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Have you ever found yourself in some kind of weird situation or predicament, and you actually have no idea how you got there? And you’re asking yourself, “What just happened?”
This is something I find really fascinating – when our brain is trying to figure out the reality of what is going on, but it just doesn’t have enough information to make sense of it. So the end result is usually confusion. But in some cases, it can be terrifying.
Our guest today is Deb, and that’s what happened to her one day while she was downhill skiing with her friend Gary.

It was a beautiful day, she’s in fresh snow, and she’s having a great time just flying down the mountain. But suddenly and without any warning, she just stopped. She’s on her back and unable to move. Then she finds that breathing is getting more and more difficult. There’s no one else around.
And she has no idea what just happened.

She figured out what happened eventually, of course. And get this – Ski Patrol took longer than they should have to get to her, because they couldn’t find her. And Deb says that mistake is what allowed her to survive this whole ordeal.

If you like these stories and want to be one of the very special listeners who support the show, visit WhatWasThatLike.com/support.
Past episodes
- 106: Tessi heard a tree fall
- 105: Jessica's kidnappers demanded $45 million
- 104: Jami was a juror in a murder trial
- 103: Adam saw no way out
- 102: Dee's father crawled toward him
- American Hostage
- 101: Garrett was held hostage at knifepoint
- Twin Flames
- 100: Jeff's arm was torn off
- 99: Bill got a dreaded phone call
- 98: CQ was shot in an ambush
- 98: CQ was shot in an ambush
- 97: Karen was attacked while hiking
- 97: Karen was attacked while hiking
- 96: Danny found a baby in the subway
- 96: Danny found a baby in the subway
- 95: Amy's office was bombed
- 95: Amy's office was bombed
- 94: Barbie's dog was stolen
- 94: Barbie's dog was stolen
- Operator
- Operator
- 93: Brook lost a leg to a shark
- 93: Brook lost a leg to a shark
- 92: Andrew head-on crashed his snowmobile
- 92: Andrew head-on crashed his snowmobile
- 91: Bonus episode - Childbirth Stories
- 91: Bonus episode - Childbirth Stories
- 90: Emily was a surrogate
- 90: Emily was a surrogate
- 89: Alex was trapped under an ATV
- 89: Alex was trapped under an ATV
- Badlands Season 2: Sportsland
- Badlands Season 2: Sportsland
- 88: Tim lost friends on September 11
- 88: Tim lost friends on September 11
- 9/12
- 9/12
- 87: Victoria's neighbors brought horrible news
- 87: Victoria's neighbors brought horrible news
- 86: Jen was robbed at gunpoint
- 86: Jen was robbed at gunpoint
- 85: Bonus episode: Jessica's story
- 85: Bonus episode: Jessica's story
- 84: Robert was in a gunfight with pirates
- 84: Robert was in a gunfight with pirates
- 83: Shareen was rammed with her own car
- 83: Shareen was rammed with her own car
- 82: Michael was abused with a sewing machine
- 82: Michael was abused with a sewing machine
- 81: Monica discovered the family secret
- 81: Monica discovered the family secret
- 80: Ricky doesn't buy groceries
- 80: Ricky doesn't buy groceries
- 79: Emily was caught as a drug mule
- 79: Emily was caught as a drug mule
- 78: Jeff was convicted of murder
- 78: Jeff was convicted of murder
- 77: Monica lost her boyfriend
- 77: Monica lost her boyfriend
- 76: Gil fell off a cliff
- 76: Gil fell off a cliff
- 75: Woniya was alone in the Arctic
- 75: Woniya was alone in the Arctic
- 74: Daril was shot as a rookie policeman
- 74: Daril was shot as a rookie policeman
- 73: Matt crashed his plane in the wilderness
- 73: Matt crashed his plane in the wilderness
- 72: Bonus episode - Q&A
- 72: Bonus episode - Q&A
- 71: Deneen dodged a derailing train
- 71: Deneen dodged a derailing train
- 70: Aaron survived a tsunami
- 70: Aaron survived a tsunami
- 69: Kira was attacked by a serial rapist
- 69: Kira was attacked by a serial rapist
- 68: Dan was mauled by a grizzly bear
- 68: Dan was mauled by a grizzly bear
- 67: Steven was hit by a truck
- 67: Steven was hit by a truck
- 66: Mariah lost her brother
- 66: Mariah lost her brother
- 65: Brandon was dragged by a horse
- 65: Brandon was dragged by a horse
- 64: Monika's life was destroyed by a stranger
- 64: Monika's life was destroyed by a stranger
- 63: Liz discovered a suicide
- 63: Liz discovered a suicide
- 62: Terri witnessed a murder
- 62: Terri witnessed a murder
