Odd Fact 1

Italian lady connecting 3 centuries, a horse and a movie

Photo by Giuseppe Mondì on Unsplash

Emma Morano

Emma Morano was born on November 29, 1899, in Italy, and was the last verified person known to have been born in the 19th century. Her life spanned three centuries. She saw two world wars, watched the world trade letters for phone calls and, eventually, emails and video chats. She saw people land on the moon.

When Emma died on April 15, 2017, at 117, the world quietly lost its last thread to another era.

Here’s something that always stands out about her: Emma credited her long life to two things — a rather odd diet and a bold decision nobody expected. For decades, she ate two raw eggs every day. And back in the 1930s, after putting up with an abusive husband, she walked away and chose to spend the rest of her years on her own. She once laughed and said, “I didn’t want to be controlled by anyone anymore. Maybe that’s why I lived so long.”

Even in her later years, her mind stayed sharp. She read the newspaper, chatted with visitors, and spoke about her life with the kind of wisdom and dry humor only age can deliver.

Emma wasn’t just the last of her time — she was proof that there’s real strength in quiet determination and living life on your own terms.

Reckless

In Korea during 1952, U.S. Marines required a method for transporting heavy ammunition across steep terrain. They bought a small Mongolian mare called Reckless for $250.

In the 1953 Battle of Outpost Vegas, Reckless made approximately 51 trips in one day through heavy enemy fire, transporting about 9,000 pounds of ammunition to the front lines. She became so familiar with the route that she was able to travel it independently.

She kept on running despite being injured twice and aided in evacuating hurt Marines.

Later on, Reckless received official recognition and promotion within the U.S. Marine Corps, ultimately attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant.

A horse of small stature — but with remarkable bravery.

Candyman

During the shooting of the 1992 horror classic Candyman, actor Tony Todd actually performed with live bees, including in the iconic scene where bees seem to emerge from his mouth. The crew employed a dental dam to prevent them from going further down his throat. His contract included a clause that compensated him with $1,000 for each bee sting he received during the scene. For certain shots, the production opted for immature bees due to their reduced danger. Todd would later claim the agony was worthwhile and that the scene became legendary in the realm of horror films.