At Lucky Star, we often celebrate the luck that brings people to our tables. But today, we’re sharing stories of the unluckiest people in the world. These individuals have faced extraordinary misfortune, making us wonder about the role of fate in their lives.
In the world of casinos, luck can make or break your day. While some people seem to have all the luck, others can't catch a break no matter how hard they try. Imagine sitting at a poker table, watching someone win hand after hand while you can’t get anything but bad cards. It's a tough pill to swallow.
Life, much like the casino, is unpredictable. For every lottery winner celebrating their good fortune, there's someone who missed out on a life-changing prize. Some people's stories of bad luck are so extreme that they sound almost unbelievable. It makes you think about who the unluckiest person in the world might be.
So, just for fun, we have compiled a list of 13 of the most unlucky people in the world. These are the tales of those who seem to be perpetually shadowed by bad luck.
These stories showcase individuals who could be called the or even the world's unluckiest man. They remind us how unpredictable life can be and make us appreciate the luck we have. Here are their stories, full of incredible twists and turns, making us question the true nature of luck.
Frane Selak, a Croatian music teacher, might be known as the world's unluckiest man. His life story is filled with unbelievable events that defy the odds. Frane survived a train crash, being thrown out of an airplane, a bus crash into a river, two car fires, being hit by a bus, and a near-fatal car accident that almost sent him over a 300-foot drop.
Despite these incredible brushes with death, Frane & rsquo;s luck took a turn when he won the lottery. However, showing a unique perspective on fortune, he decided to give away his winnings. Frane’s life makes us ponder who is the unluckiest person in the world and how they view their own luck.
Costis Mitsotakis, a Greek filmmaker, is often dubbed the world's unluckiest man for a different reason. In 2011, Costis was the only resident in a small Spanish village who didn't buy a ticket for the El Gordo lottery. The result? He missed out on a share of a $922 million jackpot, while all his neighbors celebrated their newfound wealth.
Instead of wallowing in his misfortune, Costis turned his unlucky moment into art. He created a film about his experience, showcasing his resilience and creativity. His story adds to the list of those unlucky people in the world who turn misfortune into something meaningful.
Henry Ziegland thought he was lucky when he narrowly escaped death in 1893. After breaking up with his girlfriend, Maysie Tichnor, she was heartbroken and took her own life. Her brother, seeking revenge, shot at Henry but missed, and the bullet lodged in a tree.
Years later, Henry decided to blow up the tree with dynamite. He stood at a distance, thinking he was safe. But the explosion dislodged the bullet, sending it flying into Henry’s head and killing him instantly. This bizarre twist of fate makes Henry Ziegland an unlucky person in the world.
Roy Sullivan's story is one of the most incredible tales of bad luck. A park ranger, Roy was struck by lightning seven times during his lifetime. He even earned a place in the Guinness World Records for surviving more lightning strikes than anyone else in history.
From 1969 to 1973, Roy was hit by lightning four times in five years. His repeated encounters with lightning earned him the nickname "human lightning rod." Despite his extraordinary misfortune, Roy's resilience and survival are remarkable.
His story makes us wonder who is the unluckiest person in the world, and Roy certainly stands out as a contender.
Melanie Martinez is known as the unluckiest woman in America. She has had an extraordinary series of misfortunes with hurricanes. Living in Louisiana, a region known for its stormy weather, Melanie has lost five houses to hurricanes over a span of 50 years.
Each time, the storms struck with a vengeance. The most recent blow came in 2012, a year after her home had been given a $20,000 makeover on a reality TV show. This devastating event was the latest in a series of tragedies that marked her life.
Imagine the frustration of rebuilding only to face another hurricane. For Melanie, it’s a relentless cycle of loss and rebuilding. Her story makes us wonder about the limits of bad luck and who could be the most unlucky person in the world.
James Howells from Wales is another contender for the title of the world's unluckiest man. His story begins with a simple mistake: he accidentally threw away a hard drive containing 8,000 bitcoins. At one time, these bitcoins were worth over half a billion dollars.
The hard drive ended up in a landfill, and James has been desperate to retrieve it ever since. He has pleaded with the Newport council to allow him to search the site, but his requests have been consistently denied. The task of finding his digital treasure in a massive landfill is daunting and nearly impossible.
James's situation highlights a unique kind of misfortune. Losing a fortune worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a simple mistake is hard to imagine. His story makes us ponder who is the unluckiest person in the world and whether James Howells’ bad luck can be matched by anyone else.
Violet Jessop, an Irish-Argentine nurse and ocean liner stewardess, had a life filled with near-death experiences on the ocean. She was on the RMS Titanic when it sank in 1912. Many people know this tragic story, but Violet’s tale of bad luck doesn’t end there.
She was also on board the HMHS Britannic when it sank in 1916. And before these disasters, she survived a collision at sea while on the RMS Olympic. Despite these terrifying experiences, Violet didn’t let fear keep her from the sea. She returned to work on ships in 1920 and continued until she retired at the age of 63.
