Have you ever experienced the feeling of someone or something else's presence when you are alone? This phenomenon is known as the "Third Man Syndrome,"  also known as Third Man Factor.

Third Man Syndrome is a well-documented phenomenon experienced by some extreme mountain climbers, solo sailors, shipwreck survivors, polar explorers and people in dire situations.

 It is characterized by a feeling of companionship or the presence of an unseen being that accompanies people during times of extreme danger. The experience is typically reported as comforting and reassuring, providing a sense of guidance and protection.

Writer John Geiger chronicles the phenomenon of the phantom companion in his book, The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible. As Geiger explains, the Third Man is an unseen being that intervenes at a critical moment — when people are in great stress or in a life-and-death struggle — to give comfort, aid or support.

Geiger spent five years tracking down the stories of people who've experienced the Third Man phenomenon.

One of the most famous instances of the phenomenon took place during Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic expedition in 1916. The team's boat was trapped in ice and they were forced to make a grueling journey across mountain ranges and glaciers to a whaling station in Stromness Bay. Shackleton later wrote: "I know that during that long and racking march of thirty-six hours over the unnamed mountains and glaciers, it seemed to me often that we were four, not three."

Later, the poet T.S. Eliot read Shackleton's account of a mysterious "fourth" man and took some poetic license with the idea, including it in his famous poem, The Waste Land. He turned Shackleton's fourth into a third — and this is where the phenomenon gets its name:

Who is the third who walks always beside you?
When I count, there are only you and I together
But when I look ahead up the white road
There is always another one walking beside you
Gliding wrapt in a brown mantle, hooded
I do not know whether a man or a woman
But who is that on the other side of you?

Reinhold Messner

Reinhold Messner is a well-known climber and the first person to summit all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters without the use of supplemental oxygen. Messner has reported experiencing Third Man Syndrome on several of his climbs, including his solo ascent of Nanga Parbat in 1978. During the climb, Messner reported feeling the presence of an invisible companion who accompanied him and helped him make his way up the mountain.

Frank Smythe

Frank Smythe was a British climber who experienced Third Man Syndrome during his climb of Kamet in the Himalayas in 1933. Smythe reported feeling the presence of another person who guided him through the climb and saved his life. Smythe described the experience as a "miraculous presence" that provided him with guidance and companionship during the ascent. He recounted how at one point on the ascent, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a slab of Kendal mint cake, broke it in half and turned around to give the other half to a companion. But there was no one there: "All the time that I was climbing alone, I had a strong feeling that I was accompanied by a second person. The feeling was so strong that it completely eliminated all loneliness I might otherwise have felt."

Joe Simpson

Joe Simpson is a British mountaineer and author who wrote about his experience with Third Man Syndrome in his book "Touching the Void." During his climb of Siula Grande in the Andes, Simpson fell and broke his leg. He then experienced the presence of an invisible companion who helped him make his way down the mountain. Simpson described the experience as a feeling of being "held" or "guided" by an unseen force.

John All

John All was an American climber and scientist who disappeared while attempting to climb Mount Himlung in Nepal in 2018. Prior to his disappearance, All reported experiencing Third Man Syndrome during his climb. All described feeling the presence of an unseen being who was guiding him and helping him to navigate the difficult terrain.

George Mallory

George Mallory was a British climber who is best known for his attempts to summit Mount Everest in the 1920s. Mallory disappeared during one of his attempts, and his body was not discovered until 1999. Prior to his disappearance, Mallory reportedly experienced Third Man Syndrome during his climb. Mallory described feeling the presence of an unseen companion who was helping him to navigate the mountain.

The Miraculous Survival of Harrison Okene

In 2013, Harrison Okene, a Nigerian cook, was working on a ship that capsized off the coast of Nigeria. He managed to survive for three days in an air pocket in the wreckage of the ship. During this time, he reported feeling the presence of another person who helped him to stay calm and survive until he was rescued.

9/11 Attack

During the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, many survivors reported feeling the presence of a "third man" who guided them to safety. For example, a group of firefighters who were trapped in the North Tower of the World Trade Center reported feeling the presence of a mysterious figure who led them down the stairs to safety. One of the firefighters later described the experience as follows: "He led us right to the stairway, and he said, 'You're going to be okay now, you're going to be alright.' And we didn't know who he was, but he was an angel to us."

The Butterfly People of Joplin 

During a deadly tornado in Joplin, Missouri in 2011, there were several reports of children who claimed they were helped during the disaster by “angels”.

Third Man Syndrome is a well-documented phenomenon experienced by many people during times of dire peril.  It is characterized by a feeling of companionship or the presence of an unseen being that provides comfort, reassurance, guidance, and protection.  Maybe a better term for the phenomenon would be... Guardian Angel.