What is a day alive?

Print anything with Printful




The concept of celebrating a “day alive” has become popular among war veterans and others who have had close calls with death. This can include celebrating the anniversary of a serious injury or life-threatening event, and can be done through parties or personal reflections. The Alive Day concept was popularized by a 2007 documentary featuring Iraq War veterans discussing their experiences in battle and how they coped with their injuries. Celebrating a day alive can be an important part of processing and growing from a life-changing experience. It can also be an opportunity to share one’s story and potentially help others avoid similar situations.

A day alive is an anniversary date of a very close escape from death. People may choose to celebrate their days of life with parties or with personal reflections, depending on personal taste and their relationship to the events that occurred on the day they narrowly missed death. Friends and family can also celebrate these days with cards or gifts acknowledging their relationship to their deceased neighbor.

Members of the military celebrate living days since the Vietnam War, and quite possibly before. Fighting in war tends to increase the likelihood of dying, and it can seem miraculous to escape death after a confrontation with the enemy. Members of the military are also closely connected to each other, thanks to their unique experiences in warfare, and day parties can be a way to renew that connection and celebrate a safe return from the battlefield.

The Alive Day concept was popularized by a 2007 documentary, Alive Day Memories, which featured interviews with Iraq War veterans discussing their experiences in battle and their celebrations. The soldiers featured in the documentary were seriously injured, and the film chronicled how they dealt with their injuries. Many Iraq War veterans suffered amputations and severe brain injuries, and commemorating their days alive helps them process the events that changed their lives.

You don’t have to be a war veteran to celebrate a day alive. These days can commemorate serious car accidents, falls that lead to serious injury, and other life-threatening events in someone’s life. Because a close brush with death is often an intense and life-changing experience, acknowledging the event with a celebration can be an important part of growth and change. Some people also like to talk about the events leading up to their fatal accident, with some choosing to speak to communities about their experiences in hopes of preventing others from making choices that could put them in the same situation.




Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN


Skip to content