866: Watch Out for That Tree

This episode of "This American Life" explores the theme of plans gone awry due to unforeseen circumstances. The first act tells the story of Tom, an accountant who meticulously plans a family vacation to Great Basin National Park, only to have his children struck by lightning during a hike, highlighting the limits of risk assessment. The second act focuses on Mahmoud Khalil, a legal resident and student activist, whose life is upended when he's detained and faces deportation due to his political activities. The story follows the impact of his detention on his wife, Noor, who gives birth to their first child while he is in detention, and the couple's struggle to navigate their new reality amidst Mahmoud's unexpected notoriety. The final act tells the story of Kieran, who as a teen, created a false persona and edited Wikipedia to make a Honduran soccer player seem more attractive to European teams, and the unexpected consequences of his prank.