Wait, People Actually Did These Wild Things?!

I figured out how to make dentures for homeless folks in under an hour. I just show up at camps or shelters, whip up the teeth on the spot, and boom – they’re smiling again before you know it.

My older brother lost his sight and wore prosthetic eyes. When we were kids, he’d pop those fake eyes out and chase me! I’d scream, mom would hear, and yell, "Put your eyes back in, Brian!" Pretty sure I’m the only one with this episode.

I’m a sign language interpreter and once interpreted for President Biden when he was in office. Talk about nerve-racking and cool all at once!

One morning, I saw a guy’s beloved dog choking on a treat. Owner didn’t know what to do, so I jumped in, gave the dog the Heimlich, pulled out a big chunk of treat, gave some breaths, and saved the day. Talk about being a doggie hero!

So, my old roommate’s cat passed away, and she was all sad and dramatic about it. She told me to pick up his ashes, but instead, I kept the cat’s real ashes and swapped them with some wood ash. A couple months later, she posted online crying about losing the ashes. I smirked and kept the real ones on my mantle. Cheeky, right?

In a supermarket parking lot, I helped a baby in the middle of a seizure who was choking. I kept her alive until the ambulance showed up. Totally terrifying, and I cried afterwards. But hey, lives saved count, right?

I created a safe vehicle powered by ponies that lets anyone in a wheelchair travel cross-country safely. Yep, pony power for the win!

In my twenties, I lived for four years in a house owned by three cats. I was their caretaker and got to live there rent-free. These cats had a million-dollar trust fund and basically ran the show.

With zero boating skills, my hubby (65!) and I bought an old canal boat in the Netherlands and took it through canals across the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Our first trip took nearly 3 months—even though Google says it’s a 5-hour drive. Talk about slow travel goals.

Not me, but my dad was the first federal judge to rule against the tobacco industry. He helped open the files that showed the dangers of smoking to the whole public. Big impact, big deal.

I sued an insurance company for releasing my personal info and won. It was the very first case like this and changed how all insurance companies protect privacy in my country. Boom!

I've been bitten by a rattlesnake, run over by a draft horse, had a stalker for 19 years, did rodeo stunts, cooked for Master Chef, taught search and rescue, stayed in an Amish hostel with a dead badger in the bathtub...basically, my life is a nonstop wild ride.

Barack Obama replied and even reposted a comment I made on his BlueSky post. I'm still buzzing about it.

I'm an emergency room doctor...and a licensed tower crane operator. Yep, two wildly different hats, but both super fun!

In 1996, I got to be part of the Olympic magic and ran with the Olympic torch. Still counts as a major 'pinch me' moment!

My old chicken got caught in a giant python’s coils. So, I grabbed the snake by the tail, shook it hard, and freed my chicken. Both snake and chicken walked away fine. Also, I was in my 70s when this happened. Take that, snake!

I got a $600 ticket from Toronto police for “vending poetry without a license” on a public sidewalk. Poetry crime, y’all.

I was the first person in my family to ever get a degree. Cue tiny happy dance.

At 17, I jumped out of a two-story house in the middle of the night to escape the Amish cult I grew up in and never looked back.

I held a real, beating human heart in my hands multiple times while helping a surgeon do bypass grafts. Then held it cold and motionless when it was on bypass, before it started beating again. Seriously, miraculous stuff.

I mean, saving lives is cool and all, but when I was a kid, my rat Napoleon won a trophy for 'best of color' at the Greater Toledo Rodent Show. I have an old Polaroid of him posing with it, so there’s that.

I've beaten cancer twice, buried my husband, been diagnosed with MS, and already outlived my 'expiration date.' Yet, here I am, still showing up every day because I know I’m meant to do something big.

I got to deck out the West Wing for Christmas during the Obama years. Talk about holiday spirit on a whole new level!

I sued the Marine Corps when they found out I was gay and got an Honorable Discharge. Also, I once crawled into a burning car to rescue a guy just before it was fully engulfed. Yeah, quite the combo!

I was totally paralyzed but fully awake inside for 12 hours during surgery. Heard everything, felt pain, but couldn’t move or breathe on my own. It was because I lack an enzyme to break down paralytic meds. ICU nurses noticed thanks to my vitals. Crazy, right?

I walked the whole 2,000-mile US-Mexico border. Yup, every step. There’s even a movie and a book about it.

I started New York’s first permanent Cat Cafe, and guess what? We’re still going strong!

I was an extra in the Michael Jackson Pepsi commercial where his hair caught fire. It happened before social media, so we just got sent home, and no one knew what happened till the news aired later that night.

I’ve been both the person giving and receiving the Heimlich maneuver. Life’s full of surprises!

I was there when the Berlin Wall came down. Also, I’m a professional storyteller and once made a crowd of 3000 cry — the good way!

