1888 – Stockholm Sweden: As was his custom, Alfred Nobel read his newspaper, The Social Demokraten, while eating breakfast. The front-page story, “The Merchant of Death is Dead,” drew his attention. It began, “Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill...
1887 – Grace Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: On a Sunday morning, the shabbily dressed little girl caught Pastor Russell Conwell’s eye as he hurried into the small church. Unsure what to do and with tears in her eyes, she stood by herself in the yard...
June 21, 2011 – Petco Park Stadium, San Diego, California: San Diego Padres pitcher Wade LeBlanc listened to the voice mail informing him he was going back to the Padres’ Triple-A team in Tucson, Arizona. It was the eighth time in three years he had been sent down to...
2003 – London, England: Rosalind Savage was divorced, overweight and out of shape. She had spent the past 11 years working in a cubicle for a London computer company and hated her job and miserable life. One day at work she wrote two obituaries. The first one about...
1970 – Key Biscayne Beach, Florida: On most Friday afternoons just before dark, old Ed showed up at the pier with a big bucket of shrimp. Soon he was joined by hundreds of circling seagulls. The birds had learned to anticipate his visits. As Ed tossed the shrimp, he...
1980, Seligman, Arizona: By the time Frank arrived at the hospital, 7-year-old Chris Greicius had lapsed into a coma. His battle with leukemia was almost over. By the bed hung Chris’s highway patrol uniform, hat, badge and boots. Frank pinned the wings on Chris’s...
