Tell Me What Happened

Tell Me What Happened is back for a sixth season with eight new heroic, true stories of people helping people. This season, we’ll take you to a raging river in Alaska, the searing heat of Arizona’s Superstition Mountains, the chaos of the Los Angeles fires, the icy waters of a Washington, D.C., canal and beyond. Each episode features a harrowing tale told by the people who were there and includes an expert who can offer practical tips that could help keep you and your loved ones safe. Tell Me What Happened, the award-winning original podcast by OnStar, returns January 26.

Big news! Eight new Tell Me What Happened episodes are coming in 2026. During Season 5, we celebrated 1 million downloads. Now, Season 6 is teeing up true stories of people helping people in places like Rocky Mountain National Park, Arizona’s Superstition Mountains, the fiery hills of Los Angeles and a frozen canal in Washington, D.C. Every story features a stranger stepping up to help someone whose day has gone wrong. And every story is told by those people in their words. Each episode wraps with a conversation between our host, Torah Kachur, and an expert, someone who can share practical tips that could help keep you safe. If you’re looking for a reminder that people are good and that a human connection still matters — especially when things go sideways — stay tuned for Season 6 of Tell Me What Happened, presented by OnStar.

Six hundred miles from where Hurricane Helene slammed into the Florida coast, a group of bridesmaids found themselves trapped on a mountainside. Kayla Donnelly is getting married in a couple months… but before her big day, she’s planned a bachelorette weekend to remember. She’s booked a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina for herself and her 10 best friends. Her idyllic plans turn disastrous when the remnants of Hurricane Helene flatten the surrounding forest and flood the nearby city of Asheville. They are trapped with no food, water, or electricity, and they have no idea how to escape. But thanks to a stranger, who was actually looking for other people who might need help, they get what they need to find their way home. We also talk to travel influencer Johnny Jet about travelling during hurricane season.

As a luxury cruise ship sinks, unlikely heroes come to the rescue. Rose-Marie Howe was shocked when her cruise was interrupted by a blackout. But she soon realized the loss of power was the least of her concerns. The ship was sinking, and no one seemed to know what to do. Moss Hills, a guitarist in the ship’s band, decided to go to the lounge to investigate. He found instruments thrown about the stage and realized he couldn’t hear the ship’s engines. He also couldn’t find the captain or any of the senior crew. This is the story of how a guitarist, a bass player and two magicians saved hundreds of lives. We also talk to marine historian Mallory Haas about what we can learn from disasters at sea.

A simple drive home becomes a life-or-death struggle. The weather wasn’t great, but Bryan Pederson was just a few blocks from home on a street he had driven a thousand times. Still, the wind was howling and rain was pouring down. Sitting at a traffic light, he heard a loud crack. Instantly, he was trapped in a car being crushed by a tree. Ten cars drove past the scene, peering through the rain at the crumpled SUV and the tree blocking the road. Nine of them turned around and drove away. This is the story of the driver who didn’t: a single mom with three kids in the car. Later, Bryan would have an opportunity to thank her in an unexpected way. Also, we talk with David Bennett, a driving safety expert who explains the importance of your tires when it comes to making your vehicle “road ready.”