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What It Was Like

Superreal
What It Was Like
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95 episodes

  • What It Was Like

    I Was Abducted at Gunpoint During Running Practice

    25/09/2026 | 52 mins.
    At 15, Maggie Malloy was abducted at gunpoint during running practice near her home in Galion, Ohio. A few hours later, she was found with multiple gun shots to the head, but alive. This week, Maggie shares how she survived and how faith and facing her past helped her to heal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • What It Was Like

    The Hurricane That Swallowed a Cargo Ship (Classic)

    19/09/2026 | 47 mins.
    This week we are revisiting one of our favourite stories. In 2015, Hurricane Joaquin roared over the Bahamas and sank a cargo ship called the El Faro, drowning all 33 people onboard. It was a mystery how a modern US-flagged ship could sail into a hurricane until its black box was found. In this episode, Julian examines the black box transcript to discover a crew that ignored all their own instincts.

    Transcript from the El Faro's black box is here.
    The US Coast Guard's report is here.
    And here is an article and a book that was hugely helpful in researching this case:
    “The Clock Is Ticking”: Inside the Worst U.S. Maritime Disaster in Decades by William Langewiesche
    Into the Raging Sea: Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro by Rachel Slade
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • What It Was Like

    The Strange Condition That Made Me Write Constantly

    13/09/2026 | 38 mins.
    When Alice Weaver Flaherty’s twins died at birth, she developed an overwhelming compulsion to write about the experience. Soon, Alice had developed hypergraphia, a rare condition that causes sufferers to write morning and night. She explains what happened to her and what it reveals about the brain and creativity.
    Check out Alice’s book, The Midnight Disease

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • What It Was Like

    My Childhood Bully Killed My Friend

    04/09/2026 | 49 mins.
    In 1990, 14-year-old Tyler Pelke was home alone in Altona, Canada, watching a movie with a friend. Then the local bully, Earl Giesbrecht, showed up at the door. Hours later, Tyler’s friend was dead and his house was on fire. Years later, Tyler confronted Earl in prison to ask “why?”.
    Get Tyler to speak at your next event: tylerpelke.com
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • What It Was Like

    He Slept on His Daughter’s Dorm Room Couch and Built a Cult

    30/08/2026 | 1h 23 mins.
    In 2010, fraudster Larry Ray got out of prison and started sleeping on a couch in his daughter’s college dorm. Within weeks, he was mentoring her friends. A year later, he’d recruited most of them into what would later be described as a “sex-cult.” Felicia Rosario was one of them. Introduced to Larry by her brother, she spent 10 years under his spell. She unpacks his incredible aptitude for mind control and how she rebuilt her life after his arrest.

    Contact Felicia Rosario via her website here: feliciarosario.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About What It Was Like
Conversations with people who have lived through extreme events. Some stories are dark and twisted, others are light and funny. In all cases, we get an intimate portrait of 'what it was like' to be there.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastHosted by Julian MorgansThis is a Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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