FAN FAVORITE: Crash in a Volcano | Climbing Out | 2

Summary

Against The Odds (Audible)

FAN FAVORITE: Crash in a Volcano | Climbing Out | Episode 2

Release Date: June 30, 2026
Host: Mike Corey
Main Characters: Chris Duddy, Mike Benson, Craig Hosking, Laura Viederman

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Episode Overview

This gripping episode of Against The Odds continues the harrowing story of two Hollywood cameramen, Chris Duddy and Mike Benson, who survived a helicopter crash inside Hawaiʻi’s Kilauea volcano in November 1992. While their pilot is quickly rescued, Chris and Mike endure a terrifying 36+ hours trapped in the active volcanic crater, battling toxic gases, relentless rain, injury, starvation, and despair. As rescue efforts are repeatedly halted by treacherous weather, the men are pushed to their absolute physical and psychological limits—testing the power of human resilience "against the odds."

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Desperation on the Rim

• The episode opens mid-storm, hours after the crash. Rescuers scout the crater’s rim, desperately searching for voices in the volcanic haze, but cannot safely descend due to increasing winds and darkness.
  • [00:25-03:56]
• Tension mounts as they debate how long to stay, knowing every additional minute could put more lives at risk.

2. Inside the Crater: Survival Against Nature

• Chris Duddy huddles on a ledge, exposed to cold rain and volcanic fumes, racked with fear and guilt, while Mike Benson shelters further below, equally isolated and suffering.
  • [06:31-12:18]
• Their physical ordeal includes:
  • Lack of water (failed attempt to drink rain tainted by sulfur)
  • Burning eyes and lungs from volcanic gas
  • Freezing temperatures at night, despite the volcano’s heat
  • Psychological torment—Chris composes a farewell to his sons, Mike etches a message to his wife in the crater wall.

"He feels like a turtle sinking deeper and deeper into its shell." — Narrator [15:41]

3. Rescue Attempts and Despair

• Rescuers make voice contact but cannot reach the men safely at night. Promises to send help at first light are cold comfort.
  • [09:21-10:40]
• Laura Viederman, the film’s producer, challenges the fire department to keep searching, but faces protocol and risk aversion.
• Attempts to drop a rescue rope fail due to hazardous conditions and miscommunication; hope repeatedly rises and falls as the rope appears, then disappears, and never gets close enough.
  • [20:41-23:31]

"If you miss, you'll fall straight down onto those rocks and you will get hurt." — Chris Duddy warning Mike Benson as he considers jumping for the rescue rope [21:36]

4. Taking Control: Chris’s Climb to Freedom

• With rescue not imminent and another night looming, Chris spots a potential escape route illuminated by a rare break in the weather.
  • [23:31-24:08]
• He chooses to risk climbing out—despite razor-sharp, crumbling rocks. He claws up the vertical face, pushing his arms into pumice and volcanic glass, sustaining deep cuts but clawing his way over the rim.
  • [24:11-29:23]

"I'd much rather go out trying than spend another night in this hellhole." — Chris Duddy [24:13]

5. Aftermath: Rescue and Reunion

• Chris stumbles, exhausted, to the deserted rescue tent, finds oxygen, and finally makes contact with park rangers in a helicopter, begging them to go back for Mike.
  • [30:13-32:04]
• Mike, still trapped, scrawls a goodbye to his wife, fights off hallucinations of the volcano goddess Madame Pele, and prepares for a second night in the crater.
  • [32:32-36:00]

"Dear Stephanie, I love you." — Mike Benson, scratched onto the crater wall [32:47]

• Chris's return to camp is met with national media attention and emotional reunions; intense frustration remains about Mike's continued peril.

6. The Final Rescue

• At dawn on the third day, a helicopter lowers a rescue basket. Mike, hallucinating and exhausted, risks a deadly jump and lands in the basket—at last, he is lifted out of the cauldron.
  • [39:30-41:00]

"He jumps off his rocky ledge into the open air and lands square in the basket. ... Mike closes his eyes. He's finally free." — Narrator [39:33-41:00]

7. Epilogue and Reflection

• All three men recover physically, their ordeal becoming legendary due to the extent of their exposure to volcanic gas.
• The footage for the original film (Sliver) was lost; ironically, the climactic volcano scene was ultimately cut after testing poorly with audiences.
• Chris, Mike, Laura Viederman, and Craig Hosking all go on to have continued success in the film industry.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On facing abandonment:
  "How can they possibly expect him to survive the night here? He can barely breathe." — Narrator [10:16]

• On courage under fire:
  "I'm gonna go for it... I'd much rather go out trying than spend another night in this hellhole." — Chris Duddy [24:07-24:13]

• On desperate hope:
  "Come on. Come on. This way." — Chris Duddy, urging Mike to grab the rescue basket [39:30]

