
16 People Who Died In Painfully Awkward, Embarrassing, Or Darkly Funny Ways
1. In the early 1900s, Paris-based tailor Franz Reichelt claimed to have invented a wearable parachute. He believed in his invention so much, in fact, that he sought to test it by leaping off the Eiffel Tower. On February 4, 1912 — despite prior tests with dummies yielding unsuccessful results and warnings from his friends not to be a dummy himself — Reichelt lept off the Tower's first platform wearing his parachute suit. The parachute failed to deploy, and he plummeted nearly 200 feet to his death. The entire episode was filmed, and it's believed to be the first death caught on camera.
2. In 1983, Michael Anderson Godwin was convicted of raping and murdering a 24-year-old woman and sentenced to death by electric chair, but his conviction was later overturned on appeal, and he received a life sentence instead. Quite the break for Godwin (assuming he liked breathing and not having 2,000+ volts of electricity pumped through his body). However, six years later, Godwin made the mistake of trying to repair a pair of earphones connected to his television. Seated naked on the metal toilet in his cell, Godwin bit into a live wire to fix the device — and accidentally electrocuted himself. How's that for irony? After having escaped the electric chair, Godwin couldn't escape the, shall we say, electric toilet.
3. Ever heard of "death by beard"? It happened to Hans Steininger, a 16th-century Austrian mayor famous for having a long beard. His beard was so long, in fact, that it could be stretched out to nearly five feet, and he typically kept it rolled up in a leather pouch. (RIP Hans, but you were a weird dude.) On September 28, 1567, a big fire broke out in his town. In the panic, Steininger forgot to secure his beard in his little leather pouch, and while running around trying to help the situation, he tripped over his beard, fell down a flight of stairs, broke his neck, and died. (That's not Steininger below; it's an early 19th-century man named Zach T. Wilcox who once held the record for the world's longest beard, but Steininger's beard probably looked like this one.)
You can actually still see Steininger's beard — it's been preserved and is on display at a museum in Austria!
What the heck...while we're on the subject of long beards, take a look at this wild photo. It's of Hans Lang, who holds the Guinness World Record for the longest natural beard for a male — his beard measured 17.6 ft long! For the record, he died naturally at age 81 of non-beard-related causes.
4. Garry Hoy, a lawyer in Toronto, was known for his confidence in the structural integrity of his office building's windows. On July 9, 1993, while giving a tour to a group of students, Hoy attempted to demonstrate the unbreakable nature of the floor-to-ceiling glass by throwing himself against it — a stunt he had successfully performed numerous times before. Tragically, during this demonstration, the window frame gave way, and both Hoy and the glass pane plummeted from the 24th floor, leading to his immediate death upon impact. The structural engineer Bob Greer commented on the incident, stating, "I don't know of any building code in the world that would allow a 160-pound man to run up against a glass window and withstand it."
5. During the Civil War — on May 9, 1864 — Union General John Sedgwick's troops were under fire from Confederate sharpshooters. Observing his men seeking cover, Sedgwick, confident in their safety, reportedly declared, "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance." Almost immediately, a bullet struck Sedgwick under the left eye, killing him. If I'm ever in a situation like that, I will say something different, like, "They couldn't deliver us a gift basket of freshly baked cookies at this distance."
6. Adolf Frederick, the King of Sweden, was infamous for his over-the-top eating. On February 12, 1771, the king (who in another life would have been a famous Mukbang streamer) partook in an extravagant meal comprising lobster, caviar, sauerkraut, smoked herring, and champagne. The feast culminated with 14 servings of his favored dessert, semla, a sweet roll served in hot milk. In case you sped over that last sentence, let me repeat: HE HAD 14 SERVINGS OF DESSERT!!! This pig-out session led to severe digestive complications (shocker), resulting in his death. He is now often referred to in history books as " The King Who Ate Himself to Death."
7. In 2022, Aaron Henderson, a 40-year-old father of three, was at his job at a landfill in Florida, where he directed dump truck traffic (among other tasks). As the workday ended, he slipped into a portable toilet on-site to relieve himself. At the same time, a co-worker operating a bulldozer was trying to park it for the evening. Due to the elevated position of the bulldozer's blade — raised approximately 3 to 4 feet off the ground — the operator's forward view was obstructed, and he didn't see the portable toilet. Horribly, he drove over the portable toilet, crushing Henderson inside. Emergency responders raced to help...but Henderson was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident was described by authorities as a "tragic industrial accident," but Henderson's family wasn't so sure. An advocate for the family said, 'The law says its culpable negligence. You can't get in a bulldozer without a spotter, run over a port-a-potty and say 'Oh, it was an accident.'
