In an eerie version of timing and prescience, some photos are taken just before tragedy strikes.
At the time the person took the photo, they had no idea what was coming. But only moments later--or perhaps moments before--horror lurked.
When the dust settled, the news was written, and the horror of the moment was fully understood, that once innocent photo then takes on a whole new, terrible significance.
Redditor KermitTheFraud92 asked:
"What is a seemingly normal photo that has a disturbing backstory?"
Some photos were taken just before a catastrophic accident took place. These were the final moments of peace before a terrible twist of events resulted in tragedy.
Studying is One Thing
"There is a photo of an American volcanologist sitting down while studying volcanic activity at Mount St. Helens."
"Article."
"13 hours after the photograph was taken, on May 18, 1980, the volcano erupted and killed 57 people including the volcanologist."
The Last Moments of Bliss
"this photo was taken at a nightclub before it caught on fire by fireworks leaving 100 people dead" -- AffectionateBat2687
"A few years after the fire I visited the area and there were burn victims everywhere we went. I don't think I truly appreciated the scope of the fire until then." -- onekrazykat
Just a Guy
"This was the last picture taken of Dale Earnhardt. it's weird because the race was televised and 10-15 million people were watching at the time, but this is the last one that shows him as a person and not just a car."
"This is a replay of the crash along with an onboard (roof, he didn't have an onboard camera) view, and the half-speed doesn't do justice as how hard and fast it was hitting the wall head-on at 190 miles per hour."
"He was the face and living legend of what was the second most popular sport at the time and 20 years later fans who were watching at the time still haven't gotten over watching their hero die live on TV."
A Historic Tragedy Was In the Wings
"This photo always gets to me somehow. Just a couple of astronauts posing in zero gravity happy to have such an incredible opportunity, like astronauts often do. Meanwhile they have no idea that their space shuttle is irreparably damaged, and in fact will be dead in a few days during reentry (which was considered 'safe' until then)."
"It's the crew for Columbia for those who don't know, whose tiles were damaged during the launch of the shuttle into space by foam. No one knew how bad the damage was until it disintegrated."
-- Andromeda321
Proposal
"A man who swam to his girlfriend in their underwater hotel room while on vacation in Tanzania, and proposed to her with a note and a ring. He died before he could resurface from the water."
"Louisiana man dies during underwater proposal"
-- tojoso
A Dangerous Rustling
"A kid went missing hiking a spot on the Big Island of Hawaii. He texted some pictures of the scenery while he was hiking. After he never showed up at home, his family noticed somebody lurking in bushes in the photos he sent. Iirc, my family that live in Hawaii said the spot is illegal to hike at, so it's not like it would have been a heavily populated trail."
More info, and the photo in question:
-- forcehatin
High High Speeds
"This image may seem quite insignificant, but this was Marco Simoncelli's (#58, white and red motorcycle in the middle of the pack) last race."
"It's on YouTube and there are plenty of articles about it, but there was a crash and his helmet came off. His good friend, Valentino Rossi (also in that shot, #46) was unable to avoid him and went over his head."
"Ten years ago this year, still one of the most horrific live sporting events I have witnessed."
-- Counteract92
Others chose to share the photos that were taken just before a horrifying act of murder took place. The calm demeanor of the murderers are especially unnerving.
A Powerless Infant
"This photo. John Edwards Robinson (yellow sweater) is holding baby Tiffany, whose mother he murdered the day before."
"He gave baby Tiffany to his brother, saying she was adopted. His brother, along with Tiffany, didn't find out the truth for 15 years."
People Share The Dumbest Purchases They Have Ever Made | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
A Brutal Scheme
"2 brothers smiling, kevin and bart whitaker. Hours later after arriving home from dinner, Bart killed Kevin and his mother after conspiring with a friend. He tried to kill his father as well, but he survived."
"It's a horrible story. I don't know what became of Bart though, all I know is that his father somehow found the courage to forgive him."