• On the torment of waiting:
  "He can't believe that he's about to spend his second night inside the crater." — Narrator [32:47]

• On the ordeal’s lasting impact:
  "For months after getting rescued, he could taste sulfur every time he coughed." — Narrator [42:50]

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Key Timestamps

| Segment | Description | |----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:25 - 03:56 | Rescuers search in storm, consider abandoning search | | 06:31 - 13:45 | Chris and Mike’s physical/mental struggle inside crater | | 09:21 - 10:40 | First rescuer contact—cannot rescue until dawn | | 20:41 - 23:31 | Hopes raised/dashed with failed rescue rope | | 24:04 - 29:23 | Chris's risky climb out of the crater | | 30:13 - 32:04 | Chris stumbles to safety—pleads to rescue Mike | | 32:47 - 36:00 | Mike's second night—hallucinations, despair | | 39:30 - 41:00 | Mike’s rescue via helicopter basket | | 42:50 - 43:28 | Aftermath: recovery, impact, and legacy |

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Tone and Style

• Tense, immersive, and cinematic: The narrative puts listeners directly alongside Chris and Mike as they face mortal danger, with frequent internal monologues and vivid environmental detail.
• Driven by emotion and resilience: Both the men's banter and their private moments with loved ones elevate the human stakes.
• Respectful of local tradition: The mention of Madame Pele and the failed offering underscores both the spiritual and cultural context of the ordeal.

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Conclusion

This episode stands as a testament to the raw endurance of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. Both a survival thriller and an emotional journey, it honors not only the heroism of Chris Duddy and Mike Benson but also the collective efforts—and limits—of the extended rescue community. Against all odds, survival is as much about courage and connection as it is about circumstance and luck.

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Next Episode Teaser:
The story will continue with an interview featuring Christopher Duddy, detailing firsthand how the ordeal changed his life.

Transcript

[Mike Corey]

Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of against the Odds ad free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. This series Originally aired in 2022. A listener note against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research.

[Narrator]

A rescue worker steps carefully along the rim of the Pu' U O' o crater in Hawai volcano's national park. Cold rain stings his face as he gets pummeled by the howling wind. Above him, the sky boils with a mass of storm clouds that are growing darker as sunset approaches. The path along the rim is wide enough for several men, but it still feels like walking a tightrope. The rescue worker struggles to keep his balance as loose volcanic rocks give way under his feet. Pu' o is the most active crater in the Kilauea volcanic system. The rescue worker stops for a moment to peer into it. All he can see is a swirling mass of thick volcanic steam and gases, filling the crater like a cauldron.

[Chris Duddy]

Hello? Can anyone hear me?

[Narrator]

There's no reply. A few hours earlier, a helicopter carrying two Hollywood cameramen and their pilot crashed inside the crater. The pilot was rescued by another chopper. But then a violent tropical storm rolled in, stirring up high winds and trapping dangerous volcanic gases inside the crater. The leaders of the rescue operation refused to allow another flight in such dangerous conditions. Now a team of rescue workers scouts along the rim of the crater, shouting down to the two lost men hidden hundreds of feet below in the toxic fog.

[Chris Duddy]

Can you hear me? We're with the rescue team. Hello?

[Narrator]

Nobody answers. Even if the men happened to be right below him, he'd be surprised if they could hear him over the roaring winds, or if he could hear their reply through the gloom. A figure approaches. It's his supervisor.

[Chris Duddy]

That's it. We have to call it.

[Narrator]

All afternoon they've battled the storm, but now the intensity has reached a new level. The rain is literally blowing sideways, and violent gusts of wind are threatening to knock the rescuers off the rim and into the crater. The rescue worker knows it's dangerous. The volcanic rocks are razor sharp. One loose stone could start a rock slide that would cascade down onto the men trapped somewhere below. Still, he's not ready to give up.

[Chris Duddy]

But we can't just leave them down there. I know, but with this wind, we're likely to join them. If we don't head back down to base camp and the sun's about to set, we won't even have visuals. We're close. I can feel it. Give me 20 more minutes.

[Narrator]

Just a sudden gust of wind knocks the rescue worker off balance. He stumbles, falls forward and land face down on the sharp rocks just inches from the crater's edge. He looks down into the thick volcanic haze. Behind the veil of steam, the rescue worker knows there's a steep drop hundreds of feet down to the rocks below. The supervisor rushes to help him up.

[Chris Duddy]

Hang on. I got you.

[Narrator]

The rescue worker catches his breath.

[Chris Duddy]

You're right. We should get out before someone gets hurt. I just hope those guys can make it through the night.

[Narrator]

His supervisor sighs.

[Chris Duddy]

Ten more minutes, okay? And then we pack up. Don't get too close to the edge.

