Life is a gift and we must be thankful for every single day that is added to our existence because it’s precious time we get to spend having memorable moments with family and friends. Sometimes, we realize the blessings and frailty of life even more when we experience close calls with death. Because it’s during these scary times when you truly appreciate what you have and the opportunity to get a second chance to experience life. Close calls with death are scary but they also open your eyes to the beauty of life.

The following 50 slides show people who barely made it out alive of the close calls that they went through. From surviving a fallen tree, to almost drowning in the Pacific Ocean, to scarcely dodging a falling metal from who-knows-where! After seeing these 50 images, I’m pretty sure you’ll say “Whew! That was close!”

1. Falling boulder almost wiped out the main house

A falling boulder almost took out the majority of this farm house in Italy. It was fortunate that it slightly went array and hit only the end of the house.

2. Lucky that falling tree trunk is curved!

The falling tree was not that thick but still, it would have damaged the car’s exterior. It was fortunate that the tree trunk was curved and not straight.

3. Thank goodness he was wearing glasses!

There’s a reason why we all need to wear safety clothes and paraphernalia when doing hazardous work. This man almost lost his eye, but thankfully he was wearing his safety glasses.

4. Another car lucky enough to be missed by a curved tree.

I don’t really know how the tree got uprooted from the solid concrete. Let’s just say that despite that uncanny incident, the car caught underneath it was still lucky because of the trees shape!

5. 14-year-old girl almost got bitten by shark

This young lady from Galveston was so lucky for being able to swim away before the shark could do any more damage. Can you imagine what would have happened if she was not a fast swimmer?

6. Why would you turn your back on the track, man?

It is unsafe to turn your back on the track, even if you think no train’s going to come ehixzzing by. Just don’t relax too much when near train tracks, okay?

7. Lucky the crane did not fall straight on the car!

Although the crane looked light because of its structure, it could easily crush the car had it fallen straight on it. He’s definitely one lucky driver.

8. This truck almost fell in the Pacific Ocean!

Because of a landslide, the truck was pushed to the edge of the railing and almost fell over. And, the Pacific Ocean was just beyond that point!

9. Imagine going home to that!

Luckily, the owners weren’t around when it happened. That’s one heavy branch if it went through the house’s ceiling.

10. A scene straight from a horror movie!

This is pure horror! Imagine yourself talking merrily to your friend who’s driving while you’re riding shotgun when suddenly, an ax from nowhere comes flying towards your windshield! They’re lucky that the ax did not go through.

11. Thank goodness he saw the cat in time!

His cat was as black as the stove top that he almost did not notice the kitty before starting the the stove! Thank goodness the owner saw the animal before he did something he would totally regret.

12. It could have been much, much worse.

Both the motorcycle riders in this incident were incredibly lucky that day. The other could have easily been hit by the flying motorcycle from the other rider but he was extremely lucky to have been spared.

13. This looks like an arrow but wherever could it be coming from?

That’s one sharp arrow-looking metal. Or is it a spear? And who would possibly throw that while on the road?Lots of questions here but what’s most important is the driver lived to tell this incredible tale.

14. The crane almost tipped over!

Can you imagine the chaos that this crane could have caused if it fell on the ground below? Luckily, it didn’t!

15. That’s definitely a close call!

I bet the driver was thanking the high heavens for keeping him from this unfortunate incident! It was something nobody would ever dream of experiencing!

16. This might look fake but it definitely isn’t!

The nails weren’t touching each other and they weren’t touching any bone either! This person is really lucky but that does not mean he’s exempted from getting a tetanus shot.

17. How did that happen?

This is one incident that I really can’t explain. It looked like the car barely landed on the railing but then again, where did it come from?

18. He’s one lucky fellow!

It’s a good thing that the car was a high clearence vehicle, and alowing the man to slide underneath it. That is one huge pick-up and it could have easily inflicted unimaginable injuries on him had he not moved swiftly out of its way.

19. Where did that metal wheel come from?

It seems like all sorts of things are flying around on the road. This wheel-looking metal came out of nowhere and almost hit the driver!

20. It’s a good thing he was wearing gloves.

Again, don’t ever take your safety paraphernalia for granted. Your life and limbs will definitely be saved if you only remember to wear them every time.

21. This guy is extremely lucky!

This man almost did not make it had he not been in the right position the moment the collision happened. He’s an extremely lucky man!

22. Uh, are those missiles?

Though missiles have safety mechanisms in them, they are still powerful sources of destruction if not carried with great care. Come on, you can do better than just placing them on top of each other at the back of your truck!

23. Fits like a puzzle!

This occurrence definitely satisfies that tiny obsessive-compulsive part in me. The car and the tree looked like puzzle pieces perfectly fitting together!