- 61: Robin drove the Wienermobile
- 61: Robin drove the Wienermobile
- 60: Two first-hand stories from 9/11
- 60: Two first-hand stories from 9/11
- 59: Eric saved a crashed skydiver
- 59: Eric saved a crashed skydiver
- 58: James was crushed by a tree
- 58: James was crushed by a tree
- 57: Gael crashed into a river
- 57: Gael crashed into a river
- 56: Lesli's house exploded
- 56: Lesli's house exploded
- 55: Michael survived an avalanche
- 55: Michael survived an avalanche
- 54: Bonus episode - Raw Audio
- 54: Bonus episode - Raw Audio
- 53: Dave won $113k on a game show
- 53: Dave won $113k on a game show
- 52: These 3 people died
- 52: These 3 people died
- 51: Dan preps people for prison
- 51: Dan preps people for prison
- 50: Deb suddenly stopped skiing
- 50: Deb suddenly stopped skiing
- 49: Struck by lightning
- 49: Struck by lightning
- 48: Kimberly got the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- 48: Kimberly got the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- 47: William Hung was on American Idol
- 47: William Hung was on American Idol
- 46: James spent 35 years in prison
- 46: James spent 35 years in prison
- 45: Eric killed an intruder
- 45: Eric killed an intruder
- 44: Lynsey's mom stole her identity
- 44: Lynsey's mom stole her identity
- 43: Matt proposed with a movie trailer
- 43: Matt proposed with a movie trailer
- 42: Jami found a stranger in her bedroom
- 42: Jami found a stranger in her bedroom
- 41: Lauren was attacked by a monkey
- 41: Lauren was attacked by a monkey
- 40: Spence is a lighthouse keeper
- 40: Spence is a lighthouse keeper
- 39: Steve's wife lost all her memory
- 39: Steve's wife lost all her memory
- 38: Henry was attacked by an alligator
- 38: Henry was attacked by an alligator
- 37: Ray went from 500 pounds to ultrarunner
- 37: Ray went from 500 pounds to ultrarunner
- 36: Acaimie rescued her husband
- 36: Acaimie rescued her husband
- 35: Ross was blinded by his father
- 35: Ross was blinded by his father
- 34: Diana survived a plane crash
- 34: Diana survived a plane crash
- 33: Karen was shot on Interstate 95
- 33: Karen was shot on Interstate 95
- 32: Chloe accidentally started a business
- 32: Chloe accidentally started a business
- 31: Kevin saved a life while golfing
- 31: Kevin saved a life while golfing
- 30: Travis lost his son
- 30: Travis lost his son
- 29: Westin survived a boat propeller
- 29: Westin survived a boat propeller
- 28: Shiny ate his own foot
- 28: Shiny ate his own foot
- 27: Luke survived a fatal crash
- 27: Luke survived a fatal crash
- 26: John was lost for 4 days
- 26: John was lost for 4 days
- 25: Kasey married a wrong number
- 25: Kasey married a wrong number
- 24: Marina was stalked
- 24: Marina was stalked
- 23: Whitney was shot 12 times
- 23: Whitney was shot 12 times
- 22: Tyson was abducted
- 22: Tyson was abducted
- 21: Ramon's wife hired a hit man to kill him
- 21: Ramon's wife hired a hit man to kill him
- 20: William was hit while biking
- 20: William was hit while biking
- 19: Dan biked to the South Pole
- 19: Dan biked to the South Pole
- 18: Max got a deal on Shark Tank
- 18: Max got a deal on Shark Tank
- 17: Sue crashed a skydive
- 17: Sue crashed a skydive
- 16: Alyssa's abuser set himself on fire
- 16: Alyssa's abuser set himself on fire
- 15: Zane was trapped on the hood of a car
- 15: Zane was trapped on the hood of a car
- 14: Chris hung from a hang glider
- 14: Chris hung from a hang glider
- 13: Jannike lay down on the railroad tracks
- 13: Jannike lay down on the railroad tracks
- 12: Matt fell through the ice
- 12: Matt fell through the ice
- 11: Jeremy was bitten by a rattlesnake
- 11: Jeremy was bitten by a rattlesnake
- 10: Joey prevented a kidnapping
- 10: Joey prevented a kidnapping
- 9: Brett proposed in court
- 9: Brett proposed in court
- 8: Kami survived a mass shooting
- 8: Kami survived a mass shooting
- 7: Vincent witnessed a teen die by gunshot
- 7: Vincent witnessed a teen die by gunshot
- 6: Josh had his leg amputated
- 6: Josh had his leg amputated
- 5: Mark gave his kidney to a stranger
- 5: Mark gave his kidney to a stranger
- 4: Justin met his birth mother
- 4: Justin met his birth mother
- 3: Samantha only sleeps every 8 days
- 3: Samantha only sleeps every 8 days
- 2: Luke got caught smuggling cocaine
- 2: Luke got caught smuggling cocaine
- 1: Jennifer caused a fatal accident
- 1: Jennifer caused a fatal accident
- Introduction to What Was That Like
- Introduction to What Was That Like