[Narrator]

The rescue worker goes back to searching for the lost men.

[Chris Duddy]

Hello? Anyone hear me? Hello?

[Narrator]

He knows it would be a miracle to find the men in 10 minutes. And even if he did, then what? Darkness is coming, and the storm is getting worse. Trying to pull them out in these conditions could end with even more men falling into the abyss.

[Mike Corey]

From audible originals, I'm mike corey, and

[Narrator]

this is against the odds. On November 21, 1992, a helicopter crashed in one of the craters of Kilauea, the most active volcano on the Hawaiian Islands. On board were a pilot and two cameramen, there to shoot footage for a major Hollywood film. A few hours after the crash, a second helicopter was able to rescue the pilot, Craig Hosking. But then a tropical storm blew in, making conditions too dangerous to rescue the other two survivors, cameramen Chris Duddy and Mike Benson. Now Chris and Mike must survive a night in one of the most inhospitable environments on Earth. The inside of an active volcano. This is episode two, Climbing out,

[Dr. Death Narrator]

When a charming neurosurgeon rode into Western towns, selling a Persona of confidence and care. Patients trusted him. He wore cowboy boots in the operating room and became sought after by patients. He promised to heal them. Instead, he left a trail of broken bodies. This is a story of greed, betrayal, and a fight for justice. Listen to Dr. Death, the cowboy, wherever you get your podcasts or binge the entire series right now only with Audible.

[Investigative Journalist]

I heard a rumor that the CIA poisoned my granddad, Gordon Banks, the world's number one goalkeeper. It happened in Mexico, supposedly at the World cup in 1970. Sounds crazy. I'm an investigative journalist on the hunt for evidence.

[Narrator]

We needed to do some extraordinary things to counter the Soviets.

[Investigative Journalist]

This is foul play, an unbelievable tale of sports, spies and family secrets. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts or early and ad free on Audible.

[Narrator]

Chris Duddy pulls his sweatshirt over his head. And draws his knees to his chest. He's huddled on a ledge high up on the crater wall. He climbed up here just after the crash, hoping to find an escape route. But then he got stuck, unable to find a safe path either up or down. Now he's clinging to this narrow ledge pressed against the wall of the crater. Trapped. Their helicopter went down this morning. Now Chris can tell it's almost sundown. Through the thick haze of volcanic gases, he can see that the light is fading. A few hours ago, it started raining. Before, he was sweating from the volcano's heat. Now he's shivering with cold. His eyes sting and his lungs burn from the foul smelling volcanic fumes. He closes his eyes to protect them from the toxic vapors. But he can't escape his growing sense of horror. The crater is an unstable, dangerous environment. All around him he can hear large rocks tumbling down the cliffs and smashing at the bottom. And if he listens closer, he can hear the gurgling r river of magma that's flowing beneath the crust. Chris looks down the wall of the crater. He can't see him through the steam, but he knows that somewhere below, about 50ft down, Mike is pressed against the cliff.

[Chris Duddy]

Mike, you hearing anything from Craig?

[Narrator]

Not long after the crash, Craig Hosking, their pilot, decided to try to fix the helicopter's radio. He had been shouting up to Chris and Mike every so often to share his progress. But now it's been an hour of silen. At one point, Chris heard the unmistakable sound of a helicopter passing. But then it flew away and he's heard nothing since.

[Chris Duddy]

Try not to panic, Chris. Craig said he got the mayday out. Someone will come for us soon.

[Narrator]

A dark thought creeps into Chris's head. Craig must be dead. He was probably suffocated by the fumes, which were much more concentrated at the crash site. Or maybe he stumbled into the lava pond at the center of the crater. Chris feels. He feels a cramp in his leg. He's been sitting in the same awkward position for hours. He shifts his weight and nearly falls off the ledge. He grips the sharp stones around him and lowers his head. He doesn't know how much more of this he can take. But then, through the wind and the noise of the volcano, he hears something new. Chris's heart jumps in his chest.

[Chris Duddy]

Hey, we're here. We're down here. Hello?

[Narrator]

Between the howling winds and the echoing of the crater, Chris can barely hear the man calling from up above. And he figures the man can barely hear him either.

[Chris Duddy]

We're with the fire Department. We're here to get you out. What? We're here to get you out.

[Narrator]

Chris pumps his fist. The rescuers are here.

[Chris Duddy]

Mike, did you hear that? There are people here to rescue. Rescue us.

[Narrator]

Chris is overjoyed. He won't die down here after all. He'll be pulled up to safety and out of this nightmare.

[Chris Duddy]

We're here. Drop us a rope.

[Narrator]

There's a long pause and then the voice comes back, hesitant.

