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This Is Actually Happening

This Is Actually Happening

Wondery

What if you were trafficked into a cult...or were mauled by a grizzly bear...or were stabbed 27 times by a serial killer - what would you do? This is Actually Happening brings you extraordinary true stories of life-changing events told by the people who lived them. From a man who woke up in the morgue to a woman stranded in a Mexican desert fighting to survive, these stories will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to hear what happens next.

Listen to exclusive episodes of This is Actually Happening ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/this-is-actually-happening/ now.

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Top 10 This Is Actually Happening Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best This Is Actually Happening episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to This Is Actually Happening for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite This Is Actually Happening episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

A woman learns shocking truths about what happened to her mom when she was young, while caretaking her mentally ill father and grappling with revelations that haunt the family forever.

Producer: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

Twitter: @TIAHPodcast

Website: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com

Website for Andrew Waits: www.andrdewwaits.com

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/happening

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at https://wondery.com/plus

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: https://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com

Content/Trigger Warnings: domestic abuse, sexual abuse, explicit language

Intro Music: ""Illabye" – Tipper

Music Bed: “Re-Entry” – Lee Rosevere

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line: Within the US, text HOME to 741741

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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6 Listeners

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This Is Actually Happening - 266: What if you thought everyone was dead?
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02/21/23 • 53 min

While in the depths of a toxic relationship, a woman begins experiencing a magical, unseen world around her, but on a layover on a flight through LA, the world becomes all too real.

Today's episode featured Kimberly Rose. If you'd like to reach out to her, you can email at [email protected], or find her on Instagram at @thefakekimberlyrose.

Producers: Whit Missildine, Jason Blalock

Editing: Matt Volla

Content/Trigger Warnings: substance abuse, mental illness, sexual abuse of a minor, suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, psychosis, explicit language

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

Twitter: @TIAHPodcast

Website: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com

Website for Jason Blalock: jasonblalock.com

Show Sponsors: Betterhelp: This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/HAPPENING and get on your way to being your best self.”

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/happening

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at https://wondery.com/plus

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: https://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com

Intro Music: ""Illabye" – Tipper

Music Bed: Ambient Themes by Nigel Coutinho

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line: Within the US, text HOME to 741741

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

4 Listeners

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This Is Actually Happening - 271: Point Blank #3: What if you shielded your students?
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03/28/23 • 44 min

Coming from a career in the military, law enforcement and police dispatch, Ken Yuers found his true calling as a teacher for at-risk youth, and eventually landed a job at Rancho Tehama elementary, when one day in 2017, gunshots outside the classroom brought a horror on him and his students that he never imagined.

Today’s episode is Part Two of our limited series, “Point Blank,” featuring five stories of people impacted by the spree killing of Rancho Tehama California in 2017. There, a lone gunman killed his wife, then his neighbors and then began a shooting spree, attacking 8 different locations in the span of only 25 minutes, ending at elementary school, and leaving 6 people dead and 18 wounded.

This series is co-produced by This Is Actually Happening creator and host, Whit Missildine and Connor Sheets, investigative journalist with the Los Angeles Times, with special thanks to Jason Blalock, and Andrew Waits. To find out more about the shooting, you can read the original article by Connor that inspired the story, titled: “It was California’s forgotten mass shooting. But for victims, the ‘hell’ never ends,” on the latimes.com

Producers: Whit Missildine, Connor Sheets

Editors: Whit Missildine, Jason Blalock

Content/Trigger Warnings: gun violence, mass shooting, death, child endangerment, explicit language

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

Twitter: @TIAHPodcast

Connor Sheets

Twitter: @ConnorASeets

Website: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com

Website for Jason Blalock: www.jasonblalock.com

Show Sponsors: Betterhelp: This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/HAPPENING and get on your way to being your best self.”