Playing the Part
"The Lawson Family Portrait always makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Wikipedia tells their awful tale, which has been memorialized in murder ballads. Dressed in their finest, a picture made for the holidays, and no one knowing that the father would kill most of the family days later. Brutal stuff."
Seconds Before
"I've posted this before: A politician at an election rally"
"Last photo of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Taken moments before a suicide bomber, (wearing orange flowers, lower left, also on the inset, top left) hugged him bent down and touched his feet and detonated her bomb."
-- tinkrman
Way Too Calm
"This is a photo of Tyler Hadley holding a cup in a party at his house."
"Just before this party he had murdered his mother and father and hid their bodies in the master bedroom."
"Murder of Blake and Mary Jo-Hadley"
-- your-playboy
The Yosemite Killer
"These photos were found and developed after the three women went missing near Yosemite National Park. Turns out they had been murdered by serial killer Carey Stayner."
"Carole Sund, her teenage daughter Juli Sund and their friend Silvina Pelosso; and later naturalist Joie Ruth Armstrong were all murdered shortly after these photos were taken."
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-yosemite-murders/#app
-- nutmegtell
Broken Down
"Brandon Price. The picture in the article is the only known picture of him. He was living with his grand parents and being abused. He was dead when his grand mother brought him to the hospital. She has been charged and the last I heard was still awaiting trial in his death. The community took up donations to pay for his burial and headstone."
"He looks completely demoralized in the picture and I've always felt so bad for the guy."
https://www.walb.com/story/31193639/woman-indicted-for-young-grandsons-murder/
-- Wastedgent
The Details Are Shocking
"If you're British, and of a certain age, you'll probably be as haunted by this grainy image as I am. I still distinctly remember the first time I saw it."
"At the time, James Bulger was only missing, and it was regarded as a cause for optimism that he was last seen with other children. The truth was far worse than anyone imagined, and still inspires a visceral reaction unlike any other crime in my lifetime."
It's important to remember how many other, not terrifying photographs are being taken every single second. It's nice to know these kind of eerie premonitions are not commonplace.
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Experiencing death is a fascinating and frightening idea.
Who doesn't want to know what is waiting for us on the other side?
But so many of us want to know and then come back and live a little longer.
It would be so great to be sure there is something else.
But the whole dying part is not that great, so we'll have to rely on other people's accounts.
Redditor AlaskaStiletto wanted to hear from everyone who has returned to life, so they asked:
"Redditors who have 'died' and come back to life, what did you see?"
Sensations
Happy Good Vibes GIF by Major League SoccerGiphy"My dad's heart stopped when he had a heart attack and he had to be brought back to life. He kept the paper copy of the heart monitor which shows he flatlined. He said he felt an overwhelming sensation of peace, like nothing he had felt before."
PeachesnPain
Recovery
"I had surgical complications in 2010 that caused a great deal of blood loss. As a result, I had extremely low blood pressure and could barely stay awake. I remember feeling like I was surrounded by loved ones who had passed. They were in a circle around me and I knew they were there to guide me onwards. I told them I was not ready to go because my kids needed me and I came back."
"My nurse later said she was afraid she’d find me dead every time she came into the room."
"It took months, and blood transfusions, but I recovered."
good_golly99
Take Me Back
"Overwhelming peace and happiness. A bright airy and floating feeling. I live a very stressful life. Imagine finding out the person you have had a crush on reveals they have the same feelings for you and then you win the lotto later that day - that was the feeling I had."
"I never feared death afterward and am relieved when I hear of people dying after suffering from an illness."
rayrayrayray
Free
The Light Minnie GIF by (G)I-DLEGiphy"I had a heart surgery with near-death experience, for me at least (well the possibility that those effects are caused by morphine is also there) I just saw black and nothing else but it was warm and I had such inner peace, its weird as I sometimes still think about it and wish this feeling of being so light and free again."
