Impending Doom: Stories about facing the scary unknown

Impending Doom: Stories about facing the scary unknown

From The Story Collider by Story Collider, Inc.

May 8, 2026 · 24 min

About this episode

This episode features stories about confronting the unknown related to health challenges faced by the storytellers.

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers are forced to confront the terrifying unknown and decide how to live in the shadow of what might come. Part 1: After three generations of women in her family develop Alzheimer’s disease, Mary Jo Pollack enrolls in a study that could reveal whether she’s next. Part 2: When Sabrina Samuel is diagnosed with a brain aneurysm and told to wait a year before surgery, she must choose between living in fear or embracing the time she has. Mary Jo Pollack lives life out loud, not only as an award-winning storyteller but also as a general life philosophy. She has appeared at Odyssey Storytelling, Female Storytelling (FST!), Tellers of Tales Tucson, Phoenix Moth, which she won twice, and numerous virtual shows, including the 2022 Toronto Storytelling Festival. Mary Jo loves the 99-second storytelling format. Southern Nomad, photographer, and nature lover; Sabrina Samuel is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. She enjoyed a childhood full of outdoor adventures with her little sister and their many beloved ponies, ducks, goats, cats, dogs, and rabbits. After studying art at the University of Georgia, she traveled to India and lived there for many…

People in this episode

Guests: Mary Jo Pollack, Sabrina Samuel

Topics covered

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • brain aneurysm
  • fear
  • storytelling
  • family
  • health

Keywords

  • Alzheimer's
  • brain aneurysm
  • storytelling
  • fear
  • health
  • family

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Story Collider, Inc.

Places: Atlanta, Georgia, India

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