With three major shipwrecks under her belt, she might just be the unluckiest person in the world. Her resilience, however, shows that even the unluckiest can find the strength to carry on.
John Lyne, known as Britain’s unluckiest man, has experienced a string of unfortunate events. His life is filled with accidents that seem almost unbelievable. John estimates he has had 16 major accidents.
One of his earliest mishaps was falling off a horse and cart. Not long after, he was run over by a van. These events were just the beginning of his unlucky streak. John also fell down a manhole and was struck by lightning. His bad luck continued with car crashes and even an accident in a mine.
The most incredible story involves John falling out of a tree. After breaking his arm, he was on a bus returning from the hospital when the bus crashed, adding another injury to his tally. John’s life makes us question who is the unluckiest person in the world. His series of accidents surely places him among the unluckiest.
Sigurd Eysteinsson, also known as "The Mighty," was the second Earl of Orkney from 875 to 892. He led a fierce Viking conquest of Northern Scotland and was known for his bravery and cunning in battle. Once, he challenged a local lord named Máel Brigte the Buck-Toothed to a 40-man-a-side fight. However, to ensure his victory, Sigurd brought 80 soldiers, giving him a clear advantage.
The battle was brutal, and Sigurd’s forces overwhelmed their opponents. After the fight, Sigurd beheaded Máel Brigte and tied the severed head to his saddle as a trophy. As he rode home, Máel Brigte’s teeth scratched Sigurd’s leg. What seemed like a minor injury turned deadly when the wound became infected. Sigurd contracted sepsis and died from the infection, a grim reminder of how even the mightiest warriors can fall to unexpected dangers.
Ann Hodges was an ordinary woman from Alabama, leading a quiet life. But one day, something extraordinary happened. Ann was struck by a meteorite. Yes, a rock from outer space crashed through her roof, bounced off her radio, and hit her on the thigh. Ann Hodges is the only person in recorded history to have been hit by a meteorite.
Imagine going about your day and then suddenly being struck by a space rock. The odds of this happening are astronomically low, making Ann's experience incredibly unique. Despite the bizarre accident, Ann survived the ordeal, forever marked by an event that is as rare as it is extraordinary.
Ann Hodges' story is a testament to the unpredictable nature of luck. While some people seem to dodge misfortune, others, like Ann, find themselves in the path of the most unlikely events.
Erik Norrie is a man whose life reads like a series of unfortunate events. You might think he is the unluckiest person in the world, but his story also showcases incredible survival. Erik has been bitten by a rattlesnake, attacked by a shark, assaulted by a monkey, and struck by lightning.
The shark attack was particularly harrowing. While snorkeling in the Bahamas, Erik felt a sudden sharp pain. A shark had taken a chunk out of his leg. His quick-thinking father-in-law managed to save him, and Erik survived. Despite losing part of his leg, he considers himself lucky to be alive. Given how rare shark attacks are, Erik's experience makes you wonder who is the unluckiest person in the world.
Erik's close encounters don't end there. He was also bitten by a rattlesnake during a hike. The bite was painful, but he received treatment in time. Later, he was struck by lightning, another rare and potentially deadly event. And if that wasn't enough, he had a run-in with a monkey that resulted in a nasty bite. Each incident on its own is rare, but together, they paint a picture of the world's unluckiest man.
John Wade Agan's life story could be a script for a thrilling movie. He has experienced a lightning strike, been robbed at gunpoint, stabbed, and even bitten by snakes at the same time. As a former taxi driver, John seemed to attract bad luck wherever he went. During the armed robbery, he was forced into the trunk of his own taxi, a situation straight out of a nightmare.
John's encounters with danger didn't stop there. He once found himself face-to-face with two snakes, both of which bit him simultaneously. The odds of such an event are incredibly low, making John another contender for the title of the most unlucky person in the world. Despite all these incidents, he has managed to survive, which is a testament to his resilience.
Tsutomu Yamaguchi experienced a rare and harrowing series of events during World War II. At 29, he survived not one but two atomic bombings in Japan. On August 6, 1945, Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima, just two miles from the bomb's epicenter. Miraculously, he escaped with only a perforated eardrum and burns on his upper body.
Yamaguchi returned to his hometown of Nagasaki, probably thinking the worst was behind him. However, just three days later, he found himself in the midst of the second atomic blast on August 9. He was explaining his ordeal in Hiroshima when the bomb fell on Nagasaki. Despite this double tragedy, he survived, earning the title of "Niju Hibaku," which means "twice bombed."
Living to the age of 93, Yamaguchi's story is a testament to human resilience. He outlived many of his peers despite the unimaginable odds he faced. His life is often discussed when considering who is the unluckiest person in the world, though his survival suggests a blend of both bad luck and extraordinary fortune.