8. In 1871, Clement Vallandigham, a famous American lawyer known for his dramatic courtroom demonstrations, was defending a client accused of murder. To illustrate his theory that the deceased had accidentally shot himself, Vallandigham brought a similar firearm into the courtroom and, while demonstrating what he thought happened, inadvertently discharged the weapon, killing himself. Tragic, yes, but there was a bright side to this. Vallandigham's demonstration was so convincing that it introduced reasonable doubt, and his client was acquitted.
9. In October of 1601, prominent Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe attended a formal banquet in Prague, which, I'm assuming, had quite the assortment of libations. Brahe was a stickler for courtly etiquette — which dictated that leaving the table before the host was considered impolite — so he remained seated despite desperately needing to relieve himself. This led to a bladder ailment, believed to be a ruptured bladder or uremia, which proved fatal eleven days later. So, go when you gotta go, folks! (Interestingly, a DNA study of one of his hairs suggests another possible cause of death — mercury poisoning.)
10. Around 206 BC (as the story goes), ancient Greek philosopher Chrysippus of Soli saw a donkey eating figs and joked that someone should give the animal wine to wash them down. This may not have been the funniest joke ever told, but Chrysippus sure acted like it was, bursting into uncontrollable laughter. He laughed so hard, in fact, that he collapsed and died! If laughing to death isn't embarrassing enough, to this day, people are going, "He died from that joke? THAT JOKE?!."
11. Roman Emperor Valerian was the first Roman emperor to be taken captive in battle — by the Persian emperor Shapur I after the Battle of Edessa — and things only got worse from there. It's believed that during his captivity, Valerian was forced to suffer incredibly humiliating indignities, including being used as a human footstool by Shapur. Eventually, Valerian was killed, his body was flayed, and his skin was displayed as a trophy. Damn. After hearing this one, I think I'd prefer to laugh myself to death.
12. British daredevil Bobby Leach became famous in 1911 as the second person to survive a plunge over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The stunt left him significantly injured, but he recovered. Years later, while on a publicity tour in New Zealand in 1926, Leach slipped on an orange peel and fractured leg. Gangrene set in, and the leg needed to be amputated. Complications from the surgery ensued, and he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. How's that for the unpredictability of life and death? The man survives one of the most dangerous stunts possible, then dies because of an orange peel.
Above Leach — in 1925, months before his death — points to Niagara Falls and tells reporters: "There is where I went over Niagara Falls in 1911, in a barrel, and there is where I will go over again in a rubber ball, which I am having especially made. The ball will be ready in the Spring and after I have completed the tests I will be ready for another trip over the falls, next summer." (Leach's second trip over the falls never happened, of course.)
13. Renowned detective Allan Pinkerton faced a lot of danger in his line of work, but he met his demise in a shockingly simple way. In 1884, while walking on a sidewalk in Chicago, he slipped and bit his tongue severely. Pinkerton neglected to seek immediate medical attention (you'd think a detective would have picked up on the clue that the immense pain meant he needed help), and the wound became infected, leading to gangrene. He died from infection on July 1, 1884.
14. King Pyrrhus of Epirus was known for his military campaigns against Rome (giving rise to the term "Pyrrhic victory"), but he met an unforeseen demise in 272 BC. During a street battle in Argos, as he engaged in combat, an elderly woman threw a roof tile from a rooftop that smacked Pyrrhus right atop his head. No, he didn't die from being hit by a roof tile — but when he looked up to see where it came from, he was stunned by an enemy soldier who fatally stabbed him. Sounds like, in the game of life, Pyrrhus lost the battle AND the war.
15. According to legend, Aeschylus — the father of tragedy in ancient Greek theater — died because an eagle, mistaking his bald head for a rock suitable for shattering tortoise shells, dropped a damn tortoise on him, resulting in a fatal injury! For Aeschylus' sake, I hope this is just legend and not true because, "Ouch!" (Sounds like how someone would die in Super Mario Bros., huh?)