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/happening

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at https://wondery.com/plus

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: https://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com

Intro Music: ""Illabye" – Tipper

Music and Sound Design by: Marcelino Villalpando

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line: Within the US, text HOME to 741741

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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3 Listeners

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This Is Actually Happening - 265: What if a routine pickup led to a crushing blow?
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02/14/23 • 51 min

Reeling from the early loss of his father and abuse in the family, a man finds an outlet through cars and becomes a repo agent, but on a routine job one night, he faces a life-altering danger that will change him forever.

Today’s episode featured Brian White. If you’d like to reach out to Brian, you can email him at [email protected]

Producer: Whit Missildine, Aviva Lipkowitz

Content/Trigger Warnings: death, domestic violence, abuse of a minor, assault, graphic bodily injury, explicit language

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

Twitter: @TIAHPodcast

Website: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com

Show Sponsors: Betterhelp: This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/HAPPENING and get on your way to being your best self.”

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/happening

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at https://wondery.com/plus

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: https://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com

Intro Music: ""Illabye" – Tipper

Music Bed: Ambient Themes by Nigel Coutinho

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line: Within the US, text HOME to 741741

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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3 Listeners

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This Is Actually Happening - Introducing: Something Was Wrong

Introducing: Something Was Wrong

This Is Actually Happening

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06/19/23 • 5 min

The hardest true crime story to report on is... your own.

The sixteenth season of Something Was Wrong features host Tiffany Reese’s firsthand account of surviving a childhood mired with abuse and uncertainty, and the eventual murder of her beloved baby brother, Bobby. Tiffany uncovers layers of her family’s secret history throughout the season. Her goal is to use her own experience to continue empowering victims of manipulation, coercion, familial abuse, and police brutality, as well as enhance the safe, victim-centered space she has already cultivated. In season sixteen, listeners will come to understand Tiffany’s truly personal stake in victim advocacy.

Listen to Something Was Wrong: Wondery.fm/SWW_TAH

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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3 Listeners

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This Is Actually Happening - 260: What if your husband claimed you were dead?
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01/10/23 • 49 min

After a chaotic upbringing ending with her parents’ divorce, a woman falls into the hands of a man whose promises are too good to be true.

Today's guest requested to remain anonymous, but if you'd like to reach out to her, you can email at [email protected].

Producer: Whit Missildine, Sara Marinelli

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

Twitter: @TIAHPodcast

Website: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/happening

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at https://wondery.com/plus

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: https://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com

Content/Trigger Warnings: domestic abuse, sexual abuse, explicit language

Intro Music: ""Illabye" – Tipper

Music Bed: “Cylinder Four” “Cylinder Five” – Chris Zabriskie

Outro Music: "The Moon is Down" - El Diablo & Adam Schraft (Rojo y Negro) @eldiablosf @rojo-y-negro www.eldiablobass.com/

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line: Within the US, text HOME to 741741

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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3 Listeners

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This Is Actually Happening - 284: What if you found the antidote in the venom?
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06/27/23 • 49 min

Growing up Muslim in the Middle East, a woman juggles the chaotic expectations of a severely abusive mother with her desire for self-expression; but when she comes into a sexual awakening, a secret world opens where a deeper healing waits.

Producers: Whit Missildine, Aviva Lipkowitz, Andrew Waits

Content/Trigger Warnings: domestic violence, domestic abuse of a minor, sexual fetish and kink, BDSM, explicit language

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

Twitter: @TIAHPodcast

Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com

Website for Andrew Waits: andrewwaits.com

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at wondery.com/plus

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com

Intro Music: ""Illabye" – Tipper

Music Bed: “Uncertain Outcomes” - SkyeVoyager

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

3 Listeners

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This Is Actually Happening - 221: What if you were addicted to each other?
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02/08/22 • 45 min

“All that stuff I went through, the abuse, the physical, verbal, everything was not rock bottom for me....Me realizing that I was being abusive to people I loved, that was my rock bottom.”

