We’ve all gotta go some day, but we always imagine that it’ll be a dignified, calm, and melancholy affair. Sometimes, though, the universe has other plans. Death can be downright embarrassing, awkward, and (as horrible as it sounds) hilarious at times. Below you’ll find 10 examples of the most embarrassing, ironic, or funny causes of death.
1. At least it wasn’t a banana peel. Daredevil Bobby Leach, famous for his dangerous and death-defying stunts, died by slipping on an orange peel… A wound on his leg caused by the accident became infected, eventually leading to amputation. Bobby died two months later of complications. (Source)
2. When minor annoyances kill. You know that moment of pure rage and blinding pain that occurs when you accidentally bite your tongue? Well, maybe you should fear that moment more than you already do. Allan Pinkerton, of the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency, actually died because he slipped and bit his tongue. The wound became Gangrenous, and Allan died a few weeks later. (Source)
3. Motorcycle irony. A 55-year-old motorcyclist was participating in a 30 mile rally from Syracuse to Lake Como in protest of bike helmet laws. During the ride, his bike suddenly spun out of control, and the man landed on his head, suffering severe brain injuries, and eventually death. If only he’d been wearing a helmet. (Source)
4. Video game overdose. A 28-year old man in Taegu, South Korea died after he spent over 50 hours straight playing Starcraft at an internet cafe, during which time he had very little to sleep or eat (he had more important things to worry about). The cause of death was heart failure as a result of severe exhaustion. (Source)
5. This is almost cartoon material. According to legend, ancient Greek play-wright Aeschylus died around the year 455 B.C. when an eagle dropped a tortoise on his head. How tragic and totally not hilarious at all.
6. Imagine being the one to find this guy… Retired German electrician Manfred Lubitz was found dead in his apartment in Malaga wearing a custom invention he created. He called it the ‘orgasmatron’, a device for pleasuring himself. It included a vibrating mat, various massage pads, and electrodes that would attach to his… you know. Suspected cause of death was a power surge.
7. Taking the phrase, “died doing what he loved,” too literally. Paul G. Thomas, co-owner of the Thomas & Sons Textile company, passed away when he accidentally trapped himself in a gigantic ball of yarn. Apparently, he got caught up in a spooling machine, and suffocated as he slowly turned into a giant arts and crafts project gone wrong. (Source)
8. A meal fit for a king. Adolf Frederick, an 18th century King of Sweden, died as a result of a stroke caused by eating an enormous and overly decadent meal. This is exactly how I want to go. (Source)
9. Window pride. In an attempt to prove how indestructible the windows in the Toronto Dominion Center are, Gary Hoy used to run and throw the weight of his body into the glass as a demonstration. He’d performed this stunt many times, always without issue. That is, until the window literally popped right out of its frame, sending Hoy (and the unbroken window) plummeting to the ground. Well at least Gary was right the whole time – those windows really don’t break. (Source).
10. When “horsing around” gets too real. Two respectable characters in Washington State decided to break into a barn and have sex with a horse, as we all do from time to time. Hours after their escapades, one of the men started complaining about severe stomach pain and was taken to hospital. Turns out his colon had been perforated by the rough love of an overzealous horse. The man died soon after. What a shame. (Source)