A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World

Real Life Stories

You’ve got to read it to believe it! These true stories seem almost too good to be true, but we promise that we couldn’t make these up. From love to loss and from survival to unbelieavable coincidences—we’ve got the wildest stories to keep you informed, entertained, and inspired.

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How Astronaut Scott Kelly Wards Off Feelings of Isolation

The pandemic is taking a serious toll on our mental health. Here are a few tips on surviving this crazy...


7 True Stories About Funny Thanksgiving Mishaps

These true stories of snafus past will make you laugh—and breathe a little easier about your own Thanksgiving.


This Biker Was Attacked by a Bear with Only a Pocket Knife to Defend Himself

Alone and pinned under a grizzly, Colin Dowler reached for a pocket...


Incredible Generosity Makes Red Handed Tattoo in Shreveport the Nicest Place in Louisiana

Learn how the owner of one small-town tattoo shop made a big difference.


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10 Valuable Items People Have Found by Accident

Ever stumble upon something valuable? It’s an incredible feeling.


A Teacher Told Her Students to Draw What They Were Thankful for—This Was One Student’s Moving ...

As this teacher learned, some of the most moving lessons are taught by students.


My Best Friend Scammed Me Out of $92,000, Forcing Me into Bankruptcy

She swindled me out of $92,000, forcing me into bankruptcy and destroying my once sunny outlook. But I finally...


The Story of the Very First War Dog Platoon

It’s 1943, the Battle of Bougainville. The Americans attacking this South 
Pacific island are outnumbered and outgunned. Their best hope...

7 Powerful Letters from Soldiers on the Front

A collection of war letters, from the Revolution to Iraq, helps us all share in the powerful dreams and...


Fighting COVID-19 and Racial Injustice, Buchanan, Michigan, Is the Nicest Place in America

In 2020, we received a record number 1,177 story submissions to our annual search for the Nicest Places in America...


A Bear Followed Me on a Camping Trip—And We Developed a Real Friendship

The author had heard about wild animals 
that bonded with humans. But this 
seven-foot Goliath had claws that could shred...


This Woman Was Trapped in Her Car on an Embankment for Days Before Concerned Neighbors Found Her

Trapped in her car down an embankment, Corine began to lose hope...


I Was Personally Blamed for the Terrorist Attacks on 9/11—Here’s What Happened

You've heard a whole host of stories about the terrorist attacks on 9/11, but you probably haven't heard this one.


How I Escaped from Cuba in 1969 in the Wheel Well of a Jet

This RD classic from 50 years ago tells the thrilling story of a teen who made
 a daring escape...


A Girl Wrote a Simple Thank You Note to Her Postman and Got Hundreds of Responses

The appreciation delivered by an 11-year-old girl is returned to sender—from grateful postal service employees nationwide.


This Tattoo Artist Helps People with Scars Love Their Body Again

The first fingernail tattoos started off as a joke—but soon he was getting the attention of people from all...


I’m the Only Black Person in My Office, Here’s What I Wish My Coworkers Knew

It can be really uncomfortable and isolating being the only Black person in your office, as this writer knows from...

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How I Visited 20 Countries in One Year for $250 a Week

Country-hopping doesn't have to bring you to the brink of broke. You just have to know how to do it.


Here’s How I Survived a Shark Attack

Mike Coots was surfing with his buddies near his home in Kauai when he was attacked by a shark. He...


10 People Who Literally Came Back to Life

Thanks to state of the art medical technology—like defibrillators in nearly every place of business—life after death is more possible...


When 20 Miners Became Stranded in an Elevator Shaft, One Man Transported Them All to Safety

Below the trapped miners was an empty elevator shaft, 2,000 feet deep....


21 Extraordinary Stories of Generosity That Will Stay with You

These acts of kindness—big and small—speak to the generosity of the American spirit.


7 Inventors Who Regretted Their Inventions

What do Labradoodles, Mother’s Day, and emoticons have in common? Their creators rue the day they thought them up.

12 LGBTQ Activists Who Have Changed American History

It's hard to imagine where gay pride would be without the work and efforts of these LGBTQ leaders and countless...


Why It’s So Much Harder for Black Women to Make It in the Fashion World

A Black model explains why increasing diversity doesn’t just help those in the industry—it ensures that all people of color...


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8 Hotel Mysteries That Are Still Unsolved

From murders to disappearances, these unsolved mysteries all have hotels in common.


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13 True Stories That Show What Happens When You Don’t Social-Distance

Before you dismiss the guidelines as silly or unnecessary, read this.


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I Was Isolated for a Year in Antarctica—Here’s What Surprised Me Most When I Came Back

While you may not have been quite this isolated over the last few months, reentry into life after lockdown...


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5 Split-Second Decisions People Made That Saved Their Own Lives

Kidnapped at gunpoint? Cornered by a mountain lion? Stranded in a snowstorm? These everyday people saved their own lives with...