[Chris Duddy]

We can't right now. What? Throw him up here. It's really bad. He's got something to hold on to. Don't worry. We'll come back at first light.

[Narrator]

Chris struggles to process what he thinks he heard. The rescuers are going to come back in the morning.

[Chris Duddy]

Did you say you'll come back at first light?

[Narrator]

The rescuer shouts that they'll send someone back every hour to check on them. If Chris hears a whistle, he should whistle back to let them know they're okay.

[Chris Duddy]

And what if we don't whistle back?

[Narrator]

No answer. Chris's heart sinks in his chest. How can they possibly expect him to survive the night here? He can barely breathe. He pulls his knees up again and tents his sweatshirt back over his head. Feeling cold, vulnerable and abandoned, Laura Viederman runs through the rain. Just a few hours ago, she was about 20 miles away in Hilo, sitting in the comfort of a makeshift movie production office in her hotel. Now she's in a dirt lot where the production's base camp has been set up, just a few miles from the crater. She quickens her pace to catch up with a county fire department official.

[Chris Duddy]

You can't tell me you're just going

[Narrator]

to pack up and leave. Look, we can hear them. We just can't locate them. The acoustics inside the crater, they're just too bad. And we can't see a thing down there. We'll come back at dawn and pick up where we left off, okay? Laura is a producer on the film Sliver, the movie for which Mike and Chris were shooting their volcano footage when their helicopter went down earlier today. It was Laura who got the call from the Park Service. She called the fire department and suggested they use the production's base camp as a staging area for the rescue. Laura is grateful that the pilot was rescued, but she won't rest until all of her crew is brought to safety, even if it means pushing the rescuers to go beyond their normal protocol. So what then?

[Chris Duddy]

You're just going to leave them there overnight to die?

[Narrator]

The fire department official stops walking and turns angrily towards Laura. They shouldn't even be there.

[Chris Duddy]

They were cleared to fly over the

[Narrator]

volcano, not into it. Laura feels the blood rush to her face.

[Chris Duddy]

But they're in there now. This is your job. They could be dead by tomorrow. I'm sorry, but I'm not losing my

[Narrator]

guys to rescue your guys. Laura watches through the rain as the official stomps off to his truck. She turns and walks back to the base camp tent, her mind reeling. As soon as she's inside, she picks up the phone and dials. If she can't count on the fire department, she'll have to take matters into her own hands. Mike Benson squeezes deeper into the small alcove where he sheltered himself in the wall of the crater. It's pitch dark now. His throat is parched, his eyes are burning, and the falling rain has soaked through his clothes. Mike's a man who can find humor in any situation, but even his nerves are starting to fr. He looks up at the steep wall where he knows Chris is perched somewhere just above him.

[Chris Duddy]

You still there, Chris?

[Narrator]

Still here.

[Chris Duddy]

I was thinking about getting some ice cream. You want to come?

[Narrator]

Madame Pele may not allow it.

[Chris Duddy]

Yeah, this must be her revenge for your terrible throw.

[Narrator]

Madame Pele is the legendary Hawaiian goddess of the volcano. If a helicopter needs to fly over an active volcano, it's tradition for the passengers. An offering to Pele. Earlier that day, Chris was supposed to drop a ceremonial bottle of gin into the crater from their hovering chopper, but he missed his target. Mike's not superstitious, but the circumstances he's in are so insane he's starting to wonder if they should have flown back and grabbed a second bottle. He closes his eyes and tries to build a mental image that will make him feel happy and calm. He pictures his wife, Stephanie. Now that his kids have grown up, he and Stephanie are closer than ever. He imagines her face, her distinctive smile, the small scar under her chin that she's had since she was 7. In a flash, that comforting image disappears. Mike is overcome with yet another violent coughing fit. His throat feels like a desert. He hasn't had a sip of water since this morning. He wishes he'd savored that gulp. The rain falls harder. Suddenly, Mike is struck with an idea. From his pocket, he pulls out his light meter, a small handheld device used to check light levels when he's filming. The sensor has a dome shaped cap. It's small, but maybe he can use the cap to collect rain. Mike fumbles in the dark to get the light meter open, then flips the cap over and lets the tiny bowl fill with rainwater. He brings the cap to his dried out lips and takes a sip, but the water tastes bitterly of sulfur. The toxic volcanic fumes have permeated the rain, making it undrinkable. He'll have no relief for his thirst tonight. Chris Duddy sits in the darkness on his ledge, curled tightly into a ball. His head is underneath his sweatshirt in a near useless effort to block the toxic gas. He's been inhaling for hours. He feels like a turtle sinking deeper and deeper into its shell. The last few hours have been torture and he knows it's only going to get worse. His legs hurt and his eyes and throat burn, but the pain is almost second to the constant threat of death hanging over him. The falling rocks, the bubbling lava. He knows that the chance of a full scale eruption is slim, but that's not much solace as he imagines the night that awaits him. He's going to be cramped on this ledge for hours with no sleep and no water. The fumes will keep pouring up from the vent in the center of the crater and it will get harder to breathe. Chris pops his head out of his sweatshirt and looks around. Between the steam and the darkness, he can barely see past his arm, but behind the haze he can just barely make out a flickering orange glow from the lava pond in the center of the crater. It casts an eerie light through the haze. Even amid the horror of it all, Chris wishes he had his camera to capture the scene. So far the fire department guys have kept their word they're checking in, but the occasional whistle is cold comfort. When he knows no one is coming to rescue them before sunrise, Chris puts two fingers in his mouth and blows. He's certain that the rescuers know he and Mike are still alive, but he can feel his spirits dropping fast. If he doesn't make it through the night, he'll be leaving his two sons without a father. And for what? All for one stupid background shot. He pulls his head back inside the shell of his sweatshirt and starts to compose a letter in his a letter to his sons. Dear Colin, Dear Cameron, I never thought I'd say goodbye to you so young. The wind gets louder and the rain falls harder. Chris huddles on the dark ledge and silently says goodbye to everyone he loves.

