don't go caving, don't go diving, don't watch the sunset on the beach, don't climb mountains,... man.. you makin me wanna stay inside for the rest of my life
I'm Greek and tend to talk this way, 'with my hands' alot. Most people love it, some have told me it comes across aggressive to have hand motions happening in conversation 🤷♀️
What I've learnt from this channel. - don't go into tunnels - don't go into caves - don't go into caves filled with water - don't go into forests - don't go up mountains - don't go on planes - don't go into the ocean But most importantly don't go outside
Truly, this channel is so successful because the art story telling is ancient, and never went away. This guy found his niche and we're blessed by it. 🌹
That first story just hits you hard as a father. Just imagine being so close to your daughter and hearing her screams but cannot save her because you don’t know where she is. That’s probably the worst nightmare possible
@@Just_Call_Me_Tim Sheer ignorance. I would NEVER go in the water at night in more than the tide hitting my toes at the shoreline, IF that. People are just not critical thinkers as to what could happen. False sense of security plays a major role in that.
What I love most about MrBallen is that when I'm listening to him, it doesn't sound like almost every other story reading channels, like he's reading the story word for word off a script, it feels like he was actually there, using his own words to describe what happened
Exactly... I'm kinda desensitized to videos of death even because of the internet but the way he tells the stories is so good you feel like you're there...
Also, so many of these other channels speak in a way that is intolerable to listen too. Like waaay to slow, or with a really weird accent or whatever. Mr ballen is talking like a normal human beeing, thank goodness!
Just saying this mans voice and story telling has lulled me to sleep many times, as a crohns disease patient in constant pain sleep doesnt come easy, so thank you kind sir.
I have fallen asleep to his videos multiple times. Unfortunately, I tend to always dream about whatever I am hearing while I'm asleep, so a lot of times it ends up with me being the character he is narrating about. Needless to say, if I'm tired, I now only watch videos of his that I know will have good endings from the titles. And definitely no spooky horror stories
His voice rivals falling asleep to Robert Stack narrating “Unsolved Mysteries” or Bill Kurtis on A&E’s “Investigative Reports”🤣 Feel better, stay well. 🙌
Top 3 most famous last words “Let’s go into the middle of the woods with no phone or radios” “It’s ok we know what we’re doing” “Let’s just go a little further”
That first story is so heart breaking, I just cannot imagine the suffering Nicolla's father went through when he realised how close he was to finding and saving his beloved daughter.
@@miguelramos9274 no way they would've been able to know that something like this would ever happen, you're basically saying "don't go out", and that in itself can be dangerous too which is evident where people got trapped in their own homes and died. There's always a risk with almost everything, the important thing to do is try to mitigate those risks as best as possible: the sad thing she did which many other people have done is leave their phone away from them (likely she didn't want to get the phone wet, but there's ways around that).
@@whenthingsfly4283just dont be stupid and go into the water at night (predators) and go in WAIST DEEP, it’s just basic common sense, you don’t go into water when drinking either.
Those people who say “let’s go out to the middle of nowhere but let’s leave our phones at home so we can disconnect” Have you never heard of airplane mode?
Still, in the wild you won't get a signal, so it's better to have satellite phone capability. The best ones also have topographic gps maps. See: Garmin inReach Explorer+.
@@lucipurrxd3486 Are you joking? "airplane mode" has been around forever. It just was called "self control". I find it crazy that someone needs to prevent themselves from being able to access a phone because they can't stop using it.
Exactly. It was a shitty week in this country..... mrBalllen didn’t have a video on Friday was the worst of it ....it was the like button that caused all of it.
I’m so glad Neil came out alive. To be that old and go through that had me so scared for him. I was raised by my Grandparents so I have a huge soft spot for older people and I can’t fathom how his son even thought that was a good idea. Anyone that suggests outdoor ventures without any thought out plans, safety nets, phones and extra precautionary things such as first aid kits and so forth needs to be head-butted to knock some common sense into em.
He might be an M. D., apparently he gave no thought of what could happen when taking your elderly father on a strenuous and radically freezing rafting trip. No phones or radio? BIG RED FLAGS 🚩!!!
It really does feel almost like foul play there. You always want to trust your family, but when you're old and grey, life insurance can look tempting for some. Not saying that was his son's idea, but it sure looks FUCKING suspicious.
@@GayCherryJuice theres even magnetic bags where if it's an emergency you can still use the phone, but other wise it's locked inside of a bag and yeah. Just put it on airplane mode and if you need to remove it you can. It's super suspicious, hell even just a satellite phone between the two just in case a bloody sea-plane doesn't miraculously appear. Something is very sketch about that story
@@GayCherryJuice How the fuck is it foul play when HE TOO went to the fucking trip? He is risking his own life for insurance? Man people here really be reaching just to sound a teeny tiny bit smart
As soon as he said the steering broke, I immediately thought of another incident where subs got run over: the battle of May Island. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_May_Island
@@steezuschrist2408 I'm gonna hafta agree with you there: "Hanlon's Razor": an adage or rule of thumb that states "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
Finally a story where everyone survives. Blake and Neil might be the first people I’ve seen survive one of these stories. I mean I’m new to this channel but I’ve been binge watching it for 3 days straight and this is the first time the people all lived.
"the whole thing brought us closer together" is a really nice way for Neil to say "I realized I better spend as much time with my son while I can because it's only a matter of time before that idiot wins a Darwin award"
The son was a massive idiot in that story. He single handedly almost got both of them killed. You need to respect nature. It will kill you if you don't.
@@krysxmoon Thought I was being respectful. The son was an idiot. He didn't listen to reason. He didn't listen to his reasonable father who was clearly very concerned. A man of his age shouldn't have been subjected to the stressful & dangerous environment that his own son put him in & forcefully & continuously endangered his father, repeatedly ! He may have just intended a fun vacation, but he did so in a manner that was reckless. I wasn't the only one who felt so. You know, if you kill someone by accident, you can still be charged with their death, it's just not called homocide. Heard of involuntary manslaughter ? He almost got charged accordingly. Frankly, I have heard of people dying in similar situations. As it turns out, they were killed for insurance money. Oh, but it was an ACCIDENT. Really ? Hmmm.
