Is it possible to remember a life you never lived? How far would you go to save your smartphone? And exactly how many apex predators can one man fit in his pants? This week, we explore three bizarre headlines that redefine the phrase "truth is stranger than fiction."
We lead with the haunting story of Luke Ruehlman. At just five years old, Luke began sharing specific, chilling details about a woman named Pamela Robinson. He claimed he had "traveled to heaven" after jumping from a burning building in Chicago. When his family investigated the 1993 Paxton Hotel fire, they discovered a victim who matched Luke's descriptions perfectly. We discuss the evidence of reincarnation and the eerie precision of a toddler’s memory.
Next, we head to the Olympic National Forest for a story that will make you clutch your phone a little tighter. A woman attempting to retrieve her dropped device from a vault toilet found herself in a literal "shitty" situation. After using dog leashes to try and fish the phone out, she fell head-first into the waste pit. It took a full rescue team to extract her from the outhouse, proving that some things just aren't worth saving.
Finally, we break down the legal drama of Calvin Bautista. In July 2018, Bautista boarded a bus from Canada to Northern New York with some very unusual "traveling companions." Taped to his inner thigh were three Burmese pythons. Not only is this a terrifying way to travel, but it’s also a violation of international treaties. We look at the federal charges, the "injurious to human beings" classification, and why the trouser snake headline became an instant classic in the annals of smuggling fails.
