NBC ‘s summer disaster docuseries Survival Mode goes beyond the attention-grabbing headlines and straight to the heart of the matter. Over nine episodes, NBC News crews interview ordinary folks, first responders, and loved ones who persevered in the face of utter tragedies — some caused by Mother Nature (the Montecito Mudslide, explored in August 4’s episode), some man-made (Amtrak 501 derailment on July 28). The upcoming August 11 episode on the Fort Worth Pileup is a bit of both.

In February 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas, an unusually chilly winter freeze brought black ice onto a highway during a pre-dawn commute that resulted in a 133-car pile-up, six fatalities, and at least 65 injuries. “Everyone coming down the hill and around this turn [on the highway] couldn’t see it until it was

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