@@MrBallen I scrolled all the way down to the description, tortured the like button for about the 29292th time this week, and I made sure to double check I subscribed with notifications on.. 🤫
6:31 "Hey pops let's go to a wild area with bears/wolves thats 60 miles from civilization and what the heck, let's leave our phones and radios in the vehicle." Yeah he's trying to kill his dad.
@@rongsmith4631 That seems like a vastly inefficient way to murder your father. Why put himself in so much danger when he could have just hired a top-notch hitman. He's a doctor so he should have plenty of extra cash lying around. That fact also eliminates the seemingly most popular motive for patricide: inheritance. Also, according to MrBallen, they had a particularly great relationship. For those reasons, I do not think that he tried to kill his father.
@@spicycurrychicken4247 Honestly, I think it more a case of just being a doctor. Due to him being so busy, he probably wasn't thinking the straightest and made a few mad calls.
@@Animalace3 I doubt it, they had a great relationship. Even if he was incredibly busy, as he is the kind of human that could make it through med school, he would probably put more thought into it than that. Also, in my mind it was definitely not a crime of opportunity, it was positively planned ahead of time. A mad decision is more like stabbing him after inviting him over for dinner, not booking a rafting trip to Alaska.
Never go out like this without a personal locator beacon no matter how safe you think the area is. They're cheap on amazon and they will save your life.
Very true...👑 And if the beacon happens to go out or doesnt do its job.. Your family could end up rich by suing the makers..😅(after writing this comment Ima take two beacons)..
I have a satellite phone. You can message anyone, anywhere. There’s GPS & Wi-Fi as well. It’s pricy, but knowing I have anyone at my fingertips anywhere & I can contact anyone & be found is worth it. My life is worth way more than $2k
i am currently bed ridden and it makes me depressed i can't do things i used to - your amazing awesome story telling has helped me and taken me out of my misery for a while, thank you!!!
As an adult who's loved the ocean, beaches, pools since childhood, and in several instances came close to drowning but will STILL love water, no force in the universe would possess me to go into the ocean at night ALONE in waste deep water. The water is black and almost invisible...
I could totally do that. But i would make sure it was safe waters, no dangerous animals, no quicksand, no tides, no high wave activity and no whirl pools or sudden underwater trenches with suction, no under water plumes, etc. And i would step in with full scuba gear, 25 extra airtanks, 2 rifles, a gun and a knife, and lots of ammo. And i would pack enough food and water for 3 months. Yeah no problems actually, ez pz :)
If you knew there were no rocks or big waves, and sharks were unlikely, I don't really see the problem. I've done it a few times myself (swam in the ocean at night), as have many other people I know. It was truly a freak accident. I'd never even heard of someone getting stuck in quicksand while just walking in shallow water at the beach.
Things I have learned over the past few months: 1. Stay away from caves 2. Stay away from the sea 3. I am a fan of the strange, dark and mysterious delivered in story format
Listening to these stories makes me feel like I've tapped into some primeval, oral history-loving gene my ancient ancestors probably appreciated way more than I ever did before stumbling upon this channel.
love how MrBallen went all the way to a cliff side, a snowy woods, and a moonlit ocean just to give us this wonderful video. that’s makes up for the 4 days you were gone
Even though that's a dire situation even after getting out of the river, I couldn't imagine the unyielding guilt the son would likely never get over if his dad died after ignoring his objections to continue down the stream. I personally suffer from survivor's guilt, and that situation would just kill me from the inside out. I'm so so glad that story didn't end the horrible way it could've.
John, you are an awesome story teller. Because of you I have a never ending cash of stories to tell my kids. According to some I also have a gift of telling good stories. I hope you never end this channel and that you are making a killing. Thanks for your service to our country.
@Alisha reily What do you mean "do your job?" I literally stopped cross stitching, and sat with my husband who wanted to watch mr. Ballen . Why am I a horrible wife for watching Mr. Ballen with my husband? something which we enjoy doing TOGETHER? You are really bad at Trolling.
@Alisha reily "Ur husband so unlucky... to get such a wife. Do ur job nd then waste ur time on youtube" Why is my husband "unlucky?" You're just jealous because you probably have no one to watch Mr. Ballen with.. BTW, after a full nights work, and I worked my ass off. I am allowed to relax.
@Alisha reily If this is the conclusion you came to (my husband FORCING me to watch mr. Ballen) from the above posts, please do society a favor and do not reproduce.
I'd be right with you in that theory, but what keeps me holding back is that he went through it too. He was also in the water, pulled under ice shelves, etc. If they tipped over and he made it right away, he wouldn't have tracked down his dad and pulled him out with a tree branch if he was trying to kill him. Lots of variables.
Alaskan here thinking "he must have only been here less than a year when he planned this trip" I moved here and after only 3 months had a very healthy respect from hearing stories about lost hikers, lost planes, bears, mudflats, avalanches etc. that you never take the wilderness for granted and never go unprepared.
Mr ballen should get a Netflix contract he’s actually the best story teller out there I could fall asleep listening to him all day everyday let’s get this man on Netflix 💜
The submarine story is the one that really got to me. First of all I would never go into a sub, even if it was at dock for show. Those guys are brave beyond words. The way MrBallen tells these stories gets my heart pounding. He is indeed a warrior in my opinion. I served two tours as an officer in Vietnam and was wounded during both tours. I am 83 years old now and paying the price for those wounds, but the VA has been great caring for me lately. I am so claustrophobic, I require the door to the waiting room remain open just a little until the doctor arrives. My wife used to laugh but now understands.
Thank you, from Scotland, even if you didn’t serve with Scots, you defended freedom which we benefit from. I’m glad your wife understands now, PTSD is a hell of a thing to live with (I’ve PTSD too but not from combat), some people laugh at stuff like that and it’s really hard explaining, so I’m really glad your wife understands now
wow. a moment for the bravery of those men at the bottom of the conning tower, to be down there totally submerged in icy water, even holding on to the man above, and yet they allowed their fellows to escape, not taking them down in desperation for their own life... I can't even imagine the fortitude
@@huh968 are you unaware how common it is for a drowning person to end up drowning whomever tries to save them? typically such people are in a panic and therefore not thinking so clearly as to realize they are doomed no matter what they do.
