I’ve had a couple close calls in my life.
One summer during my mid-teens, I was at a lake with friends when we decided to hike up a trail that promised a grand view of the region. When we got to the top, we sat on a rock outcropping to enjoy the vistas. Being that I was a bit of a thrill-seeker, I inched myself as close as possible to the edge.
I was marveling at the views both straight down and abroad when I felt a sudden thud and then intense pain on the back of my head. A moment later, I awoke to my friends hovering over me with concern in their eyes.
Apparently, one of my friends decided to throw a rock off the cliff and when he released his toss, he made direct contact with my head. I lurched forward and then keeled over, at which point one of my other friends grabbed me, ultimately saving me from tumbling over the edge (I can still feel the scar tissue from the stitches whenever I comb my hair).
On another occasion, my wife and I decided to go skydiving, an item featured on both of our bucket lists. We took the class, got into the gear, and then made our way into the sky.
I jumped out first, firmly attached to my instructor in the standard tandem formation. A third of the way into our descent, my instructor pulled the ripcord to release our parachute. Moments later, I got an uneasy feeling when I felt him struggling behind me.
Before I knew what was happening, the instructor told me to prepare for further descent and then immediately jettisoned our first chute. Once it cleared, he released the reserve shoot.
As we glided toward the earth, the instructor explained what had happened: the first chute was improperly packed and got tangled, which is why he opted to release it and rely on the secondary chute – something you never want to happen.
My wife was oblivious to entire event, so when she landed, she insisted that we do it again. I told her my skydiving days were over.
I suppose I’ve had couple other minor brushes with death, but nothing I experienced (or what most people have experienced) compares to what Franjo Selak lived through.
Selak is a remarkable individual whose life story reads like a thrilling adventure novel. Born on June 14, 1929, in Croatia, Selak gained international attention for his astonishing brushes with death and enduring resilience. He is often referred to as the “world’s luckiest” or “luckiest unlucky” man.
Selak’s tale of incredible survival began in 1962 when he found himself aboard a train that derailed and plunged into an icy river. Miraculously, Selak managed to escape with only minor injuries. A few years later, a plane he was in suddenly malfunctioned and crashed. Although the plane disintegrated upon impact, Selak survived by being blown out of the wreckage and landing in a haystack.
In the years that followed, Selak’s incredible luck continued. On several occasions, he narrowly escaped car accidents, including one incident where a bus he was riding in skidded off a cliff and into a river. Remarkably, he swam to safety with no major injuries.
In 1970, a faulty fuel pump in his car caused a fire that engulfed the vehicle. He suffered significant burns and survived, but the incident sadly claimed the life of his passenger.
Franjo Selak’s life is a testament to the indomitable nature of the human spirit and the power of perseverance. Selak’s extraordinary experiences have made him a living legend, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of those who hear his incredible story.
This week’s feature, “Knock at the Cabin,” also speaks to the resilience of the human spirit, but in this case, the subject matter is wildly darker.
Set in the mountains of Pennsylvania, “Knock at the Cabin,” features a married couple and their daughter vacationing in the woods. Everything is fine until some unexpected guests arrive and present the family with an unfathomable decision – a decision that may have shocking repercussions for the rest of humanity.
This is the most recent selection from writer and director M. Night Shyamalan, a man known to produce bizarre and thought-provoking films. I’m a big fan of Shyamalan’s work mostly because his stories tap into psychologically twisted scenarios that are full of the unexpected.
Check this one out if you’re in the mood for something truly unsettling, but minus the gore that usually accompanies such storylines.
An edgy “B” for “Knock at the Cabin,” now available to rent or buy through Amazon Prime Video.
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