The People Who Don’t—And Sometimes Can’t—Forget
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Think of a random date from your childhood onward. Can you remember what day of the week it was, what you were doing that day, and what news events occurred? Somebody with an ordinary memory would probably have trouble, especially if nothing significant transpired. But 34-year-old Joey DeGrandis can almost definitely tell you within seconds.
Believe it or not, DeGrandis is one of fewer than 100 people worldwide who have been identified as having Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, or HSAM, a rare condition that typically allows them to recall life memories from specific dates with ease. Those who have HSAM have a very strong ability to remember details of past daily experiences—even from decades ago—and do so with great accuracy.