@@the_hanged_clown that doesn't even apply here. they weren't trying to save each other, it is clear from the story that they knew they could only try to save themselves. and the submariners had no reason to panic, as they had mentally prepared for the situation and it didn't overwhelm them
This man makes my days better, he’s such a good story teller and thank you for your service, and I love how you make new thing to do with the like button
And so Blake grabbed a stick and tried to poke his father back into the river I mean grabbed a stick for his dad to grab onto to get to the edge of the river.
I know what to expect from this channel, but it's also really nice to hear a story where all parties survived. Even if the son was an idiot, I didn't want him or his dad to die for it. ):
All lighters work after being submerged in water so long as you have fluid .. I’m a smoker who has dropped lighters plenty of times in puddles... just blow in it and wait for it to dry and it will work again
Every night I fall asleep to scary stories or just stories that I find on TH-cam. I once try falling asleep listening to Ballen but his stories are so intriguing, good and suspenseful that I couldn't fall asleep. His video is actually kept me awake. Now I only watch him every chance I get other than when it's time for bed 🤣
literally me when i wanna watch a video abt things that trigger my ptsd 😛 i can’t even escape it anymore because se1f-harm and sexual violence and abuse is everywhere and it’s horrible not being able to watch these things because u get rly bad flashbacks to what u used to be and its shitty bc i can’t train myself to not be triggered 😭
As a young man, I caved in Kentucky often. These were usually small little-known caves on private land. Now that I’m older, the thought of crawling and feeling my back scrape the limestone overhead gives me the creeps.
The second story about the father and son had such a happy ending! I didn't expect that, especially since almost all these stories end in death. And things seemed so hopeless for them, it really did come as a surprise.
In the second story, I figured at least one of them would survive, because how else would anyone ever hear all those details of their ordeal in the water and under the ice? I'm glad they both did make it... and not one bit surprised that they swore off rafting.
Yes!!!! He should be hired to read Books on tape as well. Loving him & his family. From Toronto, Canada, more stories, I have caught up, but I go back and watch them again
I've always done one thing every year, to make sure that I am safe and stay alive when I am planning my rafting holidays? I ALWAYS plan that I will not go rafting. So far I have never had any trouble or accidents while not rafting. It has worked great.
@@sajteapot Blake probably thought that since he was a doctor that he knew everything. His father had almost thirty years’ life experience and was much more careful and practical. I’m glad they (especially the father) are ok.
Yeah not all the stories in “I Shouldn’t Be Alive” series end up with everyone alive. If it’s with two or more other people, either everyone survives, a few die, or the person telling the story is the sole survivor and even sometimes, there is suspicion that the sole survivor tried to kill the other people that didn’t end up surviving their ordeal.
my dad is an extremely experienced white water rafter (he's worked as a guide through some of the highest level rapids in the world), and once he and my mom had us, the deal was made that he wouldn't go rafting at all anymore without a gps/emergency locating device, and he ESPECIALLY wouldn't be taking us without one. they're ridiculously cheap and definitely worth it. you never know what could happen, and even if you're extremely experienced, it's not worth the risk. these stories are full of extremely experienced people.
7:37 Michelin man on a stone in the lake to the left of you
I don’t know what it is either
The guy that popped up from the water?
Its the Michelin man.
You sir, have the eyes of a hawk!!! And the ears of a fox!!!
How are you guys upgrading your eyes? Is there like a dealer I can go to, like how’s everyone seeing in 4K ultra high def and I’m still at 620p
I can't believe I wasted 40 years never knowing I was a fan of the strange, dark and mysterious delivered in story format.
Got a good laugh out of me with this comment 🤣
Lots of people don't realize what they like until they've heard a story in that genre by Mr. Ballen.
You're here now, that's what matters :)
I only wasted 13 years
@@jennifercarr9111 and I'm determined to make sure my kids don't make the same mistake lol
don't go caving, don't go diving, don't watch the sunset on the beach, don't climb mountains,... man.. you makin me wanna stay inside for the rest of my life
Welcome to the paranoid way of life 😬
Guy who was in the house and died from a sinkhole video though
Don't watch the sunset walking in to the ocean..
what if the house is near a sinkhole.... don't go near your house oooff
It's a good time to be in lock down from the pandemic 😂
Who else thinks MrBallens hand talking makes the stories more entertaining?
same over here
It's called TPR (total physical response) It's used to make teaching (and telling stories) more engaging and easier to understand.
I agree with you 100%.
His hand talking really amplifies all of the stories he tells in the best way possible 👏👏🥰👍
I'm Greek and tend to talk this way, 'with my hands' alot. Most people love it, some have told me it comes across aggressive to have hand motions happening in conversation 🤷♀️
That’s what made me thought he was from philly
What I've learnt from this channel.
- don't go into tunnels
- don't go into caves
- don't go into caves filled with water
- don't go into forests
- don't go up mountains
- don't go on planes
- don't go into the ocean
But most importantly don't go outside
Also don’t be in the house
Also lock your doors
Don't get married have friends or kids or family for that matter. No taking antibiotics or any pills or medicine and trust no one.
The forest isn't that bad if you're one of the feral humans in the stories.
+Chillz - But, but, what about people who get killed by home intruders? 😨😨😨
MrBallen's videos have given me a renewed appriciation for the simpler things in life, like breathing.
...and just sitting on the couch all warm and cozy and not freezing to death or getting lost somewhere.
MrBallen makes us love boring terrain, without lakes, Rivers, caves, mountains, any body of water whatsoever.
i very much like this comment
Lmao 😂 😆🤣
Hell after all of these things people shouldn't do even breathing is dangerous.
The very underrated talent of story telling is an almost lost art these days. You are one of the best!
Amen to that
Yes! I couldn’t tell a story in a straight line to save my life!
Truly, this channel is so successful because the art story telling is ancient, and never went away. This guy found his niche and we're blessed by it. 🌹
That first story just hits you hard as a father. Just imagine being so close to your daughter and hearing her screams but cannot save her because you don’t know where she is. That’s probably the worst nightmare possible
I have to ask... why walk closer to the water, at sundown, night, etc? But, I'm no fish an prefer dry land, so I tend to stay closer to it. So sad.
