Earlier this year, the team at “Something Offbeat” learned about Elvis Francois, a man who survived for weeks on his capsized boat by eating mostly ketchup. Heinz was so impressed that it vowed to buy him a new boat.
This story made us interested in survival situations and how to deal with them.
So, we reached out to Josh Piven, co-author of “The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook,” a bestseller that has spawned several sequels, including the upcoming “Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Apocalypse”.
Piven said that Francois’ move to stay fueled with ketchup might have helped him stay hydrated. He also said that “hanging onto the boat,” of which Francois carved “HELP” into the hull, was a smart move.
“That’s... actually one of the first pieces of advice that we give, which is the boat is more buoyant than you are,” Piven explained. “So, if there’s any of the boat that’s still there, whether it’s capsized or not, don’t abandon the boat.”
Host Mike Rogers and Piven also cover other worst case-scenarios, from quicksand to double rotator cuff surgery amid a pandemic. Listen to the full conversation here.
Each week, “Something Offbeat” takes a deeper look at an unusual headline. If you have suggestions for stories the podcast should cover, send them to us at somethingoffbeat@audacy.com.
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