Top 10 Amazing Execution Survival Stories

Discover the incredible survival stories of ten individuals who defied death during their executions. From Willie Francis’s failed electric chair execution to Maggie Dickson’s miraculous return to life, these remarkable tales highlight the resilience and luck of those who survived the impossible.

Willie Francis (1929–1947)

In 1945, Willie Francis was sentenced to death by electric chair for murder. During his execution, the electric chair malfunctioned, failing to kill him. Despite the botched execution, his appeal was rejected, and he was executed a year later in 1947.

Maggie Dickson (Circa 1700)

Maggie Dickson was sentenced to death by hanging in Scotland. After being declared dead and placed in a coffin, she knocked on the coffin lid, was discovered alive, and was later freed, living for another forty years.

Joseph Samuel (Circa 1780)

 Joseph Samuel’s hanging was repeatedly thwarted by rope malfunctions in 1803. The governor commuted his sentence to life imprisonment, believing it a sign from God.

Wenseslao Moguel (Circa 1880)

Wenseslao Moguel, sentenced to death by firing squad during the Mexican Revolution, survived being shot nine times, including a close-range shot to his head. He escaped and lived a full life afterward.

William Duell (1724)

After being sentenced to death by hanging in 1740, William Duell was found to be alive during his dissection. He was revived and had his sentence commuted.

Anne Green (Circa 1630)

Anne Green survived her hanging in 1650 after being declared dead and sent for dissection. She revived in the coffin, was given medical treatment, and lived for fifteen more years.

John Smith (Circa 1690)

Convicted of robbery and sentenced to death by hanging, John Smith survived a prolonged hanging and was later reprieved due to the public’s outcry.

Zoleykhah Kadkhoda (Born 1977)

In 1997 Iran, Zoleykhah Kadkhoda survived a stoning when villagers intervened. She was later found alive after being thought dead and eventually received amnesty.

John Henry George Lee (1864–Circa 1945)

John Lee’s hanging was repeatedly thwarted by malfunctioning equipment in 1885. His sentence was eventually commuted to life imprisonment due to the failed executions.

Elizabeth Proctor (Circa 1652)

Accused during the Salem Witch Trials, Elizabeth Proctor was spared execution due to her pregnancy. She was later released along with others when the governor intervened.