@Logan Bryan yeah man I got four young kids. I can’t even freaking imagine. Especially in the situation like that father was in. So freaking sad
The worst part is that he probably still hears her screams..wish him peace.
@@Just_Call_Me_Tim Sheer ignorance. I would NEVER go in the water at night in more than the tide hitting my toes at the shoreline, IF that. People are just not critical thinkers as to what could happen. False sense of security plays a major role in that.
@@Just_Call_Me_Tim Sometimes you don’t even realize it, it’s happened to me but I eventually realized and escaped.
I’m 67 years old but this man tells me a bed time story every night. Totally enjoy his stories, they carry me away in a mind movie.
Me too 👍
I'm a 67 year old female. I can't fall asleep unless I have a MrBallen story on.
I'm 35 & same, y'all! 😍
and I'm 33 but I can't call them that, because it doesn't help me go to bed ... 🥲
I'm 11 and if I could listen to this man on loop for 50 hours I would.
What I love most about MrBallen is that when I'm listening to him, it doesn't sound like almost every other story reading channels, like he's reading the story word for word off a script, it feels like he was actually there, using his own words to describe what happened
YOU SAID IT FUCKING PERFECTLY. yes.
Very well prepared and well researched information! 👏
Yeah like he's a wizard!
Exactly... I'm kinda desensitized to videos of death even because of the internet but the way he tells the stories is so good you feel like you're there...
Also, so many of these other channels speak in a way that is intolerable to listen too. Like waaay to slow, or with a really weird accent or whatever. Mr ballen is talking like a normal human beeing, thank goodness!
Just saying this mans voice and story telling has lulled me to sleep many times, as a crohns disease patient in constant pain sleep doesnt come easy, so thank you kind sir.
I hope you feel better :)
I have fallen asleep to his videos multiple times. Unfortunately, I tend to always dream about whatever I am hearing while I'm asleep, so a lot of times it ends up with me being the character he is narrating about. Needless to say, if I'm tired, I now only watch videos of his that I know will have good endings from the titles. And definitely no spooky horror stories
I go sleep listening to these stores as well
Glad to see I'm not the only one, I was afraid it came off as disrespectful
His voice rivals falling asleep to Robert Stack narrating “Unsolved Mysteries” or Bill Kurtis on A&E’s “Investigative Reports”🤣
Feel better, stay well. 🙌
Top 3 most famous last words
“Let’s go into the middle of the woods with no phone or radios”
“It’s ok we know what we’re doing”
“Let’s just go a little further”
"Safety has to be around here somewhere"
😂😂😂🤣🤣😂🤣
Arogance
4th - " hold my beer" and 5th " that ain't shit, watch this" 6th - " you think we put to much tannerite on it?"
"I'm going by myself"
"I'll be ok!"
That first story is so heart breaking, I just cannot imagine the suffering Nicolla's father went through when he realised how close he was to finding and saving his beloved daughter.
But he couldn’t should’ve just had a family party nope all put forget about your daughter
@@miguelramos9274
What are you saying?
@@miguelramos9274 are you having a stroke?
@@miguelramos9274 no way they would've been able to know that something like this would ever happen, you're basically saying "don't go out", and that in itself can be dangerous too which is evident where people got trapped in their own homes and died.
There's always a risk with almost everything, the important thing to do is try to mitigate those risks as best as possible: the sad thing she did which many other people have done is leave their phone away from them (likely she didn't want to get the phone wet, but there's ways around that).
@@whenthingsfly4283just dont be stupid and go into the water at night (predators) and go in WAIST DEEP, it’s just basic common sense, you don’t go into water when drinking either.
Those people who say “let’s go out to the middle of nowhere but let’s leave our phones at home so we can disconnect”
Have you never heard of airplane mode?
Still, in the wild you won't get a signal, so it's better to have satellite phone capability. The best ones also have topographic gps maps. See: Garmin inReach Explorer+.
That happened in 2003, airplane mode was only invented in 2000 so would've been pretty new still.
@@lucipurrxd3486 Still dumb to leave your phone when you're so far from any help lmao 😭
@@lucipurrxd3486 Are you joking? "airplane mode" has been around forever. It just was called "self control". I find it crazy that someone needs to prevent themselves from being able to access a phone because they can't stop using it.
@@sydneyodessa2129 I totally agree, not like they would get reception. but nowadays especially I wouldn't go anywhere without my phone lol.
I like hearing the stories where people manage to survive. It’s nice to have a happy ending once in a while lol
Right lol
BOOOOOOO
I prefer the places people cant go but go anyway bc theres never a happy ending
Agree :)
I like happy endings too😛
When MrBallen posts you know it’s gunna be a good day
Always!! MrBallen never disappoints me!!
Literally
Yes!! I was up all morning watching he’s old videos got so excited when this popped up 💕
Exactly. It was a shitty week in this country..... mrBalllen didn’t have a video on Friday was the worst of it ....it was the like button that caused all of it.
Agreed good sir
I’m so glad Neil came out alive. To be that old and go through that had me so scared for him. I was raised by my Grandparents so I have a huge soft spot for older people and I can’t fathom how his son even thought that was a good idea. Anyone that suggests outdoor ventures without any thought out plans, safety nets, phones and extra precautionary things such as first aid kits and so forth needs to be head-butted to knock some common sense into em.
He might be an M. D., apparently he gave no thought of what could happen when taking your elderly father on a strenuous and radically freezing rafting trip. No phones or radio? BIG RED FLAGS 🚩!!!
It really does feel almost like foul play there. You always want to trust your family, but when you're old and grey, life insurance can look tempting for some.
Not saying that was his son's idea, but it sure looks FUCKING suspicious.
Yep, okay he said no phones, etc so that they can enjoy and no interruptions and such. Simple, just don't answer the phone!
@@GayCherryJuice theres even magnetic bags where if it's an emergency you can still use the phone, but other wise it's locked inside of a bag and yeah. Just put it on airplane mode and if you need to remove it you can. It's super suspicious, hell even just a satellite phone between the two just in case a bloody sea-plane doesn't miraculously appear. Something is very sketch about that story
@@GayCherryJuice How the fuck is it foul play when HE TOO went to the fucking trip? He is risking his own life for insurance? Man people here really be reaching just to sound a teeny tiny bit smart
That submarine story is just heartbreaking. It's amazing how brave those men were, RIP to the ones who didn't make it.
