On May 5, 1994, South Australian police officer Derrick McManus was shot 14 times in under five seconds and left bleeding on the ground for nearly three hours while a 40-hour siege raged around him. In this raw conversation, Derrick reconstructs those first seconds, the long climb through surgeries and rehab (including a steel plate in his forearm), and the mental frameworks that kept him calm when survival looked impossible. We talk suffering, meaning, and mortality—and what his ordeal ultimately took, gave, and taught him about human durability.

Story Producer: Dan Bush

If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we’d love to hear your story! Please email us at aliveagainproject@gmail.com We’d love to hear your story!

On May 5, 1994, South Australian police officer Derrick McManus was shot 14 times in under five seconds and left bleeding on the ground for nearly three hours while a 40-hour siege raged around him. In this raw conversation, Derrick reconstructs those first seconds, the long climb through surgeries and rehab (including a steel plate in his forearm), and the mental frameworks that kept him calm when survival looked impossible. We talk suffering, meaning, and mortality&mdash;and what his ordeal ultimately took, gave, and taught him about human durability.
Story Producer: Dan Bush
If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we&rsquo;d love to hear your story! Please email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aliveagainproject@gmail.com">aliveagainproject@gmail.com</a> We&rsquo;d love to hear your story!

That which doesn’t kill us…

Hosted by award-winning filmmaker Dan Bush, Alive Again is a weekly series featuring extraordinary stories from people who faced death—and came back changed. From near-death experiences to near-fatal accidents and moments of profound crisis, each episode dives into the transformation that happens on the other side of survival.

Told in their own words, these first-hand accounts explore not just what happened in the moment, but how everything changed after: perspectives, priorities, purpose. Some stories are miraculous. Others are brutal. All of them are unforgettable.

Our mission is to find, explore, and share these stories to remind us all of our shared human condition.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you don’t die– this show is for you.

* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at aliveagainproject@gmail.com

That which doesn&rsquo;t kill us&hellip;
Hosted by award-winning filmmaker Dan Bush, Alive Again is a weekly series featuring extraordinary stories from people who faced death&mdash;and came back changed. From near-death experiences to near-fatal accidents and moments of profound crisis, each episode dives into the transformation that happens on the other side of survival.
Told in their own words, these first-hand accounts explore not just what happened in the moment, but how everything changed after: perspectives, priorities, purpose. Some stories are miraculous. Others are brutal. All of them are unforgettable.
Our mission is to find, explore, and share these stories to remind us all of our shared human condition.
If you&rsquo;ve ever wondered what happens when you don&rsquo;t die&ndash; this show is for you.
* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we&rsquo;d love to hear your story. Please email us at <a href="mailto:aliveagainproject@gmail.com">aliveagainproject@gmail.com</a>

Alive Again

44 | Fourteen Bullets

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1beeea38-0de9-4b91-bf1b-b3df0149cb7c/transcript