Meet 13 People Who Survived on Deserted Islands, From a Real-Life Robinson Crusoe to a Noblewoman Marooned With Her Lover

"Narratives about deserted islands often depict the ingenuity required to build shelter and acquire food and water, as well as the mental fortitude needed to patiently wait for rescue. Many of these story lines are exaggerated and sensationalized for dramatic effect. Still, the challenge of being pitted against nature, secluded from civilization and forced to live with only the barest essentials taps into themes of resilience and adventure that have always fascinated humans."

"When real-life stories of people somehow surviving on uninhabited islands emerge, the castaways quickly become celebrities. The public wants to know every detail of their experience-especially what it took for them to endure not just a handful of days but sometimes months, years or even decades of isolation. To mark Send Help 's release on January 30, read seven stories of people who found themselves stuck on remote islands and learn how they survived long enough to be rescued."

Countless fictional and real accounts chronicle people stranded on remote islands, from Robinson Crusoe and Gilligan's Island to contemporary films. A new Sam Raimi horror-thriller, Send Help, follows a woman and her overbearing boss surviving a plane crash and isolation. Deserted-island narratives emphasize building shelter, sourcing food and water, and maintaining mental fortitude while awaiting rescue. Many portrayals are sensationalized for drama, yet central themes of resilience, adventure and human adaptability remain compelling. Real-life castaways often gain celebrity, and public interest focuses on the specific survival methods and durations that enabled their rescue.

Read at Smithsonian Magazine