Man Swallows Live Fish…Then Dies
If you’ve been an Internet user for any amount of time sooner or later you will hear of the annual Darwin Awards. This annual award is named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, but it commemorates individuals who “improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it.” Most often it is acts of raw stupidity that elevate candidates to appear part of this elite list of recipients.
As I glanced around the world in news this morning I found a strong candidate for this year’s award. I relate the incident here not only for you to shake your head at in utter disbelief, but also as a public service announcement urging you “not to try this when fishing” during the upcoming season.
I take you to the waters of Trinidad where Waitley Jobe’s horseplay on the shore turned suddenly tragic:
However, the still live fish slipped from Jobe’s grasp and dropped into his throat. Jobe clutched his neck in panic. Francis (one of the fishermen) said that he and his friends panicked as well. One of them (not Francis) tried to grab the still wriggling creature to yank it out of Jobe’s throat but Jobe began bleeding from the mouth.”
Tragically, Jobe died as a result of this poor judgment.
Reading of this incident got me thinking what other acts have folks (possibly even sportsmen) done to meet a similar fate. Consider some of these incidents all gleaned from the Darwin Awards website:
Exploding Outhouse
A Honey of a Buzz
Blowtorch and Gunpowder
Faulty Aim Fatal
The Worm Has Turned
Depth of a Fisherman
The Smoking Gun
Fishing With No Compass
Gun Safety Training
Can Duck Shooters Swim?
This is just a short list of some of the incidents that seemed to have somewhat of a sportsman twist to them. I’m sure, however, there are many more I neglected to discover on this interesting site. If you want some mindless fun and you take pleasure in reading about totally senseless acts, this is definitely a website you’ll want to explore.
You know, there comes a time when eventually we will all pass on from this earth. For most people a short message engraved on a tombstone is sufficient to sum up one’s life. Yet, for others, it seems they prefer to have their final act broadcast by the newswire around the world for others to chuckle at in disbelief.
For those who want to read more on how to die outdoors…read Buck Tilton’s interesting book entitled How to Die in the Outdoors: 100 Interesting Ways.
© 2005 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.