24. It almost hit him in the face!

If you think you are safe from debris with that distance, then you probably need to think again. Even a small piece of rock can be deadly if the force behind it is powerful.

25. That’s absolutely lucky!

It seems to me like this tree did not really want to fall over. It just wanted to create a unique arc for oncoming vehicles!

26. Frozen berries with knife blade for dessert, anyone?

Be very extra careful because you’ll never know what would come out of the food you prepare for yourself or your loved ones. That’s a dessert choice I would never want to try.

27. I think you still need to practice your parking maneuvers.

Parking definitely does not include going through the wall of the house or bringing the poor shrub with you inside. The damage to the wall definitely won’t be cheap on this one.

28. Don’t drive to work if you’re still sleepy!

It’s not okay to drive sleepily to work. But, it would really be a big help if the building management could place safety railings on that area so that motorists won’t make the same mistake again!

29. Sometimes, riding shotgun is not the best idea.

After seeing this, I don’t think riding shotgun seems to be appealing anymore. Would you want to ride shotgun after seeing this?

30. Taking vacation photos can be life-threatening, too.

This man from Australia thought that the crocodile was not going to do anything. Apparently, he’s mistaken but thank goodness he was quick to get out of harm’s way.

31. Another parking fiasco.

People should really pay attention to learning the right way of parking a car. Why do they always want to go inside the house? You’re supposed to park on the garage, not in the house!

32. That’s one rusty nail. Lucky it didn’t pierce through!

Let’s just say he’s going to be more careful from now on because next time, he might not be as lucky as he did now! And the nail’s totally rusty so this guy is extremely lucky!

33. It pays to be careful when walking on dirt paths.

This venomous snake can easily spring to action if stepped on so be careful when walking over dirt paths, folks! It might be the last step you’ll ever take.

34. Flat as a pancake

This isn’t just luck. I believe this is some sort of miracle! Otherwise, how can someone survive when the car was crushed as flat as a pancake?

35. Another lucky car under a curved tree.

This picture is really satisfying as much as it is amazing. Some drivers are really so lucky!

36. That’s literally a “screenshot”.

I bet he’s going to keep this phone forever because it saved his life! What a literal “screenshot”!

37. Duck! Truck wheel on the loose!

Another case of flying objects while on the road. The truck’s wheel was so heavy and it’s impact was so forceful that the roof and windshield of the car got smashed. The driver was lucky to still be alive after this incident.

38. Phone was slashed by chainsaw instead of his leg.

Here’s another phone saving the person who owns it. Better to lose the phone than to lose the leg, right?

39. Ceiling fell on the Christmas tree.

It’s fortunate that their family wasn’t around the tree when the unexpected happened. That would have been a really terrible situation to be in on Christmas.

41. Another literal version of “screenshot”

Another literal screenshot but this time, it was in the guy’s pocket. It definitely saved the man’s life when it took the bullet!

41. Super Dad for the win!

This child could have easily lost consciousness if the bat had hit his face. Or worse, he could have sustained a really life-threatening injury. It’s a good thing his super Dad has quick reflexes and that saved him big time!

42. Car on reverse almost fell from a few stories high.

Just be careful when maneuvering your car on reverse. This incident could have ended badly had the driver not stopped the vehicle in time.

43. Really? A sinkhole right on my spot?

This image is self-contradictory because the driver of the vehicle is so unlucky and totally lucky at the same time. He was unfortunate to be on the small sinkhole but not too unfortunate that his car would fall through the hole.

44. Do you still want to ride shotgun?

Another incident that could have been worse if someone was riding shotgun. Thankfully, there was no one in the passenger’s seat when this happened.

45. I didn’t even know that trucks could bend like that!

That’s one bendy truck, right there. I bet the driver was utterly grateful for not falling on that cold, icy water.

46. You might want to check your water glass carefully after seeing this.

About to refill your water glass? Better check carefully because there might be bugs as scary-looking as this one.

47. What a lucky squirrel!

The form left on the snow looked like it belonged to a squirrel. But, it could also very well be a small raccoon, right?

48. That’s totally unexpected!

Again, where are these large metallic things coming from? There always seems to be something flying around when you least expect it.

49. Why do they look almost the same anyway?

I just want a relaxed sleep, not a round trip ticket to the toilet! It really pays to read carefully before doing anything.

50. Whew, that was close!

Get a good look at the person in the middle of the group. She was glued to her spot and was just bracing herself for the impact, but all she got was a light tap on her side before she thought of running to a different direction!

So, what do you think? Don’t you feel lucky to be alive after seeing the images?

Be very thankful for today and don’t forget to be extra alert, especially when you’re on the road. Accidents or other untoward things can happen anytime and you simply can’t rely on being lucky!

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Source: Be Me This imgur Reddit twentytwowords Boredom Therapy