[Dr. Death Narrator]

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[Narrator]

Mike Benson lifts his head and feels the comforting warmth of light against his face. Even through the rain and the thick haze, he can make out the unit unmistakable glow of the sunrise. It was a long, sleepless night, but now it's morning and he's still alive. Above him, he can hear a faint whistle and then one in return. He just hopes that it means the rescue will be starting up soon. Mike looks up at the wall, toward his friend.

[Chris Duddy]

We're getting out today, Chris. I can feel it in my bones. Great. My bones feel like cr.

[Narrator]

As it gets lighter, Mike surveys his surroundings. The fumes seem to be clearing a little. From his perch, he can see a fair distance along the crater wall. It feels like a good omen. But then an hour passes. And another. Mike can feel his frustration building. Why is it taking so long for the rescue to begin? Suddenly, Chris's voice cuts through the wind from above.

[Chris Duddy]

Mike, is that a rope?

[Narrator]

Mike looks to his left. There, about 40ft away along the crater wall, a rope has descended.

[Chris Duddy]

Oh my God, it is.

[Narrator]

It's like a gift from heaven. Except that it's too far away. There's no way Mike could possibly reach it. The rope lies still against the rocks for a moment, then slides back up and out of sight. A few seconds later, it drops back down. 10ft. Closer now. Chris shouts up to the rescue workers.

[Chris Duddy]

30ft to your right.

[Narrator]

It comes down again.

[Chris Duddy]

20ft to your right.

[Narrator]

The next time the rope returns, it's just 10ft away. Mike presses himself against the crater wall and stretches his arm out as far as he can. The rope is still just beyond his reach. But it's so close, I'm jumping for it.

[Chris Duddy]

If you miss, you'll fall straight down onto those rocks and you will get hurt. I know.

[Narrator]

Mike bends his legs and readies himself to jump.

[Chris Duddy]

Okay, one, two.

[Narrator]

But before he can move, the rope disappears back up the wall of the crater.

[Chris Duddy]

No, no, no, no. I could have made it.

[Narrator]

Don't worry, Mike.

[Chris Duddy]

They're probably just trying to get it Closer. It's coming back.

[Narrator]

But minutes pass, and then an hour. The rain keeps falling and still no rope. Mike can't believe it. They gotta come back eventually, right? But Chris only grunts in response. Mike lowers his head and exhales. He hunkers down in his alcove and wonders how much more they'll have to endure. Chris Duddy studies the rock he's gripping in his hand. He turns it over and runs his finger along its sharp edges. Then he throws it as hard as he can into the thick haze. Hours have passed since Chris and Mike last caught a glimpse of the rope. It never came back after that last attempt. As far as Chris can tell, there would be saviors are gone. He looks up at the rim of the crater. A break in the storm has let some sunlight pierce the thick fog of volcanic steam. Chris studies the light with a cameraman's eye. He can tell by its color and the length of the shadows that it'll be dark again soon. The thought of it nearly makes him cry. I can't take another night down here, Mike.

[Chris Duddy]

We made it this long. You just need to hold out a little longer for the rescue workers to come back. No.

[Narrator]

There's gotta be another way. Chris looks above him for the thousandth time, scanning the rocky wall for some path that might lead upward to freedom. A break in the murky haze has given him a better view. But there's nothing new to see until. As Chris watches, a ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds, illuminating the crater wall. That's when he sees it. A series of rocks that could work like stepping stones, taking him the last hundred feet to the top of the crater.

[Chris Duddy]

Mike, I think I see a way up.