TooReDTooHigh
This is why I hate surgery.
You just never know.
Shocked
Giphy"More of a near-death experience. I was electrocuted. I felt like I was in a deep hole looking straight up in the sky. My life flashed before me. Felt sad for my family, but I had a deep sense of peace."
Admirable_Buyer6528
The SOB
"Nursing in the ICU, we’ve had people try to die on us many times during the years, some successfully. One guy stood out to me. His heart stopped. We called a code, are working on him, and suddenly he comes to. We hadn’t vented him yet, so he was able to talk, and he started screaming, 'Don’t let them take me, don’t let them take me, they are coming,' he was scared and yelling."
"Then he yelled a little more, as we tried to calm him down, he screamed, 'No, No,' and gestured towards the end of the bed, and died again. We didn’t get him back. It was seriously creepy. We called his son to tell him the news, and the son said basically, 'Good, he was an SOB.'”
1-cupcake-at-a-time
Colors
"My sister died and said it was extremely peaceful. She said it was very loud like a train station and lots of talking and she was stuck in this area that was like a curtain with lots of beautiful colors (colors that you don’t see in real life according to her) a man told her 'He was sorry, but she had to go back as it wasn’t her time.'"
Hannah_LL7
"I had a really similar experience except I was in an endless garden with flowers that were colors I had never seen before. It was quiet and peaceful and a woman in a dress looked at me, shook her head, and just said 'Not yet.' As I was coming back, it was extremely loud, like everyone in the world was trying to talk all at once. It was all very disorienting but it changed my perspective on life!"
huntokarrr
The Fog
"I was in a gray fog with a girl who looked a lot like a young version of my grandmother (who was still alive) but dressed like a pioneer in the 1800s she didn't say anything but kept pulling me towards an opening in the wall. I kept refusing to go because I was so tired."
"I finally got tired of her nagging and went and that's when I came to. I had bled out during a c-section and my heart could not beat without blood. They had to deliver the baby and sew up the bleeders. refill me with blood before they could restart my heart so, like, at least 12 minutes gone."
Fluffy-Hotel-5184
Through the Walls
"My spouse was dead for a couple of minutes one miserable night. She maintains that she saw nothing, but only heard people talking about her like through a wall. The only thing she remembers for absolute certain was begging an ER nurse that she didn't want to die."
"She's quite alive and well today."
Hot-Refrigerator6583
Well let's all be happy to be alive.
It seems to be all we have.
Trying to lose weight is a struggle understood by many people regardless of size.
The goal of reaching a healthy weight may seem unattainable, but with diet and exercise, it can pay off through persistence and discipline.
Seeing the pounds gradually drop off can also be a great motivator and incentivize people to stay the course.
Those who've achieved their respective weight goals shared their experiences when Redditor apprenti8455 asked:
"People who lost a lot of weight, what surprises you the most now?"
Redditors didn't see these coming.
Shiver Me Timbers
"I’m always cold now!"
– Telrom_1
"I had a coworker lose over 130 pounds five or six years ago. I’ve never seen him without a jacket on since."
– r7ndom
"140 lbs lost here starting just before COVID, I feel like that little old lady that's always cold, damn this top comment was on point lmao."
– mr_remy
Drawing Concern
"I lost 100 pounds over a year and a half but since I’m old(70’s) it seems few people comment on it because (I think) they think I’m wasting away from some terminal illness."
– dee-fondy
"Congrats on the weight loss! It’s honestly a real accomplishment 🙂"
"Working in oncology, I can never comment on someone’s weight loss unless I specifically know it was on purpose, regardless of their age. I think it kind of ruffles feathers at times, but like I don’t want to congratulate someone for having cancer or something. It’s a weird place to be in."
