friends, and they all agreed I needed to get the f**k out of there. They didn't believe there was a csf leak at all. I told the team of doctors who had assembled to operate on me that I was leaving, and they were pissed. They all shot me condescending and angry looks as I left.

I got a call two days later from the ent telling me that they got the analysis of the fluid back, and it wasn't cerebrospinal fluid. I was in shock. They were going to slice my head open on a fishing expedition for a csf leak that didn't exist. He didn't apologize or anything. I hung up the phone and never talked to him again.

Eventually, the team of neurosurgeons my friend knew diagnosed me with a runaway ear infection. One told me that I have "the most unique looking skull he'd ever seen." Some compliment.

One showed me a CT of my skull. "See this black spot inside your skull? That's air. That's not supposed to be there, and it means there is a channel from the outside world to inside your skull. That's very bad. Do you ever fly? [I responded that yes, I fly all the time. For work, for pleasure, all the time.] Well, stop that immediately. This is very dangerous. Every time you've flown over the last several years, you've been rolling a die. It's possible that, when the cabin pressurized, this air pocket would expand and create a midline shift in your brain and you'd die immediately."

So, after a sh*tload more scans, they took me in for an 8 hour surgery. They removed all of the infected bone in my skull, a piece that ran about 2" x 6". In its place, they put a titanium mesh implant to hold my skull together. The recovery was the weirdest and most disorienting experience. When I turned my head, I could feel the plate shifting, and my skull was no longer a full circle, so it wasn't structurally sound, so it too kinda shifted.

But the bone healed over the implant, and now you'd never know that any of this happened, except for a barely noticeable scar behind my left ear.

Thank God I had that friend to tell me to bolt from that emergency room.

concentrate_better19 Report

Add photo comments
POST
carosinclair avatar
Caroline Sinclair
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Extraordinarily lucky, but I am amazed that you felt no pain. I had an ear infection that went into the bone and the pain was excruciating. Intravenous antibiotics eventually cleared it, but I couldn't fly for two years.

View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda
#20

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them When I was a kid, my sister was terrified of thunderstorms. One afternoon, a storm rolls through. We were doing homework at the kitchen table together, and my sister started getting scared. She got under the table, just in case. My mom tried to coax her out, to which my sister replied "What if we get struck by lightning?"

My mom, exasperated, replies, "We are *not* going to get struck by lightning."

And the moment her sentence ended, there was a loud crack and lightning struck our house.

It hit halfway up our stairs, where it reaches a landing and curves back on itself. There was a window at that spot and the entire windowsill was black, as were the bottom 6 panels of the blinds. No damage whatsoever to the tall pine tree directly outside the window.

Knocked out our phones and security system. The wiring had to be replaced completely. Power was totally fine though.

And I had a cool, yet unbelievable, story the next day about why I didn't finish my homework.

Thorhees , James Graham Report

Add photo comments
POST
straney-elizabeth avatar
E Menendez
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lightening is no joke. My mom got struck by lightening as a kid when it hit the house and went through the light fixture. She attributes her survival to the fact that She was sitting cross legged on a metal chair. There was a ring burned into the floor below the chair after. She always had a gray streak in her hair after that. My sister got struck by an open window. She was deaf for a few days which was scary, but fortunately was fine after that. She was also cross legged on a chair.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

I had just got a new-to-me truck. I took it to my Dad's house and we were looking it over. I realized I'd never checked to see where the spare tire jack and tire iron were, so we started looking for all the parts. My Dad was looking under the passenger seat (where the tire iron ended up being) and said "Drop something? "

He gave me my driver's license. I opened my wallet to put it away, and my license was still in it.

What he had was the driver's license that had been stolen while I was on a road trip in Arizona - under the seat of a truck I bought a year later.

chiliedogg Report

#22

In college, I was chilling with some friends, doing homework and hanging out, when I got an email from my grandma. She had been really into genealogy lately, and had found some distant branches of the family tree. She was letting me know she'd discovered that I had a 3rd cousin who attended the same college as me. Well, not only did I know the guy, he was actually sitting right beside me as I read the email. I jumped up and shouted "Dude you're my cousin!" And that's how the guy one chair over got upgraded from friend to family in two seconds flat.

Edit: Somebody who was there that day just sent me an award, with proof. Looks like the anonymity of my Reddit account has been compromised. Time to burn it all down I guess.

momentsofzen Report

#23

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them When I was about 12, there was a pizza place near my house with a Ms. Pacman arcade game in it. I had spent maybe two years trying to get on the Top 10 score list. Finally went in one night and was just possessed, played a nearly flawless game, and ended up being *the* high score on that unit! Put my name on the top of the list for everyone to see, and felt like a queen!

Not even maybe a minute later, three men, all asian and wearing what I think of as the stereotypical "Japanese office worker" outfit of dark slacks, belt, button down white long sleeve shirts, walk in, go directly to the game, don't order food or talk to anyone else. One of them starts playing the game. And within a few minutes, he obliterates my high score and puts his name at the top. They left without interacting with anyone in the place. Just walked in and knocked me off the top and left.

If anyone can explain what happened to me that day, I'd appreciate it!

pecklepuff , bm.iphone Report

Add photo comments
POST
wendillon avatar
Monday
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uhh...owner of the machine that wanted to taunt you into trying to get the top score again so they can get more of your money maybe?

