Inside the Minds of the Top 1%: 50 Remarkable Secrets That Set Them Apart
Ever wonder what it really means to be in the top 1%—but not in the billionaire sense? I’m talkin’ about those oddball traits and out-of-the-ordinary life experiences that make people stand out like a neon flamingo in a flock of pigeons. From surviving medical miracles and sporting rare genetic quirks to conquering feats that make us mere mortals shake our heads in awe—these folks share their stories of being truly unusual. It’s a reminder that being “special” isn’t always about flashing cash or fame; sometimes, it’s about the incredible, the bizarre, and the downright unexpected. So, which exclusive club do you belong to? Dive in and discover just how rare some human tales can be.
People like to feel special in some regard. When we’re kids, it’s about having the latest and most popular toy. When we’re teenagers, we want to be popular or stand out from the crowd by being different from everyone else. Listening to and gatekeeping pretentious, obscure bands was my thing, personally, but there’s no judgment among Pandas, right?
In a couple of threads online, people started sharing what makes them different from everybody else. The answers to the question “What are you in the 1% of?” varied: people covered everything from genetics, unique experiences, and, of course, some morbid stuff.
But what exclusive club do you belong to, dear Pandas? Don’t forget to share with us in the comments and let us know what makes you special!
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I had pancreatic cancer last year. Out of 10,000 patients they normally find 100 who have another form of this cancer who [end] a little slower, like in 2 years instead of months.
I was one of the hundred. Out of those, normally 15 can have surgery. I was one of them.
Out of those 15, some die and some come back to basically normal life.
That’s about a 0.07% chance in all.
I am still one of them. I should be dead by now. 🙂.
Mine’s pretty godawful. I have 2 uteruses.
Edit: lot of people asking why I put up with it till I was around 33. *I* *didn’t* *know* . Because doctors don’t listen to women complaining of menstrual issues, is why. The endless pain and bleeding? [be bad] it up, take 3 Advil not two (holla). Starting at age 12. Till I lucked into a rare empathetic gynecologist who, since I’d always known I was uninterested in parenting, offered me a minimally invasive (just removes the top of the uterus, the rest of me stayed there) hysterectomy to stop the pain and hemorrhaging. And in doing the surgery, he discovered what no other doctor had cared enough to find.
I love that guy!
N.B. in the States, it is rare and usually extraordinarily difficult for a young woman who has not borne children to get a voluntary hysterectomy. Criminal.
I have a double gene mutation that makes me highly resistant or even immune to the HIV virus.
I fell off a 100 foot cliff and landed head first on rocks.
Broke my neck and back. Smashed up a lot of my body. Had to travel about a mile to find help immediately after the fall. Doctor said I caused more damage by trying to walk for help, but would have bled out if I stayed where I fell. 15 months later, I am power lifting and ran a half marathon. Should not be alive, much less be able to walk.
EDIT:
How: Camping on a mountain. Found a spot to lay down and observe the stars. Had to pee, stepped into woods, lost my footing. Geronimo.
Injuries: Head was scalped. Huge piece of flesh was just hanging off my head. Must have been a sight to the folks who’s door I knocked on in the middle of the night for help. Neck was broken and had to wear an immobilizing neck brace for many months 24/7, as they were concerned surgery may cause more damage. Initially a had a loss of sensation in my hands. Multiple vertebrae were broken, one had broken into over a dozen pieces. The neurosurgeon figures at impact my body folded in half causing that one to essentially explode. I had to have spinal fusion and relearn how to walk after. Multiple ribs broken.
Recovery: At first I essentially lived in one of those geriatric chairs that lift you up to stand. I could barely get around with a walker. Sitting on the toilet was the most excruciating thing. At some point it turned into laxative use and stand in the shower. I couldn’t bend or care for myself much in any way. Some of my friends think that being a Marine made me tough enough to survive this, but I credit an inherent stubbornness to never give up. I constantly pushed through the pain to get myself to the next level. From walker, to cane, to walking sticks. The neurosurgeon told me the best thing I could do for physical therapy was walk, so boy did I. At first I could barely make it to the end of the block and back, then a quarter mile, then on and on. Every hard effort day required a day or two of sitting in the chair and suffering through the pain. Got off meds the moment that I could stand to. 5 months after the accident I got on a treadmill and tried to run. The impacts were excruciating, but I kept coming back for more and more. At 10 months I was able to race in a 5K on memorial day in honor of a fallen veteran. I raced my heart out and was able to run it in less than 30 minutes. I immediately began half marathon training and at 14 months was able to finish at about 2 hours and 40 minutes. Started back to lifting serious weights at about 11 months and here I am in month 16 about to become a member of the 1000 pound club. (Bench press, deadlift, and squat all totaling 1000 pounds.) I still deal with pain regularly and I have a lot of discomfort that makes sleep challenging. I’ve still got a couple of months until the bones reached 100% of their healing potential.
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