[Narrator]

I'm gonna go for it.

[Chris Duddy]

You sure?

[Narrator]

The rocks could be loose.

[Chris Duddy]

I'd much rather go out trying than

[Narrator]

spend another night in this hellhole. Chris grabs hold of a large outcropping of rock above him to his left. He carefully pulls himself up and then stands on his new perch. It's the most that he's moved in the last 30 hours. The sun continues to sink toward the horizon. He doesn't have much light left, but he keeps going. He scrambles up to the next rock and the next. His progress is slow, but Chris makes his way higher and higher. The rain starts falling harder, lashing against his face. The wind is pushing volcanic flames fumes around, making it harder to see. But when he looks up, he can see the top. Only a few more feet to climb and he's free. He reaches out for a rock but it immediately breaks off from the crater wall. He realizes he has nothing to hold on to. The rocks along the rim of the crater are a mix of loose, crumbly pumice and sharp edged volcanic glass. Anything he might try to grab will either slash him like a knife or break off in his hands. Chris studies the rock wall in front. These last six feet or so are a sheer vertical face. His only way out of the crater is to go straight up. But how? When the rocks are too loose to hold his weight even for a moment, he racks his brain. If only he had a rod that he could push deep into the wall, it might hold in place. Then he'd have the leverage to pull himself over the rim. Then an idea hits him. He doesn't have a rod, but he does have his arms. If he dug his arms into the loose rock and pulled his way up, then he'd have the leverage he needed. But pushing his arms into these loose volcanic rocks will be like pushing them into shards of broken glass. It will hurt like hell. But he can't see any other option. Chris reaches up, grits his teeth and slowly pushes his right arm into the razor sharp mass of rocks above him. He can feel the rocks slicing into his skin as he digs his arm in up to the elbow. The palm pain makes him dizzy, but it's working. Once his arm is secure inside the rocks, he pulls himself up and jams his left arm into the rocks higher up the sheer face of the crater. He winces in agony as the volcanic glass punctures his skin. But he can feel that the rocks are supporting his weight. With one final, mighty push, Chris uses his forearms to lift himself up and hoists his leg over the lip of the crater. Then, gasping in pain, he gingerly extracts his bleeding arms from the jagged wall of volcanic rock and flips himself up and over the rim. He rolls onto his back and lays there, struggling to catch his breath. As the wind howls and the rain splashes on his face, he realizes he made it. He escaped the volcano. He stands up, unsteady on his feet. He has to pull Mike to safety. He sees a long coil of thick rope lying nearby. The rescue workers must have left it behind. He tries to pick it up, but it's a long, heavy coil and he struggles under its weight. A day and a half on that ledge, breathing in toxic fumes, has sapped his strength, Chris realizes. Even if he threw the rope down, he's too weak to pull Mike up. There's no way he can do this alone. If he's going to save his friend. He's going to have to find help. Laura Viederman steps out of the rain and into the main tent at the production base camp. Outside. The camp is teeming with rescue workers, police and news crews. Laura is at the end of her patience. Moments ago, she got the news that the rescue operation was being paused until the following morning. Sure, the storm is bad, but she can't believe it's taking this long to bring Chris and Mike to safety. She picks up the phone to update the production team at the Paramount lot in Hollywood. A producer in LA has news for her. Some stuntmen working on the film have come up with a plan to rescue Chris and Mike. If we could run a cable across the rim, they say they could lower themselves into the crater and lift our guys out. Laura can't believe her ears. Listen, we don't have time to play Indiana Jones with the stunt guys. Did you put together that list of chopper pilots? Yeah, I'll fax it right over. Laura hangs up and watches as the fax machine springs to life. She scans the list of names. She needs someone willing to do whatever it takes to bring her crew to safety. Chris runs across an endless field of jagged, black lava rock. Even though he's finally out of the crater, he still feels like he's in hell. The cooled lava flows stretch to the horizon like a frozen jet black sea. Chris doesn't know where he is or how far he'll have to go before he spots another human. But he's charged with adrenaline and hopes he's moving in the direction of the base camp. He soon spots a few dots of color in the black landscape. A row of orange safety cones. Chris guesses they must be there to mark the path the rescue workers were taking to the rim. His whole body hurts. The rain continues to pour. He struggles to stay on his feet as he trips over rocks. In the fading light through the rain, he sees a triangular shape on the horizon. As he runs closer, he realizes it's a tent. This must be the base of the rescue operation.

[Chris Duddy]

Hey. Help.

