The Story Collider

Impending Doom: Stories about facing the scary unknown

May 8, 2026·23 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

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 years. In 2002, she returned to Atlanta with my husband and 2 kids. Currently, she owns and operate a small real estate photography business, Sabrina Samuel Photography. When she’s not working, she enjoy long walks visiting her tall forest friends - Trees. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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