The Fall That Changed Everything: My Rock Climbing Near-Death Experience

I don't want any details of this story changed or names tweaked. It's my truth and it's the moment that changed my life. One second I was reaching for a handhold on the rock face, and the next I was falling twenty-five feet toward jagged granite rocks below. Time slowed down in that strange way it does during catastrophe, and I had enough presence of mind to think, "This is it. This is how I die." This is my true story of a rock climbing accident that nearly killed me—and how it transformed my entire perspective on life and death. What started as a routine climb with my friend Jamie became a nightmare of broken bones, betrayed trust, and the realization that we all walk each day on the edge of a precipice. The rope caught me eight feet from the ground, but the impact shattered my ankle and compressed two vertebrae in my spine. The doctor told me if the rope had failed completely, we wouldn't be having this conversation. But the physical injuries were just the beginning. For weeks afterward, I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I was falling again. The dreams were worse than reality—in them, the rope always snapped. It took years to recover mentally from those few seconds of free fall. This episode explores how a near-death experience can strip away everything nonessential and reveal truths that change us forever. From the betrayal of finding out my friend had used worn equipment to save money, to the moment my seven-year-old daughter helped me climb again, this is a story about falling, being caught, and finding grace in the space between. Sometimes we glimpse our deepest truths in our darkest moments. This is mine. ------------ Beth's Spooky Story Time is your new favourite horror podcast, best enjoyed alone with headphones. All stories are suggested or submitted by listeners. Have you had a spooky experience? Email your story to [e-mail] now. For ad-free content, Spooky Chat Time, and extra perks, support us on Patreon: patreon.com/bethsspookystorytime Follow us on TikTok: @beths.spooky.story.time Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices