# Deaths that sort of define a person **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999 "2023-07-13T19:14:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/221 "2023-07-18T00:06:31Z")
Dale Earnhardt Sr. dying during the final lap of the Dayton 500 in 2001. More race car drivers who died in races: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_driver\_deaths\_in\_motorsport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_driver_deaths_in_motorsport) ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/222 "2023-07-18T08:48:02Z")
Horses were part of it, I think he tried motorised sleds too. Wikipedia does say that he was badly let down by the guy he ordered to head south from camp in time to meet them on the way back who just… didn’t. (He was legit famous as a polar explorer before the fatal expedition, so he should qualify.) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/223 "2023-07-18T09:56:53Z")
A couple of “death by misadventure” cases: [Chris McCandless](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_McCandless) (of Into The Wild fame/infamy) [Timothy Treadwell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Treadwell) (of Grizzly Man fame/infamy) The only gotcha being how famous they were before they died. I think Timothy Treadwell had a certain following prior to being eaten. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/224 "2023-07-18T11:06:10Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > great artists that asphyxiated on their own vomit The really hardcore choked to death on _someone else’s_ vomit. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/225 "2023-07-18T13:13:26Z")
Spinal Tap! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/226 "2023-07-18T13:24:20Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > More race car drivers who died in races: > > [List of driver deaths in motorsport - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_driver_deaths_in_motorsport) I notice that the Wikipedia page title describes “deaths in motorsport”, but is limited to automobiles, with a link to a similar page for motorcycles. I was at a hydroplane race in the '70s at which a driver was killed. That was a sport that took a few lives. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/227 "2023-07-18T13:41:13Z")
Some may remember [Laika](https://gdb.rferl.org/8F0E452E-DDB1-473E-87D3-61858BF0F164_w1080_r0_s.jpg) as the first animal to orbit Earth, but I remember her as the first Soviet space dog to die in orbit. Unlike Lassie, poor _Laika didn’t come home._ On the other hand, Ham the Astrochimp was the first _primate_ in space. He came home to a [hero’s parade](https://i.imgur.com/9KpOiXP.jpg) but was then largely forgotten. Had he died in space I think he’d still be remembered for that. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/228 "2023-07-18T14:05:54Z")
> [@Wolf333](#): > > Bud Dwyer famously shot himself on television. A great example. I have no idea what crimes he was being investigated for or what his job was other than public official. But by god I know how he died. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/229 "2023-07-18T14:14:55Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > > [@Sitnam](#): > > > > great artists that asphyxiated on their own vomit > > The really hardcore choked to death on _someone else’s_ vomit J You can’t really _dust_ for vomit… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/230 "2023-07-18T14:18:01Z")
> [@Wolf333](#): > > Bud Dwyer famously shot himself on television \*Budd. Specifically Robert Budd Dwyer. I was 29 and living in Philadelphia, which led to me watching the event on television news. It was shocking. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/231 "2023-07-18T14:18:43Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I was at a hydroplane race in the '70s at which a driver was killed. That was a sport that took a few lives. which reminds me Donal Campbell probably counts. He was famous for breaking the land speed record but now is most famous for [dying on Lake Windemere attempting t](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Campbell#Death)he world water speed record (and the fact his body was never recovered) Edit: turns out his body was recovered in 2001, I had no idea! ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/232 "2023-07-18T14:44:34Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > Heath Ledger’s and River Phoenix’s premature deaths probably fit. Nah, I think people remember their careers more than their deaths. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/233 "2023-07-18T16:01:05Z")
I can’t tell you one movie River was in, but I can tell you he died of an OD outside the Viper Room in Hollywood. FTR, I’m Gen X. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/234 "2023-07-18T16:05:53Z")
I always thought that “Stand By Me” was well-known enough to be his main memory. But yeah, it’s subjective. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/235 "2023-07-18T16:18:49Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I was at a hydroplane race in the '70s at which a driver was killed. That was a sport that took a few lives. I seem to remember way back that there seemed to be a ton of deaths. I had a coworker at the time who’s significant other was killed in a race. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/236 "2023-07-18T16:24:27Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > but now is most famous for [dying on Lake Windemere](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Campbell#Death) Donald Campbell is by far most famous for being an 8 times world land / water speed record holder and an utter trailblazer in the speed record scene, at a time in history when this was hotly pursued (unlike now). Time and again people suggest people for this thread that do not qualify. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/237 "2023-07-18T19:47:18Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > Donald Campbell is by far most famous for being an 8 times world land / water speed record holder and an utter trailblazer in the speed record scene, at a time in history when this was hotly pursued (unlike now). All of which is only meaningful to people who are into the land/water speed record scene. And that’s not much of a scene any more, as you note. Seems a pretty solid suggestion to me. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/238 "2023-07-18T20:29:22Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > My money is on John Henry Carpenter. If Willem Dafoe plays you in a biopic; you’re definitely guilty of something. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/239 "2023-07-18T20:32:13Z")
Nobody has mentioned Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter, yet? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/240 "2023-07-18T20:33:29Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > On the other hand, Ham the Astrochimp was the first _primate_ in space. He came home to a [hero’s parade](https://i.imgur.com/9KpOiXP.jpg) but was then largely forgotten. Had he died in space I think he’d still be remembered for that. This reminds me of a memory long ago, when I was drifting off to sleep beside my husband, I muttered, “I wonder what it was like for the first monkey in space?” I still wonder. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999.md?page=13)