How close have you come to death?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

A recurring Guardian Q&A prompt asked directly across respondents and years.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Recorded Gary Numan said elsewhere, not written here
I was an air display pilot for 15 years, and watched most of my friends die in crashes. When the children came along, I got out of it.

The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 July 2017 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 210 →
Bryn Terfel Welsh bass-baritone singer
In 2006, I went fishing for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. On the way back, one of the engines caught fire and then we had one engine for 70 miles. Slowly but surely, we got to Baton Rouge in the darkness but then got very close to a very large passing ship – they didn’t see us and we didn’t see them.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 November 2024 source ↗
Gloria Steinem Writer and feminist organiser
I’ve had cancer three times, but never felt close to death except when I walked between parked cars on my street and a car sped past my nose.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 4 March 2017 source ↗
When I was drinking, there were many times when I was out for the night and didn’t come back for a week.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 December 2024 source ↗

More from Gary Numan

View profile →

More on death & what remains

Also answered this

Bobby Gillespie, Bruce Dickinson, Shakin' Stevens, Adrian Edmondson, Kim Gordon, Michael Stipe

Search the directory for somebody in particular.

Explore further

Report this answer