16. And lastly, about 2,500 years ago, Empedocles, a philosopher from Sicily famed for his theories on the four classical elements, supposedly died in a way I wouldn't put past some of our current world leaders. Legend has it that Empedocles leaped into the active volcano Mount Etna to prove he was divine, intending to reappear as an immortal being. And he did! He emerged as an eternal God and now lives in Akron, OH. Just kidding, he was burned alive by the molten lava. Well, folks, here's hoping writing this hasn't doomed me to my own absolutely ridiculous death, like dying taking a BuzzFeed quiz.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Los Angeles Times
19 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Home Depot caught in the crosshairs of L.A. immigrations raids
America's best-known hardware store chain, Home Depot, has found itself at the center of the federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, and the subsequent protests. On Friday, a Home Depot in the Westlake neighborhood was among several locations hit by federal agents, who also raided Ambiance Apparel in the garment district in downtown L.A. as part of a crackdown that led to the arrests of dozens of people. The arrests outside Home Depot targeted day laborers hired by the chain's customers, including homeowners and contractors who rely on undocumented workers for home repair and construction jobs. Day laborers have been crucial to rebuilding efforts after Los Angeles County's devastating January firestorms. On Saturday, a Home Depot in the predominantly Latino suburb of Paramount, which is south of Los Angeles, also became the site of clashes between protesters and authorities. After a weekend of protests, officials also carried out raids at Home Depot locations in Whittier and Huntington Park on Monday morning, and reports of additional raids at other Southern California Home Depot locations spread across social media. A spokesperson for Home Depot confirmed Monday that the company had not been notified of any of the raids at its locations ahead of time and that the company was not involved in any of the operations. The Atlanta-based chain now faces a difficult situation, with its locations serving as a frequent site of raids, potentially turning away customers. Home Depot shares closed at $36.20, down 0.6%, on Monday. The company reported revenue of nearly $40 billion in its fiscal first quarter this year, up 9% from a year earlier. Net earnings for the quarter were $3.4 billion, down from $3.6 billion during the same period last year. It's not the first time the company has made headlines as the subject of controversy. Home Depot's co-founder Bernie Marcus donated at least $14 million to support Donald Trump's first presidency and pledged to support his reelection bid. Marcus, who died in 2024, had a reputation as a Republican megadonor. Protesters called for a boycott of the company in 2019 over his donations. The chain has tried to distance itself from its founder, stressing that he left the company in 2002 and that his donations and statements were not on behalf of Home Depot. Home Depot locations have been for decades convenient spots for contractors and those embarking on home improvement projects to hire skilled laborers. The construction industry in Southern California depends heavily on immigrants and day laborers, a reliance that has been highlighted by recent fire recovery efforts in the region. Jorge Nicolás, a senior organizer at a day labor center run by the Central American Resource Center, or CARECEN, said day laborers often take on undesirable jobs or jobs with tough conditions, making them crucial to many construction jobs. 'The majority of immigrant workers usually are used to help developers control construction costs and stay within the timelines that they have projected,' he said. 'Those are the extra hands that are needed.' Nicolás was in Westlake on Friday when immigration officials carried out a sweep outside of the Home Depot there. CARECEN's day labor center is just minutes away from the store. He described the scene as chaotic, and even workers who he knows have legal status were fleeing in fear, he said. 'We felt powerless,' Nicolás said. 'They're not arresting motorcycle gang members. They're not arresting international drug dealers. They're arresting grandpas. They're just arresting people that are very humble and looking for an opportunity, just trying to get a decent living.' By Monday afternoon, the parking lot of the Home Depot in Huntington Park was busy, with nearly 100 cars and pickup trucks filling the lot. There were few signs that a raid had taken place just hours earlier, but Bradley Cortez and his friends stood in the lot, keeping their eyes peeled. They came shortly after they got word of the raid, but Cortez said they were too late. He drove from Bellflower, roughly 10 miles south of Huntington Park, in hopes of helping the 'hardworking men' who were being targeted by immigration officials. 'I'll put my life at risk because I've I got papers. I was born here, so if I'm able to help somebody, of course I'll help them,' said the 23-year-old, who works in construction and frequents Home Depot locations himself to find jobs. 'It is a little scary being out here, but that's what is being brave about,' he said. 'Being brave is when you're scared. And I'm being brave for my people.' Times staff writer Ruben Vives contributed to this report.

