[live] to tell the tale

to survive a danger or difficulty and be able to tell others about it

The idiom "live to tell the tale" originates from the idea of surviving a dangerous or life-threatening situation and being able to recount the experience. It is used to emphasize one's survival in the face of adversity, often traumatic or perilous events, with the implication that the ordeal was challenging or harrowing but ultimately surmountable.

Despite the harrowing plane crash, all the passengers survived and lived to tell the tale.
After a vicious encounter with a wild animal, the hiker was relieved to live to tell the tale.
The firefighter narrowly escaped a collapsing building and lived to tell the tale of the rescue mission.
The sailor faced a severe storm at sea but managed to live to tell the tale of his survival.
The young cancer survivor has a compelling story to share about her journey to live to tell the tale of recovery and resilience.