Producers: Whit Missildine, Jason Blalock

Episode Summary: A woman struggles to free herself from the catastrophic consequences of an obsession with a man she cannot leave

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/201783687561039/

Website: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com

Website for Jason Blalock: jasonblalock.com

Content/Trigger Warnings: infant death, domestic violence, graphic domestic abuse, near death, abortion, explicit language

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at https://wondery.com/plus

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/happening

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: https://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Intro Music: "Illabye" – Tipper

Music Bed: “Re-Entry” – Lee Rosevere

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line: Within the US, text HOME to 741741

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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2 Listeners

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This Is Actually Happening - 336: What if you escaped a polygamous cult?
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10/22/24 • 60 min

A woman born into the notorious Mormon cult, Church of the Firstborn, grows up in constant fear of their fatal practice of “blood atonement”, but after suffering under the oppression of her husband and caretaking his multiple wives, she plots a daring international escape.

Today’s episode featured Pamela Jones. If you’d like to reach out to her, you can email her at [email protected], or you can find her on Instagram @pamela_speaks

Visit pamelaspeaks.live to find out more about her life as an author, speaker and coach. She also has another project about the hypocrisy, secrecy and scandals of the cult: wickedconfessionsuncensored.com.

Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Aviva Lipkowitz

Content/Trigger Warnings: cult, religious abuse/trauma, polygamy/plural marriage, child bride/child marriage, abuse, fraud, blood atonement/death, murder (religious & cartel), the afterlife, poverty, birth control, rape/sexual coercion, explicit language

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

Twitter: @TIAHPodcast

Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com

Website for Andrew Waits: andrewwaits.com

Website for Aviva Lipkowitz: avivalipkowitz.com

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at wondery.com/plus

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com

Intro Music: "Illabye" – Tipper

Music Bed: Cylinder Four

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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2 Listeners

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This Is Actually Happening - 272: Point Blank #4: What if you made yourself a target?
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04/04/23 • 57 min

After a chaotic upbringing and early adulthood, Jessie Sanders carved a life for himself in Rancho Tehama, California and formed a deep friendship, but when his sister reported hearing gunshots at the elementary school that day, Jessie knew exactly what he needed to do, confronting the horror, heroism and traumatic aftermath of loss and violence.

Today’s episode is Part Four of our limited series, “Point Blank,” featuring five stories of people impacted by the spree killing of Rancho Tehama California in 2017. This series is co-produced by This Is Actually Happening creator and host, Whit Missildine and Connor Sheets, investigative journalist with the Los Angeles Times, with special thanks to Jason Blalock, and Andrew Waits. To find out more about the shooting, you can read the original article by Connor that inspired the story, titled: “It was California’s forgotten mass shooting. But for victims, the ‘hell’ never ends,” on the latimes.com

Producers: Whit Missildine, Connor Sheets

Editors: Whit Missildine, Jason Blalock

Content/Trigger Warnings: gun violence, incarceration, solitary confinement, cancer, drug use, mass shooting, death, child endangerment, explicit language

Social Media:

Instagram: @actuallyhappening

Twitter: @TIAHPodcast

Connor Sheets

Twitter: @ConnorASeets

Website: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com

Website for Jason Blalock: www.jasonblalock.com

Show Sponsors: Betterhelp: This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/HAPPENING and get on your way to being your best self.”

Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/happening

Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at https://wondery.com/plus

Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: https://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.

Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com

Intro Music: ""Illabye" – Tipper

Music and Sound Design by: Marcelino Villalpando

Services

If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line: Within the US, text HOME to 741741

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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2 Listeners

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FAQ

How many episodes does This Is Actually Happening have?

This Is Actually Happening currently has 484 episodes available.

What topics does This Is Actually Happening cover?

The podcast is about Society & Culture, True Crime, Documentary and Podcasts.

What is the most popular episode on This Is Actually Happening?

The episode title '261: What if your mother was a victim of a secret government experiment?' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on This Is Actually Happening?

The average episode length on This Is Actually Happening is 38 minutes.

How often are episodes of This Is Actually Happening released?

Episodes of This Is Actually Happening are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of This Is Actually Happening?

The first episode of This Is Actually Happening was released on Sep 11, 2013.

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Jenny Lang

@jennylang

Nov 3

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