Rebecca Sharrock, an Australian woman diagnosed with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM), can recall every moment of her life in extreme detail—even as far back as infancy. She is part of just 0.00001% of the global population with this rare condition, which allows individuals to remember nearly every event with remarkable precision.
Sharrock recalls vivid memories from when she was just a week old, saying, “I remember being in this pink cotton blanket. I’d always know when it was Mum holding me—she was my favorite person.” She initially assumed that everyone had the same ability, only realizing it was unique when she saw a news report about HSAM in 2011. Her parents suspected she had the condition, which was officially diagnosed in 2013, making her the only confirmed case in Australia as of 2019.
While many see HSAM as a gift, Sharrock acknowledges its downsides, particularly when it comes to emotional experiences. “If I’m remembering an incident that happened when I was three, my emotional response is like a three-year-old, even though my mind and conscience are like an adult,” she explained. Negative memories trigger the same intense emotions she felt at the time, making it difficult to move on from past events.
Despite the challenges, Sharrock has embraced her extraordinary memory as part of who she is. “Remembering this way just seems so normal to me,” she said, though she admits that being a medical exception means few people truly understand what she experiences.
