What It Was Like

Lily Rose Lee was 21 when she accepted a ride from her friend’s father. She was 32 when she finally escaped his house, along with two other women. In this episode, Lily recounts what 11 years in captivity did to her body and mind, how she survived, and what she learned about resilience.You can connect with Lily Rose Lee on FacebookFind us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production

Greg Abandoned is an urbex YouTuber who visits the world’s most wild and forgotten places. A few years ago, he trekked into the Kazakh desert to explore a secret Russian military facility that houses abandoned space shuttles from the Soviet Union. In this episode, Greg recounts the journey and why he wishes he’d chosen his travel companion more carefully.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production

In 2015, Jeremy Morris bought a house in Idaho to host the Christmas display of his dreams. Within weeks he was locked in a bitter feud with his neighbours over religious freedom and civil liberties. In this episode, Jeremy tells his side of a very modern American culture war.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production

In February 1982, the body of a wildlife photographer named Carl McCunn was found in northern Alaska. A miscommunication had left him stranded and McCunn had documented his final cold months in a journal. In this episode, journalist Kris Capps walks us through McCunn’s forgotten story, mostly in his own words.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production

Sometimes Vivian Conan saw herself in the mirror. Other times she saw others with their own distinct personalities and backstories. At 43, she was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, formally known as Multiple Personality Disorder. In this episode, Vivian describes her life-long journey to meet and merge her different selves.Get in touch with Vivian or find her book via her website: vivianconan.comFind us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production

In 2022, Samantha Stites was abducted by Christopher Thomas, a man who’d been stalking her for 13 years and had secretly built a soundproof bunker to imprison her. In this episode, Samantha shares how she escaped and what the ordeal taught her about survival.Support Samantha's initiative to protect victims of stalking and domestic violence: Beekeepers AdvocacyFind us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production

Thomas Hargrove was an investigative reporter when he had an idea: use open-source FBI data to spot patterns in unsolved murders. That idea became an algorithm that highlights locations where serial killers might be operating. In this episode, Thomas talks us through the cases it’s uncovered and why data can reveal what people miss.Visit Thomas' organisation the Murder Accountability Project at www.murderdata.org.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production

In 2001, Detective Hugh Lockerby found a woman and two children murdered inside a burning home in Scottsdale, Arizona. The missing husband, Robert William Fisher, became the prime suspect and has sat on the top of the FBI's most wanted list for 24 years. Lockerby explains why he believes Fisher is alive and why he can't let this case go.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production

High in the Himalayas lies Roopkund Lake: a frozen pond surrounded by the remains of around 700 people. Were they victims of an ancient disaster, a lost army, or something stranger? We speak with anthropologist William Sax and geneticist Éadaoin Harney to unravel one of India’s most haunting archaeological mysteries.Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcastFollow us on Instagram: whatitwaslikepodcastThis is a Superreal production