A Georgia man was killed yesterday while jogging when he was struck by a plane on Hilton Head Island. Yep, this is one helluva way to die. Apparently the small plane was making an emergency landing and the man was listening to his iPod and didn't hear the plane. How loud is your music if you can't hear a plane coming straight at you? Unless this was some secret super-silent spy plane it seems unfuckingbelievable. I'm assuming his funeral will be closed casket. Unfortunately he had a young three year old at home who will never be able to tell the story of her father's death without people laughing at her first and then awkwardly realizing she isn't telling a joke.
If you are particularly interested Wikipedia has an entry dedicated to List of Unusual Deaths. Unfortunately many of these deaths aren't that interesting but rather someone dying at an inopportune moment or letting a small infection turn into something fatal. There are, however, a few deaths that are really out there.
-- A Finnish actress died in 1939 when she mistook a chimney for a balcony and fell down the chimney to her death. Where was Santa then huh? And how in the hell do you confuse a chimney with a balcony? I've never been to Finland but I'm pretty sure their architecture isn't that different from ours.
-- A Guitarist was electrocuted to death by a microphone while on stage. This was probably God's way of telling him to stop singing.
-- Christine Chubbuck, a news reporter in Florida, committed suicide on live television in 1974 by pulling out her revolver and shooting herself in the head. She decided to take her 15 seconds of fame at the end of her life. What a horrifyingly selfish way to claim the spotlight for yourself.
-- Then you have the guy that died laughing, literally. I've heard of this happening but what surprises me is that the movie he was watching at the time was A Fish Called Wanda. Of all the movies you die laughing from it's this one?
There are many, many more of course. I just concentrated on the modern day deaths, but they also included historical deaths as well. It seems as if those would be more difficult to prove and were likely exaggerated over the years. When my time comes I really don't want it to be sensational enough to get into the news. If I'm going to be known for something, I don't want it to be dying. After all, I won't be around to reap the benefits.
4 comments:
You know, I'm gonna go with what this dude was probably thinking when he went jogging on a beach: the most he's gonna get hit by is maybe an irked sea gull. Tell you this though, a couple of people are going to be looking up at the sky while at the beach a lot more than normal. Let's just hope they don't decide to enforce a law that you cannot wear headphones while jogging, or doing anything, at the beach.
Sarrestia -
I know right? 'No headphones at the beach' could soon turn into 'No particularly engaging conversations' and 'No cell phone use'.
I think this death is part of what makes the old adage "truth is stranger than fiction" true. And seriously, mistaking a chimney for a balcony?!!!
Ahh, this is one of your best yet. I hadn't read this one yet and of my teammates were telling me about what you wrote while we were smoking the hookah tonight. I'm glad that sharing the List of Unusual Death's with you and everyone I know paid off eventually. Too bad for Jack Daniels dying of blood poisoning though.
I love your version of the tale and so does my team out here on FOB Normandy, Iraq. You're read around the world.
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