Yeah, I can imagine how scary it will be to not see your family again or being able to survive
As soon as he said the steering broke, I immediately thought of another incident where subs got run over: the battle of May Island. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_May_Island
Blake sending out all kinds of red flags with how remote he WANTS this trip to be.
It's like he WANTED to kill his father?
Tryin to get that life insurance money
I dont think so, I think he was just stubborn and dumb
@@steezuschrist2408 I'm gonna hafta agree with you there:
"Hanlon's Razor": an adage or rule of thumb that states "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
I was looking for this comment as soon as he said no cellphones 😂😂
Finally a story where everyone survives. Blake and Neil might be the first people I’ve seen survive one of these stories. I mean I’m new to this channel but I’ve been binge watching it for 3 days straight and this is the first time the people all lived.
The first story she died
@@lanawatts119 - He said finally a "story" where everyone survives, not finally a "video" where everyone survives.
@@self-righteousideologue9398 absolute perfect Touché 😆
I think you are forgetting a certain, what was it... 24 sailors. E.I.P. and Thank you for your service, can't wait to meet in the afterlife.
What
Massive respect to those submariners, I can’t imagine how it would feel being in that situation!
MR BALLEN - creating new phobias for people every week.
me: phobia of death and stupidity
Lol 😂 true tho
Ya he did! 😲
Creating new phobias 3, 4 or even 5 times a week.
Lol right
“They would go on later to say...”
music to my ears
Yes, because we know they lived!! It's great to hear.
YES YES YES !!!
Right!!!! Im happy i heard that too but then i sas scared for the dad!!😞
the last time i was this early the like button still trusted me
Am the 2 like
Hahaha
Haha
🤣🤣🤣
HAHA
It's a 20°F late night with MrBallen, hot cocoa, cookies, pets and creepy, howling winds shrieking outside...Perfection!
How macabre.
"the whole thing brought us closer together" is a really nice way for Neil to say "I realized I better spend as much time with my son while I can because it's only a matter of time before that idiot wins a Darwin award"
What's Darwin award
Lmaoooooooo
I was looking for this comment lol
@@alexandriaburnett2801 Damn shame that dinosaurs bask in the reflective nonsense of it all.
@@misty6402 ahem!
Imagine being under the ice like that and your dad looks at u and just says "I told you so" then gets swept away
That sounds like a really dad thing to say/do
This is my mother, ngl 🤣🤣🤣
@@dustingaethje1332 😂😅🤣
Or “Bonding you say huh son” then he swept away lmao
This has me fucking cackling 🤣
I can’t even explain how happy and relieved it makes me when people survive. That’s how you know someone’s is good at story telling!
Would it be bad if I said I prefer the story’s where the individual has an excruciatingly distressing death?
That first story is so heartbreaking. Can't imagine how Nicola's father must feel, knowing how close he was.
I can't believe the men in the second story survived. That's incredible luck.
Survived, yes, but not from a lack of trying. I mean, the son was trying to kill one or both of them. Fortunately his dumbass failed.
The son was a massive idiot in that story. He single handedly almost got both of them killed. You need to respect nature. It will kill you if you don't.
@@levitaggart5943 You make it sound like the son was intentionally trying to kill his dad... Have some respect, he was just over cofident
@@krysxmoon Thought I was being respectful. The son was an idiot. He didn't listen to reason. He didn't listen to his reasonable father who was clearly very concerned. A man of his age shouldn't have been subjected to the stressful & dangerous environment that his own son put him in & forcefully & continuously endangered his father, repeatedly ! He may have just intended a fun vacation, but he did so in a manner that was reckless. I wasn't the only one who felt so. You know, if you kill someone by accident, you can still be charged with their death, it's just not called homocide. Heard of involuntary manslaughter ? He almost got charged accordingly. Frankly, I have heard of people dying in similar situations. As it turns out, they were killed for insurance money. Oh, but it was an ACCIDENT. Really ? Hmmm.
More like a miracle.
Literally never comment, but this guy is awesome. Anybody else think he would make a great podcast?
Just started watching him, was really hoping he’d have one so I could listen on my way to work!
Yes
No. Podcasts are cringe and we wouldn’t be able to fully see his hands or face emotions. At least I think they are cringe.
With lazy masquerade, Mr nightmare, and creepsmcpasta
@@Em-os1yz not that cringe
Kinda depends on the thing or person
Oh, so literally every nightmare I have but in a video sign me up 😬
Correct. Haha
Haha
@@MrBallen I scrolled all the way down to the description, tortured the like button for about the 29292th time this week, and I made sure to double check I subscribed with notifications on.. 🤫
Hahaha lol
@@travisscott2085 smh............
I literally can’t sleep with out having you telling me stories. It’s part of my bedtime routine
Same here!
Mine too 😂
Same
Same
Yeah Mr Ballen is always on for background noise while I'm cleaning the house or mowing grass. I hope he never stops
6:31 "Hey pops let's go to a wild area with bears/wolves thats 60 miles from civilization and what the heck, let's leave our phones and radios in the vehicle." Yeah he's trying to kill his dad.
I agree he tried to murder his father
Sounds about right.
@@rongsmith4631 That seems like a vastly inefficient way to murder your father. Why put himself in so much danger when he could have just hired a top-notch hitman. He's a doctor so he should have plenty of extra cash lying around. That fact also eliminates the seemingly most popular motive for patricide: inheritance. Also, according to MrBallen, they had a particularly great relationship. For those reasons, I do not think that he tried to kill his father.
@@spicycurrychicken4247 Honestly, I think it more a case of just being a doctor. Due to him being so busy, he probably wasn't thinking the straightest and made a few mad calls.
@@Animalace3 I doubt it, they had a great relationship. Even if he was incredibly busy, as he is the kind of human that could make it through med school, he would probably put more thought into it than that. Also, in my mind it was definitely not a crime of opportunity, it was positively planned ahead of time. A mad decision is more like stabbing him after inviting him over for dinner, not booking a rafting trip to Alaska.
