Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
39submissions
Finished
39 Times Irony Played A Cruel Final Joke On Someone
We are all going to meet our end in one way or another. Many of us have no idea how or when. We can play it safe by trying to plan, predict and protect ourselves until we’re literally blue in the face. But sometimes, the Grim Reaper catches us off guard with their dark and twisted sense of humor.
People have gone to the grave in the most unexpected ways. From the founder of The North Face clothing who suffered hypothermia, to someone who drowned at a lifeguard party to celebrate a year of no drownings, their endings prove that life has the ability to deliver the most brutally ironic punchline imaginable.
Bored Panda has compiled a somewhat morbid but fascinating list of ways that irony sent people six feet under. Many might have you gasping for air, while you silently mutter, “You couldn’t make that up if you tried.” May these tales be a not-so-gentle reminder to live each moment like it’s your last because tragedy doesn’t exempt itself from poetic timing.
Discover more in 81 Times Irony Played A Cruel Final Joke On Someone
Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.
This post may include affiliate links.
Most people meet their maker because of non-communicable diseases like heart disease, stroke, respiratory complications or cancer. But every now and again, the Grim Reaper decides to switch things up with their dark sense of humor.
We can lead healthy lives, live with extreme caution and even try to plot and predict our demise. No matter what we do, just living poses some kind of risk. That's not to say we should be paranoid... just more aware.
Many people live in fear of losing their life in a car accident, violence or even a plane crash. But according to data, your odds of kicking the bucket because of an accidental opioid overdose are greater than having a fatal motor-vehicle crash.
RELATED:
#2
Terrorist Khay Rahnajet mailed a letter b**b without enough postage. When it got returned to sender he opened it and died.
Not really ironic, but still funny as h**l.
#3
After years of distrusting and persecuting doctors for political reasons, Stalin died of a stroke and no doctors were around to help him.
The National Safety Council (NSC) reveals that while many Americans fear gun violence, they're much more likely to land in the grave because of an unintentional and preventable injury like slipping or falling down the stairs.
There's also a greater chance of you drowning in a bathtub than drowning in a flood. If you have a fear of flying, rest assured that the chances of not making it to the tarmac alive are super slim. In fact, so slim that there were too few fatalities in 2023 for the NSC to calculate the odds of it happening to you.
#4
Derek Kieper, an anti-seat belt activist, was thrown from a car during a crash and k****d. Two others in the car, belted, were unhurt.
#5
Thomas Midgley Jr invented leaded petrol (which lowered the iq of about half of US adults), and then went on to invent CFCs (which helped deplete the ozone). He is estimated to have 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.
It's long been said that prevention is better than cure. And since someone loses their life every two minutes in America because of something that could have been prevented, it pays to take it seriously.
The United States recorded almost 223,000 preventable fatalities in 2023 alone, prompting experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to publish the most common injuries they see, along with some practical advice for how to avoid them.
#7
Comedian Redd 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.
Amanda Reinstatler 3 months ago
Imagine what Trump would do if there was ever a REAL LEGIT assassination attempt on him....he would just play along, thinking its just another staged PR stunt LMFAO
#8
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.
Amanda Reinstatler 3 months ago
D**n....how would you like to be the person responsible for k*****g James Dean...... : (
According to those experts, falling to your demise is one of your biggest risks, especially among older Americans.
“Fall prevention starts by taking care of yourself,” says Holly Waller, senior director of Trauma, Burn and Inpatient Wound Services at UAB Hospital. “Ensure you are staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet and staying active so you can continue improving your balance and strength and lower your risk of falling.”
#10
Sad irony from “The Day the Music Died” Waylon Jennings jokingly told Buddy Holly “I hope your plane crashes” and then it did k*****g Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson and their pilot.
#11
Ritchie Valens, singer of La Bamba, had a fear of flying since childhood but then died on his first flight 😔.
#12
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.
Waller advises that you avoid using loose rugs at home, install safety bars in bathrooms and near stairs, and always make sure pathways are clear of items that could cause anyone to trip. It also helps for the elderly or vulnerable to wear shoes, no-slip socks and/or assistive devices like a cane or walker if needed.
#15
Something I find really ironic is The Joker's laughing gas.....dying with a smile on your face when your last feeling is pure terror. *Shudder*.
Another big risk is burns, especially in the winter months because of space heaters, heated blankets, bonfires or fireplaces.
"Space heaters should always be placed on a hard, flat surface at least 3 feet away from loose items such as curtains, furniture and clothing," warns the UAB site, adding that you shouldn't use these heaters near flammable liquids or chemicals. The expert also advises that space heaters be turned off when not in use and always be plugged directly into a wall, not an extension cord.
#16
Redd Foxx faked heart attacks on Samford & Son as well as behind the scenes. He had a heart attack on set, people thought he was faking.. but he died.
#17
The inventor of the seatbelt was k****d in a car crash. because he wasn't wearing his seatbelt.
#18
Tim Treadwell, self appointed grizzly expert. Died by grizzly bear attack.
When it comes to electric blankets, you might be surprised to know that it is not advisable for older adults or people with diabetes to use them. This is because of the thinning of their skin and the loss of sensation and nerve damage in their extremities.
