As we are all aware, none of us knows what tomorrow holds. If we did, we could all plan accordingly. Instead, the human inclination is to believe we all have plenty of time to do what we need to do. And that attitude leads to a lot of procrastination. As an estate planning attorney, I have seen my fair share of it. Putting off getting your life in order, such as drawing up your will, creating a trust, and making sure your loved ones are cared for if something happens to you. We convince ourselves we have time. We can do it next week, next month, or next year. But let’s face it, some of us won’t live to see tomorrow, let alone next week. I don’t mean to be morbid, but it’s true. The following is a smattering of somewhat famous individuals who didn’t know how little time they had. I don’t know if they had a will or not, but the following is a reminder that one day you could go for a drive, overindulge, take your medication, or have a glass of wine with deadly consequences.
BEWARE OF LONG SCARVES
Isadora Duncan was frequently called the “Mother of Modern Dance”. She was quite a character and was known for her love of long flowing scarves. On September 14, 1927, she jumped into her convertible, threw a scarf around her neck, waved goodbye to friends, and roared off. As the car sped forward, her scarf, blowing behind her, got caught in the rear wheel axle, yanking her violently from the vehicle as her horrified friends watched. She was instantly strangled.
CAN WE HAVE TOO MANY DESSERTS? APPARENTLY SO
Adolf Frederick, the King of Sweden, was infamous for his over-the-top eating. On February 12, 1771, his gluttony took its final toll. His last meal consisted of lobster, caviar, sauerkraut, smoked herring, and champagne. To top it off, he consumed 14 servings of his favored dessert, semla, a sweet roll served in hot milk. FOURTEEN SERVINGS! This last meal was apparently the “last straw” for his digestive system, and he died shortly thereafter.
BOTTLE CAPS CAN BE DEADLY
The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright behind “A Streetcar Named Desire”, Tennessee Williams met his end in the most mundane yet bizarre way possible. Williams died choking on a plastic bottle cap that he accidentally swallowed while trying to take medication in his New York hotel room.
THINK YOU KNOW THE ALL THE DANGERS OF DRINKING WINE?
Two stories here. Pope Adrian IV met his end in the most undignified way imaginable back in 1159. He died after accidentally swallowing a fly that had landed in his wine glass, choking to death in front of his cardinals.
And, last but not least, Charmayne Maxwell, an R&B singer in the ’90s, met a very untimely death. On February 28, 2015, she returned home after attending her son’s soccer game.
She poured herself a glass of wine, and while the exact details of what happened next remain unclear, reports indicate that she either fell while holding the wine glass or dropped it, causing it to break, and then accidentally fell onto the broken shards. Either way, it led to her suffering a deep cut to her neck. The injury was catastrophic, causing severe blood loss. Her husband discovered her, rushed her to the hospital, but it was too late. Maxwell was just 46 years old.
Of course, we can think of many others who died unexpectedly, Sonny Bono, Heath Ledger, and Prince, to name a few. We already know, for example, Prince was totally unprepared, and his heirs spent years and thousands of dollars fighting over his assets. So, I hope this serves as a gentle reminder that we will probably all live to see another day, but there is no guarantee. Why not call me if you need to update or create your will? I can promise you that you will enjoy enormous peace of mind, knowing you’ve done what you can to protect your assets and loved ones. Even if you live to 100, it is still the right and loving thing to do. Please call me at 513-399-7526 or visit my website, www.davidlefton.com for more information.