Ummm... well,, I guess good things really do come to those who wait... Who knew..

"If we were the betting kind, we'd place all of our chips or steer clear of the hand Frane Selak has been dealt in life. The 92-year Croatin celebrates his birthday today, which is the perfect occasion to dedicate a Daily Curio to his seven near-death experiences and one big lottery win. Selak's first instance of razor-thin survival came in 1962 when he was on a train riding through a cold and rainy canyon from Sarajevo to Dubrovnik. The train left the tracks and crashed into a river: Selak escaped the wreckage, but not without a bout of hypothermia and a broken arm. Just a year later, he begged his way onto his first plane trip after learning his was ill. Just before landing, one of the plane's doors flew open, sucking out Selak and a flight attendant. Though 19 people died in the crash, Selak landed on a haystack, cushioning his fall. The transportation accidents didn't stop there: in 1966 a bus he was riding on skidded and ran into a river, killing four but leaving Selak with mere cuts and bruises. In 1970, his car caught on fire and he managed to escape before it blew up.

Think one flaming car incident is enough? Think again: three years later, a malfunctioning fuel pump doused the engine of his car with hot oil, causing the air vents to become pyrotechnic devices. Sendak's hair was singed off, but otherwise the teflon man brushed off the incident. The next 20 years of his life were thankfully less eventful, but in 1995 he was hit by a bus while walking in Zagreb, sustaining injuries. Just a year later he avoided a collision with a United Nations truck on a mountain curve by hitting a guardrail and escaping to a cliffside as his car plummeted feet below. Escaping planes, trains, and automobiles in near death instances has made some of Selak's friends rightfully superstitious about travelling with him. Though they may have thought twice when Selak won a lottery of €900000 euros ($1,0,000 dollars) just two days after his 73rd birthday, most of which he gave away after purchasing two houses and a boat. While Selak's experiences could be a whopping case study for any OSHA inspector, it's also a reminder to feel grateful that we haven't been in seven transportation accidents during our lifetime!"

[Image description: Frane Selak poses with lottery tickets following his 2002 jackpot win.] Credit & copyright: CEN

Written by: Esther P.
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