Married a guy at 18 after knowing him just two weeks. Fifty years later, still happily married. Take that, quick decisions!

I taught the king how to drive a tank. Yep, real royalty and real tanks.

My band opened for Van Halen before they were famous. It was at a prom where everyone hated metal, so they all bailed and only me and the drummer watched their set — sitting right in front. VIPs in our own way!

My mom’s second husband kidnapped us and took us to Mexico. I was one of those kids who ended up on milk cartons. Wild times.

I traveled to every country on Earth. Yep, all of them. Passport stamp heaven.

I went to the border with a Human Rights Organization to check on the conditions of kids in ICE detention. Tough but important stuff.

I stood in a field yelling “Relax your perineum!” at my mom’s Scottish Highland cow in labor who refused to come barnside. Spoiler: it didn’t help.

I saved a toddler from a rhino at the San Diego Zoo. Yes, really!

I helped get trans medical coverage included in health policies at a Fortune 100 company, then helped people actually access that coverage. Making things better one step at a time.

I crawled inside a metal tube under Antarctic sea ice to check out algae and krill. Talk about an icy adventure!

I got to ride in a helicopter with Paul McCartney. Beat that for a quick, cool ride!

I’ve flown the Goodyear blimp. Yes, it’s as awesome as it sounds.

I laughed and deleted an email from the White House saying I’d been nominated for a Presidential appointment. I thought it was a scam, but it wasn’t. And I’m still serving in that role!

My dissertation research made it to SNL. Michael Che made a joke about it after it hit the news. Pretty wild for academic bragging rights!

I interviewed Robert Goulet in his hotel room and asked him to sing ‘Camelot’ like he was on stage. His voice was so loud it broke the camera’s audio meter.

I climbed inside a bridge pillar and stood at the very top. One word: epic.

I was the mall Easter bunny in the ‘80s. Can you say vintage costume?

I'm a licensed minister, a certified network engineer, and hold a master's in medieval studies. Because why stick to just one thing?

A former dance partner and I went clubbing. People cleared the floor when they realized we were good dancers. We weren’t pros, but they applauded at the end. Fancy that!

I got my first passport at 59 and moved to Japan for a job. Stayed 8 years until I retired. Hands down the best decision ever. Living in Japan made me want to be a better person.

I lived in a cave for five years. Yes, really.

In Tokyo, I got on an elevator with Christopher Walken. Months later, in LA, same thing! I acknowledged him but stopped myself from saying, 'Hey! Remember me? We shared an elevator in Tokyo!'

Saw Nadia Comaneci score a perfect 10 at the 1976 Montreal Olympics — from the floor. Oh, and I’ve been hit by a train while driving and hit by a plane while in a boat. Life’s a wild ride!

I gave birth to my children. No one else can say they literally gave birth to them but me.

I pronounced “misled” as “mizzled” until my 40s and would say stuff like, “I don’t want to misle you, but…” Language adventures!

I gave birth as a surrogate for two different families — once in Portugal in 2021 and once in France in 2023. Visited them multiple times and just spent a week celebrating birthdays. Surrogate mom life!

When I was 13 or 14, my dad quickly took me in and out of a building in DC and said, 'Now you can say you’ve been in Watergate.' History moment unlocked.

I lost the election for sixth grade class president by one vote — mine. I thought voting for myself was bad sportsmanship. Oh well!

I went door-knocking with Melissa Hortman during her first run for office. She was as nice as everyone said and totally deserved all the praise at her funeral. Also, I hope her rival never finds peace.

Received my very first teacher thank-you gift from Caroline Kennedy. High five for special moments!

Assigned to have a speaker for sacrament class, I recruited a friend to impersonate a priest last minute. He winged it and we never got caught. Nailed it.

After a job interview, my fortune cookie read: ‘Pack your bags your moving east.’ I got the job and lived in the DMV for 13 years. Coincidence? I think not.

I sang at the funeral of a Supreme Court justice. Nerves and honor all rolled into one.

Birthed an eleven-pound baby with zero pain meds. Toughest thing I’ve ever done.

At Daytona Bike Week 2011, at 36 and a mom of three, I outshined hundreds of 20-somethings and won the Best Booty competition 12 times and the final too. Talk about a comeback!

Reading these stories makes me want an emoji other than the regular smiley to acknowledge the replies. Some people here definitely deserve a big virtual hug!

During a private White House concert, I politely asked Prince if Stevie Wonder could join him for a song and then politely asked Stevie Wonder to step off the stage so Prince could continue. I actually cried. Lol.

I have an extra finger, and I can confidently say, 'OMG, I got another paper cut on my extra finger!' It's a small thing, but unique, right?

I watched a Tasmanian tiger—thought to be extinct since 1940—walk across my rural property in Northern California. I was like 50 feet away. Stripes, size, everything matched. Still can’t believe it.