Episode

The Miller Cave Tragedy: 7 Entered, 5 Survived | E217

Podcast: The CRUX: True Survival Stories
Published: Feb 23, 2026
Duration seconds: 2906
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Summary

*CONTENT WARNING* Contains descriptions of hypothermia, drowning, and death. February 28, 1987. Seven people descended into Miller Cave, a 112-foot vertical shaft in an Iowa farm field. When a winter storm shifted direction, water began pouring into the cave—turning a routine college caving trip into a fight for survival. Student leader Chad Blietz (now Chad Darby) shares his firsthand account of climbing through freezing spray in total darkness, battling hypothermia, and making impossible decisions as conditions turned deadly. Seven entered. Only five survived.This episode honors those lost and explores the survival lessons that still matter today.