[Narrator]

With his last ounce of strength, he pushes himself through the tent flaps and staggers inside. But there's nobody there. I can't believe this. Chris starts searching through his tent. In a supply box, he finds a few bottles of water. He hasn't drunk any in two days. Wracked with thirst, Chris grabs it and gulps the water down, only to spit it out. His throat is so swollen from exposure to the sulfuric fumes that he can't even swallow. In the corner of the tent, Chris spots an oxygen tank. He puts the mask on his face, twists the valve open and breathes in deeply. After more than a day of inhaling sulfur, the pure oxygen is invigorating. He can feel his lungs opening up again. Then he hears a welcome sound outside. He stumbles out of the tent and looks up. It's a park ranger chopper flying below the worst of the storm clouds. Chris waves his arms and shouts, hey.

[Chris Duddy]

Over here. Over here.

[Narrator]

The chopper circles back and touches down on the rocky expanse. Two rangers, their faces a mix of shock and relief, leap out and run to Chris. The moment the rangers take him by the arm, Chris collapses. 30 hours of exhaustion and pain and toxic fumes finally catch up with him. The rangers carry him into the chopper. As they lay him down inside, Chris grabs one of the rangers by the sleeve. We have to go back for Mike. No, we have to get you to a doctor. I know where he is.

[Chris Duddy]

There's a rope.

[Narrator]

I'm sorry. Everyone's been ordered to stay off the crater for now. The ranger says they'll send someone on foot to drop a survival package with food, water and blankets to Mike. It's the best thing can do. As the chopper carries him away, Chris looks back at the crater. He can't believe his friend will be trapped down there for another night. Braving the elements in the depths of a volcano.

[Investigative Journalist]

Alone.

[Narrator]

Mike Benson runs his hands along the rocky wal of the crater where he scratched out a message to his wife. Dear Stephanie, I love you. The dark of night is starting to close in around him. He can't believe that he's about to spend his second night inside the crater. He hasn't had any food or water in over 36 hours. He hasn't slept either. And the thick volcanic steam keeps swirling around him, filling his lungs with poison. He can feel his brain getting foggier. When he wrote the message to his wife less than an hour ago, he struggled to find those five simple words. Dear Stephanie, I love you. It's getting harder to hold it together. He hears lava flowing and bubbling below the surface, like blood running through the veins of the volcano in every direction. He hears rocks falling. It's starting to feel inevitable that eventually he'll be crushed by one. And where's Chris? It's been at least an hour since he last heard his voice calling down from above. The last thing Chris said was that he was going to try and climb out. Did he make it? Or is he stuck on a ledge even higher up the Crater wall too far away to be heard.

[Chris Duddy]

Chris, you up there, buddy?

[Narrator]

There's no reply. Mike gazes out into the center of the crater. The thick swirling steam flickers with orange and red light. It's a horrific scene, but strangely hypnotic. Then he notices a shape forming in the haze. It's a woman floating in the air mirror about 20ft in front of him. The lava pool below casts a soft orange light on her skin. Her long hair trails gracefully behind her as she glides slowly through the thick steam. Then she stops and turns her glowing red eyes towards Mike. He recognizes her. It's Madame Pelle, goddess of the volcano. He shouts at her.

[Chris Duddy]

No. You can't have me.

[Narrator]

Her eyes grow brighter as she continues to stare. But he refuses to give in to her.

[Chris Duddy]

I'm not ready to go.

[Narrator]

The light flares and she's gone. Mike feels his heart pounding in his chest. His rational mind knows he must be hallucinating. And yet it felt so real. Even now, he can still sense Madame Pelle's presence. She's watching him, waiting to take him. But he won't give in that easily. He sits back against the rock wall and braces himself for another long night. Chris Duddy stares out the open door of the ranger helicopter as it lowers onto the road next to the production base camp for their film sliver. He's stunned by what he sees. Firetrucks, ambulances, police cars and news vans are parked everywhere. The camp's dirt lot is swarming with people. Chris turns to a ranger sitting in the helicopter beside him. What's happening here? Are you kidding? You're a celebrity. Chris learns that the story of the crash has made national news. Trapped and isolated inside the crater, he had no idea that the eyes of the world were trained on him and that such a massive rescue operation was underway. The park rangers help Chris step down onto the road, his legs wobbling from fatigue. He sees a group of rescue workers and EMTs approaching as photographers and TV cameras capture the scene. But there's one face in the group group that he's especially happy to see. It's Craig Hosking, the pilot of the crashed helicopter. Chris wraps his arms around Craig, overwhelmed by joy and disbelief. I can't believe it. You made it out. That's right. And so did you. Come on, I gotta get you to a hospital. Craig and another man grab Chris's arms. Chris leans on their shoulders as he shuffles slowly towards awaiting ambulance. The brutal ordeal of the past 36 hours weighs heavily on his every step. Chris stops and turns to CRAIG Wait, wait, wait. We gotta send a pilot to get Mike now. I laid a rope on the edge of the crater to mark the spot. Mike's right down below it. CHRIS I'd fly in there myself, but they're not letting anyone go out there till the morning. Not in this weather. Chris lowers his head. He feels a sharp pain in his stomach as he pictures Mike on his own down there, starving, struggling to breathe. Craig squeezes his shoulder. Listen, I talked to Laura Vitorman. She's putting calls out to the best pilots on the islands. We're gonna get Mike out of there soon. I promise. Chris nods. He's not surprised to hear that his producer is on top of it. But if they can't get Mike out of the crater until morning, he wonders if they'll be too late. Mike Benson cranes his neck and squints through the fumes. He can hear the sound of a helicopter above him. At least he thinks that's what he's hearing after spending a second night in the crater. He's exhausted and lightheaded. He knows that he could be hallucinating. The sound of the helicopter bounces around against the crater walls. Between that and the veil of steam, it's hard to place where the noise is coming from exactly. Mike slowly scans the morning sky and then sees something emerge from the haze. Something that makes his heart leap. It's a net shaped like a stretcher, swinging on the end of a cable. Mike recognizes that it's a rescue basket. There actually is a hel helicopter above him. Even if he can't see it through the steam, the basket swings back and forth like a pendulum. It's no more than 15ft away and swinging closer every second. Mike stretches his arm out to try and grab it.