– LizardofDeath
Unleashing Insults
"I remember when I lost the first big chunk of weight (around 50 lbs) it was like it gave some people license to talk sh*t about the 'old' me. Old coworkers, friends, made a lot of not just negative, but harsh comments about what I used to look like. One person I met after the big loss saw a picture of me prior and said, 'Wow, we wouldn’t even be friends!'”
"It wasn’t extremely common, but I was a little alarmed by some of the attention. My weight has been up and down since then, but every time I gain a little it gets me a little down thinking about those things people said."
– alanamablamaspama
Not Everything Goes After Losing Weight
"The loose skin is a bit unexpected."
– KeltarCentauri
"I haven’t experienced it myself, but surgery to remove skin takes a long time to recover. Longer than bariatric surgery and usually isn’t covered by insurance unless you have both."
– KatMagic1977
"It definitely does take a long time to recover. My Dad dropped a little over 200 pounds a few years back and decided to go through with skin removal surgery to deal with the excess. His procedure was extensive, as in he had skin taken from just about every part of his body excluding his head, and he went through hell for weeks in recovery, and he was bedridden for a lot of it."
– Jaew96
These Redditors shared their pleasantly surprising experiences.
Shopping
"I can buy clothes in any store I want."
– WaySavvyD
"When I lost weight I was dying to go find cute, smaller clothes and I really struggled. As someone who had always been restricted to one or two stores that catered to plus-sized clothing, a full mall of shops with items in my size was daunting. Too many options and not enough knowledge of brands that were good vs cheap. I usually went home pretty frustrated."
– ganache98012
No More Symptoms
"Lost about 80 pounds in the past year and a half, biggest thing that I’ve noticed that I haven’t seen mentioned on here yet is my acid reflux and heartburn are basically gone. I used to be popping tums every couple hours and now they just sit in the medicine cabinet collecting dust."
– colleennicole93
Expanding Capabilities
"I'm all for not judging people by their appearance and I recognise that there are unhealthy, unachievable beauty standards, but one thing that is undeniable is that I can just do stuff now. Just stamina and flexibility alone are worth it, appearance is tertiary at best."
– Ramblonius
People Change Their Tune
"How much nicer people are to you."
"My feet weren't 'wide' they were 'fat.'"
– LiZZygsu
"Have to agree. Lost 220 lbs, people make eye contact and hold open doors and stuff"
"And on the foot thing, I also lost a full shoe size numerically and also wear regular width now 😅"
– awholedamngarden
It's gonna take some getting used to.
Bones Everywhere
"Having bones. Collarbones, wrist bones, knee bones, hip bones, ribs. I have so many bones sticking out everywhere and it’s weird as hell."
– Princess-Pancake-97
"I noticed the shadow of my ribs the other day and it threw me, there’s a whole skeleton in here."
– bekastrange
Knee Pillow
"Right?! And they’re so … pointy! Now I get why people sleep with pillows between their legs - the knee bones laying on top of each other (side sleeper here) is weird and jarring."
– snic2030
"I lost only 40 pounds within the last year or so. I’m struggling to relate to most of these comments as I feel like I just 'slimmed down' rather than dropped a ton. But wow, the pillow between the knees at night. YES! I can relate to this. I think a lot of my weight was in my thighs. I never needed to do this up until recently."
– Strongbad23
More Mobility
"I’ve lost 100 lbs since 2020. It’s a collection of little things that surprise me. For at least 10 years I couldn’t put on socks, or tie my shoes. I couldn’t bend over and pick something up. I couldn’t climb a ladder to fix something. Simple things like that I can do now that fascinate me."
"Edit: Some additional little things are sitting in a chair with arms, sitting in a booth in a restaurant, being able to shop in a normal store AND not needing to buy the biggest size there, being able to easily wipe my butt, and looking down and being able to see my penis."
– dma1965
People making significant changes, whether for mental or physical health, can surely find a newfound perspective on life.
But they can also discover different issues they never saw coming.
That being said, overcoming any challenge in life is laudable, especially if it leads to gaining confidence and ditching insecurities.