In this episode of The Crux True Survival Stories, hosts Kaycee McIntosh, joined by Julie Henningsen, delves into the tragic survival story of the Kim family. What began as a joyful Thanksgiving 2006 road trip from San Francisco to Seattle, ended in a perilous and fatal detour through Oregon's Bear Camp Road. The episode details the Kim family's struggle for survival, the critical search and rescue operations that followed, and how this incident led to significant changes in winter travel safety and emergency response systems. The discussion also covers essential winter travel safety guidelines and the importance of preparation, ultimately highlighting the enduring lessons from this heartbreaking yet instructive saga.
00:00 Introduction to the Kim Family's Fateful Journey
00:23 Setting the Scene: Thanksgiving 2006
01:09 The Kim Family's Background and Aspirations
03:33 The Journey Begins: From San Francisco to Seattle
05:56 The Wrong Turn: Bear Camp Road
08:57 Stranded: The Kim Family's Ordeal Begins
15:16 Survival Strategies and Initial Challenges
18:50 James Kim's Critical Decision
19:07 Search Efforts Intensify
19:52 Challenges in Coordination
21:53 The Role of Cell Phone Data
24:06 James Kim's Heroic Journey
28:03 The Tragic Outcome
29:12 Lessons Learned and Changes Made
31:20 Winter Travel Safety Tips
36:44 Final Thoughts and Reflections

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Documentary & Video Sources:

• "Wrong Turn: The Kim Family Tragedy" (2023), YouTube Documentary
• ABC News 20/20 Interview with Kati Kim (2011)

Print & Digital Sources:

• The Oregonian, "Kim Family's Fatal Oregon Journey" (2013)
• San Francisco Chronicle, "Stranded Father's Heroic Last Hours" (2006)
• The Oregonian, "Kati Kim Speaks Out" (2011)
• CNET, "Lessons Learned from Kim Tragedy" (2006)
• Times Colonist, "Widow Gives Thanks to Husband" (2011)

Special thanks to all the journalists, rescue workers, and individuals who helped document this story and preserve its important lessons.

For more information about winter travel safety and emergency preparedness, please visit your local search and rescue organization's website.

Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of survival situations and loss that some listeners may find disturbing.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Matt Potratz, a former professional snowmobiler whose life changed forever in a devastating avalanche in 2009. Before the accident, Matt was living what many would consider a dream life - a successful career as a general sales manager at a Toyota dealership and appearances in seven different snowmobile motion pictures. But in just 12 seconds, everything changed.

The avalanche left Matt with catastrophic injuries, including a broken neck, severe brain trauma, and permanent paralysis in his left arm. After spending 41 days in a coma and 88 days in the hospital, Matt had to rebuild his life from the ground up. Today, he shares his extraordinary journey of recovery, resilience, and transformation.

Matt discusses:

• His early passion for snowmobiling and unexpected path to becoming a professional
• The day of the avalanche and his 41-day coma
• His grueling recovery process and battle with phantom nerve pain
• How his near-death experience transformed his relationship with his children
• Finding new purpose as a motivational speaker and author
• The importance of focusing on what we can change rather than what we can't

Connect with Matt:

• Website: lifetradicallychanged.com
• Facebook: Life Radically Changed and Matt Potratz

Follow The Crux:

• Email: thecruxsurvival@gmail.com
• Instagram: @thecruxpodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review. Your feedback helps us improve and reach more people with these important stories.

Quotes from the episode: "Focus on things you can change. Don't waste time focusing on things you can't change." "The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears." "In life we almost face one of two pains, the pain of discipline or the pain of regret... discipline weighs ounces, regret weighs tons."

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Try online therapy today at betterhelp.com/CRUX and take the first step toward becoming your best self.

On this episode of The Crux True Survival Story Podcast, hosts Julie Henningsen and Kaycee McIntosh dive into the harrowing account that inspired 'Moby Dick'—the tragic voyage of the whale ship Essex. Listeners are taken on a detailed journey through early 19th-century whaling, the catastrophic events that led to the ship's sinking, and the unimaginable ordeal the crew faced. From battling a vengeful sperm whale to the moral dilemmas of survival cannibalism, this story explores human resilience and the brutal realities of maritime life in the 1820s. Learn how these events left a lasting impact on maritime history and contributed to the decline of the whaling industry.
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
01:09 Setting the Scene: The Whaling Industry in the 1820s
07:04 The Essex Sets Sail
09:36 The Whale's Attack
12:30 Survival at Sea
18:47 Rescue and Aftermath
21:46 Legacy of the Essex Disaster
25:32 Conclusion and Listener Engagement

Email us! thecruxsurvival@gmail.com

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/

Get schooled by Julie in outdoor wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/