Pilav Üstü Bilgi
Pilav Üstü Bilgi
Entertainment

The Unluckiest People in History

Mina Soylu

There are some people in life that misfortune relentlessly chases. It’s as if the universe has singled them out, with every step bringing a mishap, and every corner a tragedy. Today, we’re going to talk about the unluckiest people in history. Some have survived the same type of accident seven times, while others were simply always in the wrong place at the wrong time. Get ready for stories that will make you say, “That can’t be real!”

Violet Jessop: The Cursed Nurse of the Titanic and Her Sister Ships

Violet Jessop was perhaps the unluckiest (or luckiest?) seafarer in history. In 1911, the RMS Olympic was involved in a collision; Violet survived. Then, in 1912, the RMS Titanic sank, and she survived again. If that wasn’t enough, in 1916, the HMHS Britannic (the Titanic’s third sister) struck a mine and sank, and Violet survived yet again! This time, she was thrown from a lifeboat and narrowly missed being hit by a propeller. We don’t know if she ever figured out she should stay away from ships!


Tsutomu Yamaguchi: The Victim of Two Atomic Bombs

In 1945, Tsutomu Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on the day the atomic bomb was dropped. He was injured, returned to Nagasaki, and… the second bomb exploded there! Yamaguchi survived both nuclear disasters and lived until 2010. Don’t just call it bad luck; perhaps he was actually incredibly lucky?

Roy Sullivan: The Favorite of Lightning

If we were to ask, “How many times can a person survive being struck by lightning?” the answer would usually be “one.” But for Roy Sullivan, that number is seven! Sullivan, a park ranger, was struck by lightning seven times between 1942 and 1977. His hair burned, his feet jumped, and once, he got into his car to escape, but the lightning came through the window and found him again!

Henry Ziegland: Love, Revenge, and an Unlucky Bullet

In 1893, Henry Ziegland left his sweetheart. Her angry brother shot Henry and then committed suicide. Henry was relieved, believing the bullet had only grazed him. However, years later, while cutting down a tree, that very tree—with the bullet lodged in it—fell and struck Henry’s head, killing him. A twist of fate or sheer bad luck? You decide!

Melvin Roberts: The Man Who Survived 6 Plane Crashes

Melvin Roberts was a magnet for airplane crashes. Between 1943 and 1951, he was in six different plane crashes and survived every time. Eventually, the airlines banned him from flying. He definitely traveled by land after that!

Sir William Huskisson: History’s First Train Casualty

In 1830, at the opening of the world’s first modern railway line (Liverpool–Manchester), Huskisson stepped onto the tracks to greet the train. He failed to notice the approaching train named “Rocket.” He thus became the first person in history to die in a railway accident. Some refer to him as “the man who brought bad luck to the opening.” The phrase “getting run over by a train” took on a literal meaning for him.

Ann Hodges: Bad Luck from Space

In 1954, Ann Hodges was sleeping on her sofa when a meteorite crashed through her roof and hit her on the hip. Yes, a meteorite! It was the first (and only) documented case of a meteorite striking a person on Earth. Lucky or unlucky? It’s debatable!

Frane Selak: The Unluckiest and Luckiest Man

Croatian music teacher Frane Selak is a true paradox of destiny:

  • He survived a train crash.
  • A plane door suddenly opened, he was thrown out but landed in a haystack.
  • His car plunged into water 3 times, and he swam to safety.
  • He jumped out of a bus just before it rolled into a ravine.
  • Finally, he won $1 million in the lottery! Perhaps his run of bad luck was over!

Clement Vallandigham: The Lawyer Who Died Proving His Own Case

The American lawyer Vallandigham was trying to prove that his client had not died from a “gun accident” when he replicated the same pose in the courtroom and accidentally shot himself. He proved his point just before dying: “See, that’s how it happened.” His client was acquitted. Truly the embodiment of the phrase, “dedicating oneself to one’s profession.”

Is Bad Luck a Talent?

These people pushed the limits of misfortune. Some survived as if mocking fate, while others saw the humorous side of their misfortunes. Perhaps they were lucky because of their incredible survival skills?

And you? Have you ever had moments where you said, “That much bad luck can’t be real!”?

References:

  1. Violet Jessop (Olympic, Titanic, Britannic Survivor)
  2. Tsutomu Yamaguchi (Hiroshima & Nagasaki Survivor)
  3. Roy Sullivan (7 Lightning Strikes Survivor)
  4. Henry Ziegland (Bizarre Bullet Death)
  5. Melvin Roberts (6 Plane Crash Survivor)
  6. Ann Hodges (Meteorite Strike Victim)
  7. Frane Selak (Survived Multiple Accidents & Won Lottery)
  8. Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz (Declared Dead 3 Times)