Podcast Summary: This Is Actually Happening

Episode 395: What if you were pushed into the path of an oncoming train?
Release Date: January 13, 2026
Main Guest: Joe Lynskey
Host: Wit Misseldine

Episode Overview

This gripping episode features Joe Lynskey, who recounts the harrowing experience of being randomly pushed in front of a New York City subway train on New Year's Eve, 2024. The episode weaves together Joe’s life story—touching on his chaotic childhood, struggles with sexuality and addiction, recovery journey, and the aftermath of his near-death experience. It is both a survival narrative and a meditation on trauma, empathy, and the transformative power of community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Joe's Early Life and Upbringing

• Family background: Grew up as one of 12 children in a chaotic Miami household.
• Identity formation: Knew he was gay from a young age; initially self-accepting, but internalized shame after bullying and societal rejection
• Loss and pain: Father died suddenly when Joe was 13, intensifying feelings of being unmoored and anxious
• Positive influences: Found community among other queer teens, discovered art and music, and attributes high school friendships with saving his life
  • “If I had just been able to just be who I wanted to be… I don’t think I would have been so racked with anxiety and guilt all the time about just wanting to, you know, kiss a boy.” (15:33)

2. The Struggle with Addiction and Path to Sobriety

• Teen years into young adulthood: Drinking escalated after his father’s death; substance abuse intertwined with nightlife and music careers
• Rock bottom: Thanksgiving 2012, alone and lost contact with family
  • “I didn’t recognize myself. I didn’t recognize my life… I made a phone call to a sober person I had met that summer.” (22:45)
• Recovery: Entered a 12-step program and has been sober since age 33
• New purpose: Built healthy friendships, re-engaged passions like tennis and music, learned to help others in the sober community
  • “It’s the most important thing I’ve ever done for myself.” (25:13)

3. The Incident: Pushed Onto the Subway Tracks

• Setting the scene: December 31, 2024, after brunch with friends in Manhattan; split-second decision to take a local train
• The attack: Randomly and violently shoved from behind as the train approached
  • “I felt the hardest shove... I said to myself, ‘Oh my God, you’ve been pushed and this train is going to kill you.’” (32:43)
• Miraculous survival: Landed perfectly between rails as the train passed overhead; suffered head trauma and broken ribs
• Calm in chaos: Immediate realization of danger, avoided moving to prevent electrocution by third rail
  • “If you struggle, if you kick, you’re gonna die.” (35:00)
• Rescue: After several minutes, firefighters (John and Jonathan) arrived, risking their own lives to drag Joe out
  • “They looked at me and they’re like, ‘Do you know what the third rail is?’...‘Because you can’t touch it. If you touch it, we’re all going to die.’” (39:23)

4. Aftermath: Hospitalization, Recovery, and Viral Video

• Initial recovery: Severe injuries (fractured skull, broken ribs, ruptured spleen), intensive hospital stay; family and friends rallied around
• Going viral: Surveillance video of the push quickly spread, bringing public attention and support
  • “It was the very first video I saw on TikTok… and anyone who sees that video would assume that I was dead.” (44:11)
• Emotional impact: Therapy to address PTSD, difficulty sleeping, lasting anxiety about being approached from behind
• Community response: Outpouring of kindness from New Yorkers and beyond; special connection with rescue firefighters
  • “They told me that I was the very first person that they pulled out alive from beneath a train.” (46:40)

5. Reflection and Moving Forward

• Ongoing challenges: Persistent PTSD, vigilance in public spaces, but determined not to let trauma define him
• On the attacker: Young man named Kamel; has chosen not to dwell on anger or resentment
  • “I don’t have a lot of space in my life for negativity or resentment or anger... I just move forward.” (48:20)
• Gratitude and new perspectives: Reassessing priorities in life, accepting help, valuing community and self-love
  • “A random, violent attack on my life… there were so many things that were out of my control. I’ve had to really lean into acceptance.” (49:03)
• Final message: Sees his survival as a gift and a chance to reevaluate his life’s purpose
  • “What do I want to do with the rest of my life? Because I could die tomorrow. It’s as simple as that. It can all be taken away from you like that.” (49:45)
  • “I think that’s what this attack really showed me in the end was that I am loved. And I can feel good saying that. And it’s not easy for me to say that I am loved.” (50:10)

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “If I had just been able to just be who I wanted to be... I don’t think I would have been so racked with anxiety and guilt.” (15:33)
• “I didn’t recognize myself. I didn’t recognize my life. I had lost the majority of contact with my siblings. I made a phone call to a sober person I had met that summer.” (22:45)
• “It’s the most important thing I’ve ever done for myself.” (25:13)
• “I felt the hardest shove... I said to myself, ‘Oh my God, you’ve been pushed and this train is going to kill you.’” (32:43)
• “If you struggle, if you kick, you’re gonna die.” (35:00)
• “They looked at me and they’re like, ‘Do you know what the third rail is?’...‘Because you can’t touch it. If you touch it, we’re all going to die.’” (39:23)
• “It was the very first video I saw on TikTok… and anyone who sees that video would assume that I was dead.” (44:11)
• “They told me that I was the very first person that they pulled out alive from beneath a train.” (46:40)
• “A random, violent attack on my life… there were so many things that were out of my control. I’ve had to really lean into acceptance. Like, acceptance is the answer to all of my problems today.” (49:03)
• “What do I want to do with the rest of my life? Because I could die tomorrow. It’s as simple as that. It can all be taken away from you like that.” (49:45)
• “I am loved. And I can feel good saying that. And it’s not easy for me to say that I am loved.” (50:10)

Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• [32:43] The shove onto the tracks and instant perception of imminent death
• [36:50] Joe’s calmness and survival instincts activated beneath the train
• [39:23] Rescue by FDNY, explicit dangers described, and raw pain during extraction
• [44:11] Confronting his viral moment via social media and public reaction
• [46:40] Reunion and gratitude expressed to the firefighters who saved him
• [49:45] Joe’s distilled realization about life’s fragility and what he wants going forward

Flow of the Episode

The episode interlaces Joe’s biography and prior traumas with his recent, life-altering experience. It builds from formative childhood moments and battles with addiction, peaks during the graphic and suspenseful recounting of the subway attack, and then decelerates into an exploration of healing, psychological aftermath, and gratitude. Joe’s tone alternates between raw vulnerability and wry, self-aware humor, painting a deeply human portrait of resilience and survival.

Important Segments by Timestamp

• [00:47 – 18:30] Joe’s background: family, growing up, coming of age, loss, and queer identity
• [18:30 – 27:00] Descent into addiction, New York years, and recovery
• [27:00 – 32:43] Sobriety, rediscovering self, and new life routines
• [32:43 – 36:50] The attack and moments under the train
• [36:50 – 41:00] On-rescue, medical challenges, and survival
• [41:00 – 46:40] Healing process, therapy, media attention, and community support
• [46:40 – 49:45] Reflections on seeing his rescuers again, ongoing PTSD, and personal philosophy
• [49:45 – 50:10] Final thoughts on life, acceptance, and love

Conclusion

Joe Lynskey’s story is a harrowing yet uplifting testament to endurance, empathy, and the redemptive power of community after unimaginable trauma. This episode offers listeners a raw, detailed account of survival—challenging us all to reconsider what it means to heal, to accept what we cannot control, and to love ourselves and others more openly.