"Heated blankets should be rolled up to prevent damage and checked regularly for damage to the cord or heating elements," cautions the site. "Unplug heated blankets before going to sleep or when they are not in use, and do not layer these devices with other heating products."
#19
The millionaire CEO of Segway Jimi Heselden died in 2010 from injuries apparently sustained falling from a cliff while riding his own product.
#20
Clement Vallandigham accidentally s**t and k****d himself in 1871 in an attempt to demonstrate how, a person who had recently been s**t and k****d had in fact accidentally s**t them self.
#21
John Sedgwick: Major General in the Union Army during the American Civil War
Sedgwick died at the beginning of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, on May 9, 1864. He noticed his men diving for cover, despite the Confederates shooting from 1,000 yards away. He said, "Why are you dodging like this? They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."
He was shot by a rifle bullet moments later under the left eye and died.
We don't need to highlight the dangers of firearms, but most people become complacent with their own weapons. According to Dr. Jeffrey D. Kerby, director of the UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, firearms are a leading cause of preventable fatalities and injuries in the USA. He adds that proper handling and safe storage of firearms is crucial in changing this.
#22
Dr. Charles Drewm inventor of the blood bank, and the method of storing platelets instead of whole blood, which required refrigeration, bled to death after a car accident.
*There is an untrue rumor that he died because he was refused treatment at a white hospital. This isn't accurate. His injuries were catastrophic, but he was immediately treated at the white hospital he was taken to, but he did not survive.
#23
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.
#24
Jack Daniels died from an infection when he kicked his safe and developed a blister he ignored. Supposedly if he had soaked his foot in his own alcohol he would have survived.
If you own one, or there is one in your home, always assume it is loaded, keep your fingers away from the trigger, ensure the firearm is pointing in a safe direction (meaning a bullet can't strike anyone or ricochet off any surrounding surfaces), check all chambers before cleaning, and always store the firearm safely and securely when not in use.
“Keep firearms out of sight and out of reach of children,” warns Kerby. “Firearms should be unloaded and stored in a secure gun safe with a child-resistant lock. Ammunition should be stored in a separate locked container. This will decrease the chance of children accidentally harming themselves.”
#25
Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, arguably died from his unfortunate decision to eat little more than Apples. As a fruitarian, he would have deprived his body of a number of micronutrients, most notably selenium.
One of Selenium deficiency’s leading side effects is cancer of the pancreas.
#26
Guy in my town crash his skidoo into a sign advertising helmet safety. He wasn't wearing a helmet. He was one of the towns firefighters, and as such a first responder.
#27
Founder and owner of North Face outdoors clothing died of hypothermia.
Train once sang that there are a thousand ways to go... But there could be even more. We might not know when, where or how our time will come. All we can do is be cautious, and even that may not stop the Grim Reaper from knocking on our door.
At the end of the day, one of the best things you can do is live life to the fullest and enjoy each day as if it's your last... Because one day, it will be.
#30
The guy who made the brazen bull (a metal bull shaped statue which could be openend, then a person would be thrown in, closed and out above a fire, and there was a 'breathing tube' connected to the mouth oh the bull so the screaming of the person sounded like a bull). after it was ready the person who designed it was asked to show how it worked, got in. then others closed it lit it.
#31
The creator of Blucifer (the blue horse outside of the Denver International Airport) was k****d after part of it fell off and hit him during its construction.
#32
In March 2014 an airplane of Malaysia Airlines, flight MH370, disappeared from the radars, presumably crashed above the Indian Ocean.
In July 2014 a passenger that was about to board another Malaysia Airlines plane, flight MH17, joked about possibly not surviving the flight, referring to the MH370 disaster just three months before. I think he posted a selfie with the joke caption on Twitter or Instagram.
MH17 was then shot down by Russian forces above Ukraine. The guy and everyone else on board died.
#33
That one Roman guy who spent his whole life becoming immune to poison, then trying to conit s*****e via poison, and it not working. Then he got stabed.
#34
I believe there was an American lawyer showing the danger of guns, and in the court room shot himself in the head.
#35
There was once a woman from Israel who moved to London because she felt unsafe living in the Middle East, under the threat of ideological b**b wielding murderers.
She died in the 2005 London train bombings, perpetrated by ideological murderers who followed a Middle Eastern religion.
#36
A roman legion I forget his name was so obsessed with gold, when he was finally captured they poured liquidated molten gold down his throat.
#38
Read this article a while ago, I'll try to find it again.
A boy jumped from a window as a s*****e,, but was shot on the way down. He landed in a net that would have saved his life had he not been shot.
The man who shot him was actually aiming for his wife a couple stories below, but missed, and the bullet went out the window as the boy went by. Apparently, the man with the gun used to threaten his wife with an unloaded gun whenever they fought, and somehow the gun was loaded.
As if that wasn't ironic enough, it turns out that the boy was the son of the man with the gun. He was just recently cut off financially by his mother so, knowing his fathers tendency to threaten her, loaded the gun in hopes that he would shoot her.
After his mother still being alive for some time, and his life going downhill rapidly, he decided to take his own life.
After much debate on who was to blame, it was ruled a s*****e, because the boy jumped, and even though he would have lived, he was the one who loaded the gun that k****d him.
#39
Lou Gehrig. Died of Lou Gehrig's disease. How do you not see that coming?
Related on Bored Panda