Never go out like this without a personal locator beacon no matter how safe you think the area is. They're cheap on amazon and they will save your life.
Very true...👑 And if the beacon happens to go out or doesnt do its job.. Your family could end up rich by suing the makers..😅(after writing this comment Ima take two beacons)..
Ya I think I'm going to at least buy a moderately priced one. Maybe cheap ones work fine but heck if I'm risking it.
It's more fun to not use an beacon though.. as a real survival situation
I have a satellite phone. You can message anyone, anywhere. There’s GPS & Wi-Fi as well. It’s pricy, but knowing I have anyone at my fingertips anywhere & I can contact anyone & be found is worth it. My life is worth way more than $2k
Absolutely nailed into me doing hiking in high school- take Eperbs. Don’t be cocky. Cocky gets you KILLED
Life goal: Don’t be a topic in Mr Ballen’s stories!!
Honestly!!!
I tell my kids this all of the time
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣
Indeed!!!
Why doesn't this have more likes? My heart ❤️ was THUMPING FAST the whole time. I couldn't WAIT to hear what was next
i am currently bed ridden and it makes me depressed i can't do things i used to - your amazing awesome story telling has helped me and taken me out of my misery for a while, thank you!!!
Why you bed ridden.i pray you get better.have got better.
@@whatyoutalkingaboutwillis12 5 months later glad to say I am recovered 😌😌❤️ thank you
@@roxyp7569 so glad you’ve gotten better 💗
@@yupthatsbee3773 thank you sm ❤️ still listening to this channel all the time lol
@@roxyp7569 ayyy awesome! Go Roxy!
What I have learned from Mr Ballen:
Don”t go diving
Don’t go caving
Don’t go camping
Stay away from holes
And most important of all. Stay away from beaches with tidal water.
Going by that logic, just stay at home and never go anywhere.
Don't go scuba diving!
And Don't watch the Sun Set while wading in the Ocean. And Stay Out of Submarines.
@@desperado3236 then you have ghosts who make you disappear
Who else is pumped for this? Best way to start the week!
Yeah totally amazing
Since discovering MrBallen my nightmares have increased 90%, mostly drowning, especially with mud/quicksand/cave diving involvement. Thank you!
Unguided Alaskan rafting trip with no way to communicate with the outside world. Great idea. Totally not irresponsible...
Right! What could go wrong??!!
I eat unguided Alaskan rafting trips with no way to communicate with the outside world...for breakfast
@@Pedro-k1i9s your so irresponsible to even attempt to be that self reliant. Its people like you that will destroy this country.
Yea I would say those are the actions of people who are most definitely not competent outdoorsman
I was like risky but ok then when he said no walkie talkies or anything I was like. Yea what are you thinking
As an adult who's loved the ocean, beaches, pools since childhood, and in several instances came close to drowning but will STILL love water, no force in the universe would possess me to go into the ocean at night ALONE in waste deep water. The water is black and almost invisible...
I could totally do that. But i would make sure it was safe waters, no dangerous animals, no quicksand, no tides, no high wave activity and no whirl pools or sudden underwater trenches with suction, no under water plumes, etc. And i would step in with full scuba gear, 25 extra airtanks, 2 rifles, a gun and a knife, and lots of ammo. And i would pack enough food and water for 3 months.
Yeah no problems actually, ez pz :)
@@RonBest i bet thats what all the people that drowned thought
Ignorance is bliss…until reality kicks you in the butt!!!
If you knew there were no rocks or big waves, and sharks were unlikely, I don't really see the problem. I've done it a few times myself (swam in the ocean at night), as have many other people I know. It was truly a freak accident. I'd never even heard of someone getting stuck in quicksand while just walking in shallow water at the beach.
@@RonBest HAHAHAH idk why I didn't see this before but this CRACKED ME UP HAHAHA
Things I have learned over the past few months:
1. Stay away from caves
2. Stay away from the sea
3. I am a fan of the strange, dark and mysterious delivered in story format
And stay out of the woods
I’m a new subscriber ❤️I’m loving this channel thanks
Welcome!
Welcome!
TeamBallen
Welcome 😄
I bet his search history is just:
"Violent ways people died"
Mr.Magic is not normal.
😂
Osha nightmares
Jacob Mr . Sibily
ah yes that must be why the second story is about two ppl both surviving
Ayyyyyyyyyyyy
Anxiety time
I would normally hate this but since it’s mr ballen I find it amazing.
Hey what's up Mr. Chris Hansen? I loved watching you tell people to take a seat! Miss that show. 😂😂
So what are you here for today?
Listening to these stories makes me feel like I've tapped into some primeval, oral history-loving gene my ancient ancestors probably appreciated way more than I ever did before stumbling upon this channel.
Junior sailor turned out to be a legendary sailor just shows rank don't determine heart and soul
I’m not clostrohobic but my brother holy shit if he can’t stretch his arms without hitting a wall he is shitting himself
That’s me I needs stretch it used to be way worse tho
I need 3 feet of personal space.
On each side.
Thats me! I feel your brothers pain 🙈😫😂 lol
@Jorge Garcia Morales get over it.
It’s not my favorite scenario either
First story is the saddest cause that lady seemed super sweet.
i just love the way, how you tell these stories, you will make a person watch your shows, how you tell the story
love how MrBallen went all the way to a cliff side, a snowy woods, and a moonlit ocean just to give us this wonderful video. that’s makes up for the 4 days you were gone
I was starting to have withdrawals lol
Even though that's a dire situation even after getting out of the river, I couldn't imagine the unyielding guilt the son would likely never get over if his dad died after ignoring his objections to continue down the stream. I personally suffer from survivor's guilt, and that situation would just kill me from the inside out. I'm so so glad that story didn't end the horrible way it could've.
I’m so addicted I feel withdrawal when you don’t post
< mr ballen’s videos making me sleep at night because my ptsd is bad rn 3
@@soursoupie yo same
wotb player pincer?
@@Kevin-qc1iq Yes sir
@@Kevin-qc1iq do you play blitz as well?
Amazing story teller. Mr Ballen narrates these lengthy stories without fumbling his words
John, you are an awesome story teller. Because of you I have a never ending cash of stories to tell my kids. According to some I also have a gift of telling good stories. I hope you never end this channel and that you are making a killing. Thanks for your service to our country.
