Death is usually not the first topic you turn to when you think of the word 'ironic.'
Alanis Morrisette's top-tier karaoke jam may come to mind, or the eventual social fate of a former bully, but not death itself.
However, there are plenty of death stories that are so ironic they could be considered absurdist in nature.
And when you think about it, life itself is full of irony, so why wouldn't death be?
In a popular Reddit thread, people shared stories of people dying ironically, and it's a wild ride.
1. From big_sugi:
Garry Hoy fell 24 stories to his death, after he threw himself into some safety windows to demonstrate that the glass was unbreakable. As it happens, the glass was indeed unbreakable. The window frames however...
2. From jimicus:
In the 1970s, a chap called Jim Fixx wrote a book that kicked off a jogging craze. He died of a heart attack. While out jogging.
3. From Photoplier:
I don't know if this is ironic, coincidental, or even famous, but I remember reading something about how a South African astronomer gave a lecture saying that 'Death can come at any time.'
He then died from choking on a mint immediately after delivering the lecture.
4. From HoopOnPoop:
Bobby Leach was a stunt performer and was the 2nd person to go over Niagara Falls (height of about 170 feet) and survive. Later in life he slipped and fell less than 5 feet and broke his leg, which got infected and he died.
5. From andurilmat:
Clement Vallandigham accidentally shot and killed himself in 1871 in an attempt to demonstrate how, a person who had recently been shot and killed had in fact accidentally shot them self.
6. From Agile-Fee-6057:
Comedian Red Foxx had a recurring bit where he would fake a heart attack (famously used on Sanford and Son). While filming another show, he had an actual heart attack and died when people thought it was his bit.
7. From Gadongbadabong:
James Sakara, a pastor from Zambia, thought that he'll be able to resurrect just like Jesus Christ did. He asked to be buried alive, with the intention that he'll come back to life 3 days later. It seems his plan wasn't as airtight as he thought.
8. From Ositosan:
Founder and owner of North Face outdoors clothing died of hypothermia.
9. From krukson:
James Dean starred in an ad campaign for driving safety, and said 'Take it easy driving, the life you might save might be mine.'
Not long after, he died in a car crash caused by another driver.
10. From KasiaJoanna:
One dude drowned at lifeguards' party thrown to celebrate year with zero drownings.
11. From killcote93:
The millionaire CEO of Segway, Jim Heselden, died in 2010 from injuries apparently sustained falling from a cliff while riding his own product.
12. From Keefer1970:
Actor Christopher Allport, who played the heroic sheriff in two low-budget horror movies about 'Jack Frost,' a killer snowman, died in an avalanche at a California ski resort in 2008.
13. From Slapstick999:
Guy in my town crash his skidoo into a sign advertising helmet safety. He wasn't wearing a helmet. He was one of the town's firefighters, and as such a first responder.
14. From CheshireCrackers:
Derek Kieper, an anti-seat belt activist, was thrown from a car during a crash and killed. Two others in the car, belted, were unhurt.
15. From AlfaTangoCharlie:
Thomas Midgley Jr invented leaded petrol (which lowered the IQ of half of US adults), and then went on to invent CFCs (which depleted the ozone). He changed our atmosphere more than any single organism in history.
Later in life, he contracted polio and built himself an elaborate system of ropes and pulleys to hoist himself out of bed. One day he got tangled in this and died of strangulation.