The Mesmerizing Series, "I Survived"

Most of us live our daily lives without ever thinking about all the “what-ifs” that could happen to us. If we did think about it, we probably would not leave the comfort of our homes. Bad things, however, do happen to good people, and the Biography Channel’s program titled “I Survived” tells the tale of people who have survived terrible ordeals and have lived to talk about it.

Premiering on March 24, 2008, “I Survived” survivors tell us about their experiences and how they managed to get through them. Their stories are not scripted in any way. They are told simply straight to the camera. Their situations are also not re-enacted. The show simply lets the survivors tell their stories in their own words, in their own way, while giving insight as to what it was that made it possible for them to endure the experience, and how it has changed their lives.

Each hour-long episode consists of stories from three separate survivors. The personal stories make for an extremely powerful representation of how adversity, tragedy, and fear can sometimes bring out a survivor instinct that was previously unknown.

For example, episodes include a woman who survived the longest prison siege in the history of the U.S., two friends who are forced by gunpoint into a man’s truck and are shot, and a woman who survives a fight for her life while swimming through waters infested with sharks.

Hearing the survivors tell their stories is mesmerizing, and the series makes you come to realize that miracles can and do happen. “I Survived" is on the Biography Channel at 9:00 p.m. on Mondays.