Whenever I listen to episodes about catastrophes like the Imperial Fire, Station Night Club Fire, Ride the Ducks, etc. I always think about how traumatizing it must be for the friends and family of those who were present at the time. Does anyone here know anyone who either was present or was affected by something that’s been covered in the podcast?
I was at the sugarland concert where the stage collapsed.
Same
my parents lived on camp lejune at the same time as the water contamination because my father was stationed there for ~2 years 😬
My dad’s stepfather and brother-in-law both died from cancer contracted as a result of that.
I’m really sorry for your family’s loss that’s awful
As a kid, I lived close to the Hyatt in Kansas City when the skywalk collapsed. My dad went down there to volunteer to help.
Me, too!
I don't know anyone personally, but if you are interested in first person accounts, I read a self-published memoir by one of the women who was burned at the Station Night Club Fire. It was very sad, her boyfriend died while helping her get out of the building. You can find it on Amazon.
Oh I definitely would be interested, I read Killer Show by John Barylick years ago and it gave me nightmares. Gonna look into this memoir!
It's called "From the Ashes: Surviving the Station Night Club Fire" by Gina Russo
I'm from Northern California and a lot of coworkers, friends and family were displaced and rendered destitute by the CAMP fire (the monopoly)
I'm from the bay area and we had the "orange days" from those fires and were advised not to leave the house due to the smoke. Everything in my backyard and windowsills were completely covered in ash. Felt like I was on Mars!
I think that’s one I still haven’t listened to yet!
It’s a very distressing one but also one of the best episodes IMO.
It's such an upsetting episode. I lived in the area at the time and it was a terrifying event, but I had never heard the 911 calls.
The 911 calls, lady with dogs….man, I was in tears.
Same I straight up cried. At the time I lived near sac and ended up near Redding for the years after. We ended up leaving the state because of the psps events and the Zogg fire were my last straws. I didnt want to die while trying to hide from fire in a swimming pool.
It’s one of the very best episodes
I grew up about 40 min from West Warwick where the Station Fire was. We listened to the radio station all the time that had the dj who died (Dr metal). My uncle had tickets that night but didn't end up going because something came up. I can't even begin to describe how devastating this tragedy was to the area.
Yeah from everything I’ve read/listened to about the event, it seems like it was a very small blue collar town right? The amount of people who perished that night is devastating alone, then you think about all of the people they knew….the web of pain just continues to spread. I’m so glad your uncle wasn’t able to go!
Lived in Austin during the i35 rock thrower saga. My friends and I were absolutely refused to take that highway at night. I recall being in an uber several times telling them we don’t want to be on the highway. Once a driver didn’t listen or remember we said not to get on the highway at night and then we were yelling at him to stay in the right lane.
That shit was legitimately terrify.
Episode: The Vigilante
I was also there
I was involved in the walkerton Ecoli break out. It was strange to hear him talk about the case.
I grew up with Mike Warnke blasting in our Uber-Christian house growing up during the Satanic Panic. ACC really did a fabulous job covering that dude.
My mom was damaged by the Dalkron Shield. It perforated her uterus and is still in her body.
Our neighbor growing up who is still great friends with my mom had a late term miscarriage due to the Dalkron Shield.
Bot of them got settlements of around 5k. An absolute pittance.
Erm not really on the same scale but before the fyre fest episode was ‘Lapland new forest’ I was an ‘elf’ and left after about an hour as it was so shit. There was an actual fist fight. Willy wonka Glasgow vibes!
My husband worked at the Indianapolis Library in the 1980's/90's and used to see Tony Kiritsis (Season 2, E20 The Hostage) all the time, making copies of stuff and generally being very weird.
I was personally subjected to years of Girls Gone Wild adds as a pre-pubescent teenager
I have relatives that live in flint. I remember when it first started, I remember watching the meeting where the glass of water was shown and they asked gov Snyder to drink it and he wouldn't. After saying it was perfectly fine. I have had past students who had lead poisoning from flint. Other teachers I know taught in flint during that time and it was rough. It absolutely infuriates me to hear ppl dismiss Flint as fake news, when it was devastating for the community. And they still ate affected to this day.
Also have relatives from Detroit who lived thru Kwame's run as mayor and especially the rumors about the manoogian mansion party
My mother used formula instead of breastfeeding and here I am today posting on reddit...should tell you all you need to know about formula.
Same. Never had any breast milk but somehow still going
Crossed paths with Joel Barlow a few times but nothing happened besides me laughing and saying "I know that fuckhead!" When he was on TV.
Yeah. Episode 118. Joel Barlow. Ended up having to do a fuckload more training on ethics and fraud.
Episode 46. Belle Gibson. Increased my workload ridiculously (complaints and enquiries).
If you count the bonus episodes, Dashcon. 😅
Not personally affected, but I grew up in Hot Springs, AR and remember when the Duck sank there and what a big deal it was. If I remember the episode correctly, that’s the one he covered at the beginning, but it was still interesting to hear his take.
I lived near Hamlet, NC at the time of the Imperial chicken factory fire. I attended several vigils and protests in the aftermath. Overall it was a mixture of rage, numbness and deep sorrow for the victims and their families. I remember seeing many brutal injuries among the survivors.