View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them I was on a plane with a wanted terrorist. I was seated 5 rows ahead of Faisal Shahzad, the Time Square Bomber on a flight to Dubai. The doors were closed and we never left the gate, and the captain kept making announcements/excuses as to why we were delayed. After nearly 3 hours of sitting there, the federal agents rushed the plane and marched that little s**t off the plane.
Edit(s): this happened 12 years ago and my memory has failed me, so...
1) The plane did taxi away from the gate and returned, apparently. Many of you have made that clear.
2) I am not certain why it took 3 hours, but I suspect it was to evacuate the terminal.
3) Some of you object to the word "rushed". Really? The law enforcement officers did not amble or saunter onto the plane; they were in a hurry, IMO.
4) After the suspect was removed, all passengers deplaned. When I made it to the terminal there were hundreds of law enforcement officers: NYPD, FBI, ICE, Transit Police, etc. The flight crew and reps from Emirates Air were fantastic! Accommodations were made for everyone who did not want to get back on the plane. All our luggage was removed and scanned / searched, and we had to claim our bags under the supervision of many, many eyes. I got back on the plane, got airborne, made my connection in Dubai but my luggage did not. Emirates Air had it delivered to my hotel the next day.

rodeler , Hanson Lu Report

Add photo comments
POST
abigailbosonac avatar
just another teen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

im glad that you ended up getting out of that situation safely, and that everyone was keeping everyone else safe

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#25

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them Missed an archery target and hit a copperhead snake that was hiding in a bush.

Logical-Wasabi7402 , Annie Spratt Report

#26

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them Have a 2 dollar bill that has me and my wife's signature on it saying "just the 2 of us". We did it when we first got together and after a while had it framed. Some years later it was stolen by some jackass who decided to break into my house. I ended up going to some random gas station weeks later and got I back as change. Literally just stood there and stared at it in disbelief and told the cashier about it. Just insane coincidence and luck. Still have that sucker and it's been another 5 years.

Edit: I'd like to thank everyone for their support and feed back on my story! I actually just posted a picture of the bill on my profile if anyone is interested to see it https://www.reddit.com/user/Straight_Spring9815/comments/x1ohr2/this_is_the_lucky_2_dollar_bill_beat_up_as_all/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

Straight_Spring9815 , Stan Wiechers Report

#27

When I was a kid I slept walk really badly and would also sometimes quasi-sleepwalk where I was aware and would remember it later, but would be out of my f****n mind confused and semi-dreaming while it happened.

I "woke" up in the middle of the night one night at 7 or 8 years old and there was apparently a power outage because it was pitch black in my room, no nightlight, and no light coming in my window from the streetlights.

I wanted to leave my room and go wake up my parents because I was freaked out about the dark but got disoriented and confused my closet door with my bedroom door and started panicking because I thought someone stacked a bunch of s**t outside my bedroom door to trap me. Started throwing s**t out of my closet and got to the back wall. Now, my childhood home had a dormer-style upstairs added before we lived there such that my bedroom was on the same level as the attic over the original house area. There was an access panel to the attic in my closet and I somehow managed to get that open and "escaped" my room into the attic.

Around that time I fully woke up the rest of the way to full lucid consciousness and freaked the F**K out not knowing where I was and surrounded by dusty-a*s boxes and spiderwebs and started screaming my f*****g brains out, turns out the part of the attic I was in was directly over my parents' bedroom and I scared the s**t out of THEM because my screaming was coming from their ceiling, they start freaking out and I was in there screaming for a solid 5 minutes before my parents were able to figure out what happened and rescue me.

I am 36 years old now and STILL have the occasional nightmare about waking up in that attic.

psittacholic Report

#28

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them Was going from Rio de Janeiro to Paris with my aunt and cousins. The day before we were supposed to fly, we changed our flight to the following day so someone could pick us up at the airport when we arrived. Our original flight was the Air France 447, that fell in 2009 and everyone died.

trowawaaayy , Ashim D’Silva Report

Add photo comments
POST
flyusx avatar
The Idaho Potato
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

AFR447 crashed in the Atlantic Ocean due to stalling (not enough speed to maintain lift) over high altitudes. What was initially a pitot tube issue spiraled out of control as poor crew communications caused the pilots to basically counteract each other's attempts to resolve the aircraft's stall/nosediving. It was also nighttime, which over the ocean means less visual references.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them When I was a kid I caught MewTwo at full health with a Great Ball in Pokémon FireRed. I thought, “hey why not just toss one out on the first turn cause why not” and as the ball kept rocking back and forth I was like lmao there’s no way. But then it caught him and I just sat there with my mouth open for a couple minutes. I didn’t know what to do since it would’ve been impossible to explain to my mom the significance of what just happened. I don’t know the math but it has to be under 1% chance.

BroDudeBruhMan , Fuad Suedan Diaz Report

Add photo comments
POST
jacobanthonycarter avatar
Greg Williams
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you don't understand what that means, imagine flipping a coin and it lands on its side, or throwing a full court basketball just for fun and it goes in

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda
#30

"It Has To Be Under 1% Chance": 30 People Share The Craziest Stories That Actually Happened To Them My date and I got stuck at the top of a Ferris Wheel for nearly 3 hours when the ride's mechanism failed.

It was a very tall wheel - and she was afraid of heights. So, those hours in the Ferris Wheel car together seemed like eternity.

Back2Bach , Max van den Oetelaar Report

Add photo comments
POST
livivandervliet avatar
ThatOtherPanda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was waiting for like, “and we just celebrated our 20th year anniversary” or smt… great story tho

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 71 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.