My husband announced "Mr. Ballen!"
I drop everything to watch.
@Alisha reily What do you mean "do your job?" I literally stopped cross stitching, and sat with my husband who wanted to watch mr. Ballen . Why am I a horrible wife for watching Mr. Ballen with my husband? something which we enjoy doing TOGETHER? You are really bad at Trolling.
@Alisha reily "Ur husband so unlucky... to get such a wife. Do ur job nd then waste ur time on youtube" Why is my husband "unlucky?" You're just jealous because you probably have no one to watch Mr. Ballen with.. BTW, after a full nights work, and I worked my ass off. I am allowed to relax.
@Alisha reily "which grammer miss moron?" You could start with spelling grammar correctly. Even though not technically grammar.
@Alisha reily If this is the conclusion you came to (my husband FORCING me to watch mr. Ballen) from the above posts, please do society a favor and do not reproduce.
Is Gopnik your original last name or did you take your husbands? (Sorry Idk much about marriage and who takes whos last name)
For #2 it sounded like he was trying to kill his dad. Every single bad idea in one trip.
I'd be right with you in that theory, but what keeps me holding back is that he went through it too. He was also in the water, pulled under ice shelves, etc. If they tipped over and he made it right away, he wouldn't have tracked down his dad and pulled him out with a tree branch if he was trying to kill him. Lots of variables.
@@D-Rock420 could be suicidal as well. I definitely would have Noped out of the whole trip. Nothing about it sounded safe.
Alaskan here thinking "he must have only been here less than a year when he planned this trip" I moved here and after only 3 months had a very healthy respect from hearing stories about lost hikers, lost planes, bears, mudflats, avalanches etc. that you never take the wilderness for granted and never go unprepared.
More likely it was just ignorance.
I was thinking that through the whole story lol
Mr. Ballen keeps my mind off my anxieties. He's special.
Or there are these things called books that would do the same. Just sayin.
@@meghanmisaliar💀
Omg I couldn't breathe hearing that second story😱 He really is a great story teller and makes you feel like you're actually there!
Mr ballen should get a Netflix contract he’s actually the best story teller out there I could fall asleep listening to him all day everyday let’s get this man on Netflix 💜
I say Hulu, Prime and Netflix need to fight it out Like button style and whoever wins and is left standing deserves the honor of Mr. Ballen
@@_epic_dyslexic_ excatly
Totally agree!
The like button just had me served with a restraining order.
😝
@@liesh7222 gay
@@RedditStories2505 didn't ask
@@RedditStories2505 is gay a bad thing? An insult?
The like button took me to court for child support and alimony!! Lol I'm taking the like button on Maury Povich to get a DNA test
Watch Mr.Ballen all day everyday without fail he's the best .
The submarine story is the one that really got to me. First of all I would never go into a sub, even if it was at dock for show. Those guys are brave beyond words. The way MrBallen tells these stories gets my heart pounding. He is indeed a warrior in my opinion. I served two tours as an officer in Vietnam and was wounded during both tours. I am 83 years old now and paying the price for those wounds, but the VA has been great caring for me lately. I am so claustrophobic, I require the door to the waiting room remain open just a little until the doctor arrives. My wife used to laugh but now understands.
thanks for serving im from Australia but even if you didn't serve with Aussies we still thank you for not only defending your nation but ours two
Thank you, from Scotland, even if you didn’t serve with Scots, you defended freedom which we benefit from. I’m glad your wife understands now, PTSD is a hell of a thing to live with (I’ve PTSD too but not from combat), some people laugh at stuff like that and it’s really hard explaining, so I’m really glad your wife understands now
Amen thank you for your service sir
Thank you for your service sir.
Blessings to you
Thank you for your services ❤️❤️✨❤️❤️ your age and past , is nothing short of admirable ‼️🙏🏽🇺🇸🇺🇲🙏🏽
I found the secret in today’s video! It’s a crippling fear of small spaces! And it’s THROUGHOUT THE VIDEO.
PIN THIS TO THE TOP!
@@lai6551 I love you man
Everybody gangsta till MrBallen ask if you a fan of the strange, dark,or Mysterious 😎
and delivered in story format 🥵🥵
Fella ur on Tik Tok u ain’t no gangster 🤐🤣
I love the way you explain Military happenings. In ways that civilians understand. Thank You.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Every once in awhile, I will actually hear you in the back of my head narrating my life.
wow. a moment for the bravery of those men at the bottom of the conning tower, to be down there totally submerged in icy water, even holding on to the man above, and yet they allowed their fellows to escape, not taking them down in desperation for their own life... I can't even imagine the fortitude
Yep i was thinking the same
wtf are you saying? why wouldn't they let go, it's not like they would actually gain an advantage from holding on lol
@@huh968 are you unaware how common it is for a drowning person to end up drowning whomever tries to save them? typically such people are in a panic and therefore not thinking so clearly as to realize they are doomed no matter what they do.
@@the_hanged_clown that doesn't even apply here. they weren't trying to save each other, it is clear from the story that they knew they could only try to save themselves. and the submariners had no reason to panic, as they had mentally prepared for the situation and it didn't overwhelm them
@@huh968 well it would seem about 40 people disagree with you on that soooo
I was just checking the channel like "damn it's been 4 days, I need my fix."
Literally same
SAMEEE
Yes!!!!!
Try nukes top 5 it’s like strange dark and mysterious methadone
@@primedaddyv3802 bwahaha lol
This man makes my days better, he’s such a good story teller and thank you for your service, and I love how you make new thing to do with the like button
And so Blake grabbed a stick and tried to poke his father back into the river I mean grabbed a stick for his dad to grab onto to get to the edge of the river.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣😂🤣😂
Ahhh you must be a raft guide
🤣🤣🤣
HAHA
I would listen to any story this man tells he can make any story interesting
“By Alaskan’s standards it’s consider LEISURE”
Me: Yea but I’m from Florida
NO THANKS
Is Floridian leisure not golfing with alligators?
@@snazz1363 Only if you want to feed the wildlife 😜
Everything in Alaska is harder 👌😂
Same- floridian here and ppl always talk about how beautiful Alaska is and I'm like, "yeah but I'm from Florida so no thanks!" Lol 😂
Those two men deserve medals for surviving a MrBallen episode.