[Chris Duddy]

Come on. Come on. This way.

[Narrator]

He reaches out again, but it's still too far away. A frightening thought begins to dawn on him. He might have to jump for it. He looks down the wall of the crater. If he missed the basket, he'd have a long fall onto the sharp rocks below. The height is hard to judge, but it's got to be at least 100ft. It's hard to imagine he'd survive the fall. Mike looks up again and trains his eyes on the swinging basket. He decides it's now or never. He jumps off his rocky ledge into the open air and lands square in the basket. His hands grip the net tightly as he swings back and forth through the thick clouds of sulfur. And then he feels himself being pulled upward. The basket emerges from the steam and for the first time in two days, Mike is able to see far into the distance. Below him, the dark cauldron of Pu oh. In the distance, the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean. And above him, the helicopter that saved his life. Mike closes his eyes. He's finally free. He breathes the fresh air and recalls his haunting vision from the night before. He looks back down at the massive crater that was his prison for the past two days. You didn't get me, Madame Pele. If the great Hawaiian goddess hears him, she doesn't reply. Chris Duddy, Mike Benson and Craig Hosking were reunited at the hospital shortly after Mike's rescue. Despite their prolonged exposure to the toxic fumes, they spent only a few days there. None of them suffered permanent lung damage. But Chris says that for months after getting rescued, he could taste sulfur every time he coughed. Researchers believe no one in modern history had ever breathed in volcanic gas as long as Chris and Mike did. During their ordeal, doctors asked them to stay on the island for another week so that their condition could be studied. A week after the rescue, a cargo helicopter was sent to airlift Craig's downed chopper out of the crater. The rotor that snapped off in the crash was never found. The footage Chris and Mike shot for Sliver was never recovered either. Instead, the climactic scene at the volcano was created entirely with special effects and stock footage. During advanced screenings of the film, the scene tested so badly with audiences that it was ultimately cut. Chris Duddy, Mike Benson, and Laura Viterman have all continued to work in the film industry. Craig Hosking has helped deliver aerial footage for more than 150 feature films. Recently, Chris served as director of photography for the reboot of the TV crime drama Magnum P.I. the show was shot in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. Despite the trauma he endured there, Chris has returned to Hawaii many times. It's a place of spiritual importance for him. He imagines it's where he'll retire. It's been nearly 30 years since their helicopter crashed inside the Kilauea volcano. On our next episode, we'll talk with Christopher Duddy, the cameraman who climbed his way out of the crater. We'll hear firsthand how he survived the ordeal and how the experience changed his life.

[Mike Corey]

Follow against the Odds on the Audible app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes of against the Odds ad free by joining Audible. This is episode two of our two part series, Crash in a Volcano. A quick note about our scenes. In most cases, we can't exactly know what was said, but Everything is based on historical research. Produced by Audible. I'm your host, Mike Corey. Eric Trueheart wrote this episode. Edited by Shaun Raviv Additional editing by Jennifer Klein Sound design by Joe Richardson engineered by Sergio Enriquez Original theme music, Scott Velasquez and 2K for freeze on set. Script consultant is Christopher Duddy produced by Matt Almos and Emily Frost Managing producer, Desi Blaylock senior producers Andy Herman and Austin Rachlis Executive producer for Audible Jenny Lauer Beckman, head of creative development at Audible Kate Navin, head of Audible Originals North America Marshall Louie Chief Content Officer, Rachel Gyazza Copyright 2026 by Audible Audible Originals, LLC Sound Recording Copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LL.