23 minutes ago
Tennessee prison riot contained after several hours; 3 inmates and 1 guard injured
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Inmates at a Tennessee prison sought to destroy property, compromised security cameras and set a few fires during a riot that took several hours to contain and caused minor injuries to three inmates and one guard, the facility's private operator said. On Sunday evening, a large group of inmates at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center from several housing units left their cells and accessed an inner yard, becoming 'disruptive and confrontational' and refusing to follow the staff's directions, according to CoreCivic spokesperson Ryan Gustin. The prison in Hartsville, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Nashville, is the subject of an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation. One correctional officer was assaulted and released from the hospital. Three inmates were being treated for minor injuries, Gustin said. The prison's staff used chemical agents on the inmates, who were secured by early Monday morning. They did not reach the perimeter and state troopers and local law enforcement officers were positioned outside the facility. The Tennessee Highway Patrol deployed about 75 troopers and the agency remained on site overnight until 'every prisoner had been accounted for,' Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security spokesperson Jason Pack said. The prison remained on lockdown while CoreCivic and the Tennessee Department of Correction investigate the riot, Gustin said. The incident followed an assault by two Trousdale inmates Saturday that injured a correctional officer who remains at the hospital, Gustin said. Last August, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an investigation into the Trousdale prison after years of 'reports of physical assaults, sexual assaults, murders and unchecked flow of contraband and severe staffing shortages,' according to then-U.S. Attorney Henry Leventis. The department confirmed Monday the investigation remains ongoing. Tennessee's corrections agency has fined CoreCivic $37.7 million across four prisons since 2016, including for understaffing violations. Records obtained by The Associated Press also show the company has spent more than $4.4 million to settle about 80 lawsuits and out-of-court complaints alleging mistreatment — including at least 22 inmate deaths — at four Tennessee prisons and two jails since 2016. The state comptroller released scathing audits in 2017, 2020 and 2023. The Brentwood, Tennessee-based company has defended itself by pointing to industry-wide problems with hiring and keeping workers. CoreCivic has said it offers hiring incentives and strategically backfills with workers from other facilities nationally. Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee's administration has stood by CoreCivic. However, the Republican-led Legislature this year showed its concern by unanimously passing a bill that would move 10% of inmates out of a private prison each time the annual death rate is twice as high as a comparable state-run facility. Lee signed the legislation. Department of Correction spokesperson Sarah Gallagher said the agency is developing a procedure to calculate and report the death rate for 2025 under the new law. The legislation was spurred by the advocacy of Tim Leeper, a roofing businessman who has attended the same local Rotary Club as the two Republicans who ultimately sponsored the bill, Rep. Clark Boyd and Sen. Mark Pody. Leeper's son Kylan was an inmate at Trousdale when he died of a fentanyl overdose. His family has sued CoreCivic over his death.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Unions Demand Release Of David Huerta, SEIU Leader Arrested In LA ICE Raids
The arrest of a California union leader in the Los Angeles immigration protests has sparked anger across the labor movement, with unions denouncing the Trump administration and calling for the immediate release of David Huerta. Huerta, the president of a Service Employees International Union affiliate, was injured Friday in what his union said was a workplace raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The union said Huerta was peacefully 'exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity' at the time. He was released from the hospital the same day and detained. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli alleged on X that Huerta had been 'interfering with federal officers' by blocking their vehicle and said he would be arraigned in court Monday. The U.S. attorney's office in LA said Monday that Huerta had been charged with 'conspiracy to impede an officer,' which can carry up to six years in prison. Huerta is the head of SEIU-United Service Workers West, a powerful California-based union of 50,000 workers, many of them Latino immigrants who work as janitors. He is also the president of SEIU California, an influential group that advocates politically for the union's chapters in the state. As a union of service workers, SEIU is among the most outspoken in defending immigrant rights at a time when President Donald Trump promises to ramp up deportations of undocumented workers. Huerta said in a statement through SEIU California that 'hard-working people' were being 'treated like criminals.' His arrest reinforces the leading role labor groups could end up playing in combating the White House's immigration crackdown during Trump's second term. The AFL-CIO labor federation planned protests Monday at cities across the country calling for Huerta's release. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, which includes 63 unions, told HuffPost at a rally in Washington, D.C., that unions needed to stand together and defend workers against deportation. 'I think our mission now is basically to show that these raids on workplaces and attacks on families at the community level… [these] are our neighbors, our co-workers,' she said. 'These are people who are looking for a better life and are contributing to our economy.' Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, one of the largest unions in the country, told HuffPost that Huerta's release was 'unacceptable.' 'This is about the right to make your feelings heard in a peaceful way,' Saunders said. 'That's exactly what he was doing. Yet he was beaten up and he was taken to the hospital, and he's still in jail.' He added, 'We cannot put up with this. We cannot sit back, and we can't be silent.' The anti-ICE protests sprouted up in Los Angeles on Friday after immigration officials raided an apparel manufacturer downtown. Hundreds of protesters later converged on a federal building in the city and clashed with Department of Homeland Security officers who fired pepper spray. The LA police department said it made more than 50 arrests over the weekend. Trump deployed hundreds of National Guard members to the city, drawing a rebuke from California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor said Sunday that the state was filing a lawsuit against the administration on the grounds it had illegally federalized the California National Guard just to escalate tension. It appears to be the first time in 60 years that a president mobilized a state's National Guard without a governor asking. Jaime Contreras, the president of SEIU's Latino Caucus, said in a speech at Monday's rally in D.C. that he found Trump's deployment of the National Guard appalling. 'Being a veteran myself, I find that disgusting, disturbing, insulting and unconstitutional,' Contreras said.