Best storyteller since my grandfather. He served during ww2 and I would sit and listen to his stories for hours...
Lucky
I’m surprised that he manages to post like 4 times a week with a great creepy story as well as good editing. Your dedication is great. Love your vids😁
It's always nice to see someone excel at something they're good at. Nice job John.
Everyone is ‘first’ until they refresh
Lmao!! 😆🤘🤦♂️
Lol, your so riGhT
Being trapped in a small space is my biggest fear. The thought of not being able to take a deep breath to me is absolutely horrifying.
I was so excited the son found his dad I literally exhaled and deflated.
Yes, but that idiot is the one who took his father to Death's Door. Reckless & arrogant nearly got both of them expired.
Same! But a lighter that works after being underwater?
I know what to expect from this channel, but it's also really nice to hear a story where all parties survived. Even if the son was an idiot, I didn't want him or his dad to die for it. ):
me too!!! i’m too used to bad endings! and the plane coming unscheduled like YASSS LOVE THAT
All lighters work after being submerged in water so long as you have fluid .. I’m a smoker who has dropped lighters plenty of times in puddles... just blow in it and wait for it to dry and it will work again
Every night I fall asleep to scary stories or just stories that I find on TH-cam. I once try falling asleep listening to Ballen but his stories are so intriguing, good and suspenseful that I couldn't fall asleep. His video is actually kept me awake. Now I only watch him every chance I get other than when it's time for bed 🤣
this is the fastest i’ve ever clicked on a video
Holy it went from 69 to 71 in the time it took me post this
Agreed
If you ain't first your last lol. Love this channel
Dang and I thought I hit it fast! Stupid TH-cam notifications get to me last all the time it seems!!! 😡💔
I thought the son was trying to kill his dad at first.
Yes !
Yes, and to be honest I’m not sure he wasn’t trying to kill the pair of them... I dunno, very odd behaviour for an educated man with a family
My exact same thought. And I was wondering if the son had taken out an insurance policy on his dad as well.
That did cross my mind, too. Watching too much Discovery ID lately, I guess. Life insurance. It's always life insurance. So don't ever get any! 😂
Yeah I also thought that
Me: *has crippling claustrophobia*
Also me: *clicks the video*
My brain: WHYYYYY?!
My claustrophobia is so bad I can’t stand the headrest in my car touching my head, and I have to be sedated for the MRI.
literally me when i wanna watch a video abt things that trigger my ptsd 😛 i can’t even escape it anymore because se1f-harm and sexual violence and abuse is everywhere and it’s horrible not being able to watch these things because u get rly bad flashbacks to what u used to be and its shitty bc i can’t train myself to not be triggered 😭
Me too!! I can't help it. Lol
Me too! Sucker lol
As a young man, I caved in Kentucky often. These were usually small little-known caves on private land. Now that I’m older, the thought of crawling and feeling my back scrape the limestone overhead gives me the creeps.
The second story about the father and son had such a happy ending! I didn't expect that, especially since almost all these stories end in death. And things seemed so hopeless for them, it really did come as a surprise.
In the second story, I figured at least one of them would survive, because how else would anyone ever hear all those details of their ordeal in the water and under the ice? I'm glad they both did make it... and not one bit surprised that they swore off rafting.
That rafting story was truly terrifying as a wilderness lover
Love the stories Mr. Ballen does they are just so interesting. He is the only reason I am getting through Covid. Thank You Mr. Ballen!
The bravery of the men from LOOKOUT is outstanding
Welcome back mrballen. Hope you had a good weekend. So glad that we can get together with you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yes!!!! He should be hired to read Books on tape as well. Loving him & his family. From Toronto, Canada, more stories, I have caught up, but I go back and watch them again
I've always done one thing every year, to make sure that I am safe and stay alive when I am planning my rafting holidays?
I ALWAYS plan that I will not go rafting. So far I have never had any trouble or accidents while not rafting. It has worked great.
I do the same when I plan cave diving trips. I always plan to not go… haven’t had an issue
@@breannecartwright9037
See, genius. Worked everytime so far.
Foolproof plan!
😞
You know you should try 'not caving' too. It's a pretty awesome activity i do every summer
I like he uses his hands, he seems like he is so into the story telling. He is so good at it. He has an awesome tone for this stuff. He's the best.💜
I'm so grateful that both Blake and his dad made it. I can't imagine living knowing your dad or son did not make it 😢
Such a terrible choice they made but lessons learned. They won't go "Into the Wild" again.
Have to admit Blake was a bit of a knob and should have listened to his dad on multiple occasions. Glad both are ok though.
@@sajteapot Blake probably thought that since he was a doctor that he knew everything. His father had almost thirty years’ life experience and was much more careful and practical. I’m glad they (especially the father) are ok.
The second story also appeared on the “I Shouldn’t Be Alive” series. It’s a series similar to this except everyone always survive their ordeals
Several people in those stories had died
Yeah not all the stories in “I Shouldn’t Be Alive” series end up with everyone alive. If it’s with two or more other people, either everyone survives, a few die, or the person telling the story is the sole survivor and even sometimes, there is suspicion that the sole survivor tried to kill the other people that didn’t end up surviving their ordeal.
I remember, I watched it
I need Animal Planet to put that show back on!
Love I shouldn't be alive!
my dad is an extremely experienced white water rafter (he's worked as a guide through some of the highest level rapids in the world), and once he and my mom had us, the deal was made that he wouldn't go rafting at all anymore without a gps/emergency locating device, and he ESPECIALLY wouldn't be taking us without one. they're ridiculously cheap and definitely worth it. you never know what could happen, and even if you're extremely experienced, it's not worth the risk. these stories are full of extremely experienced people.
You're a great narrator. I could listen to you tell stories all day.
Who else just likes to watch mrballen and not look for the like button and just sit back and enjoy?
I always hear talk about it but I don't know what he's talking about but I don't care I just enjoy the video
@@jbrobertson6052 sometimes that happens but I rewind it and listen at the beginning of the story to understand then.
@@jbrobertson6052 exactly 😄
Shut up dude
you monster