2 January 2022, Hawaii USA | The man was 75 but still game for an off-limits sortie into Volcanoes National Park. It was a moonless night and he wanted to see the magnificent glow of lava in the darkness.
Since the hiker lived in the nearby town of Hilo, he was keenly aware of the dangers of the mountain—deadly heat—gases—falling ash—unstable footing—calamity is waiting for those who venture past a Danger! Keep Out! Signs and barricades are plentiful. Visitors can watch volcanic activity from one of the safe viewing areas established in convenient places.
Yet this local thought he’d take a midnight hike past a 'WARNING YOU WILL DIE!' sign. Seemed sensible, he knew the mountain, the mountain knew him.. How cool to get a private show on a moonless night, right?
Following a siren song, this old boy hiked out towards an awesome view—and overcome by the fumes, or the unstable footing, he fell 100 feet to his death. "Natural Laws Have No Pity," deceased author Robert Heinlein commented. The man played with fire, and fire won.
I hereby suggest that this red-blooded American man is worthy of a Darwin Award award for his stupidity. Can I give a Darwin Award to an oldster and not hear ye dear readers bellow about how he already is done reproducing? Age doesn’t matter. Old guy can win.
I cannot help but treasure these confrontations with nature. My own family behaved so stupidly when we visited the Big Island for a Solar Eclipse. I watched in horror as two dear relatives called to me in unison, "Take a picture of us behind this sign!" This sign that says, 'DO NOT GO BEYOND THIS POINT, YOU WILL DIE.'
"Get back here!" said Ms. Darwin. But they just laughed! And started to stamp their feet on the wrinkled lava! Demanding a photo of them standing in the danger zone.
This Darwin Award nominee was reported missing by his family shortly after midnight on Sunday, and his body was recovered 8 hours later at 8AM Monday morning. Firefighters spent hours searching in the darkness, which always casts a sad note on the repercussions of one man’s stupid choice.
This event is not the end-all of the 2022 Darwin Awards, the year is young, yet Mr Lava Melt certainly deserves his hour of notoriety. Charles Darwin applauds you, chap. Thanks for your service to our gene pool.
Real Lava Lamps Lighted Local's Lanai
you really need to add more Darwin awards, you have missed so many the past 10 years.