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765
March 18, 2022

Off Course

Three people, and one animal, who know the path their lives will take until, suddenly, they don’t.

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Carl Burton

Prologue

Prologue

Like a lot of parents, Yibin Li’s dad dedicated himself to making sure his daughter stayed on a path that would lead her to a better life than his. But the obstacles her dad had to surmount to achieve this are unlike those any parent anywhere has faced. Ira tells Yibin’s story. (6 minutes)

By Ira Glass
Act One

The Audition

Ira’s story of Yibin Li continues. (14 minutes)

By Ira Glass; Produced by Elna Baker
Act Two

The Synchronized Swimmers

At the age of 17, competitive swimmer Lynne Cox had already accomplished a lot in the open ocean. She’d set two world records crossing the English Channel. But it wasn’t until a practice swim one morning that year in California that she did something we’d never heard of any human doing in the water. Phoebe Judge, host of the “This Is Love” podcast, tells her story. (14 minutes)

By Phoebe Judge; Produced by Alix Spiegel

Song:

“Lost at Sea” by Oshima Brothers
Act Three

The Year of Manic-al Thinking

Comedian Casey Wilson’s mom was a stabilizing force in her family. So after her unexpected death, both Casey and her father felt devastated and unmoored. But their grief took them on two wildly different paths. (20 minutes)

By Casey Wilson; Produced by Elna Baker

Song:

“Lost My Way” by Bonny Doon

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