It’s a sad reality that we never know when our final day on this Earth is coming. It happens to everyone, even people that seem untouchable. Between celebrities, heads of state and other notable figures, even those that were just going through a routine day can meet their untimely demise. When a photo is taken of someone just before it happens, it can be haunting to know that it was the final photo taken. Here are 40 of them that are sure to send chills down your spine.
Xenia Ignatyeva
A recent fad in Russia is sort of a contest to take selfies in the most dangerous of situations, mostly on top of large buildings. Xenia Ignatyeva was just 17 years old when she became part of this trend, climbing up on a railway bridge and taking a selfie. While trying to catch herself on the way down, Ignatyeva accidentally grabbed a live wire that shocked her, causing her to lose her balance and fall to her death.
Uruguayan Flight 571
On October 13, 1972, Uruguayan Airlines Flight 571 took off. The plane would crash while over the Andes, and 28 of the 45 passengers survived the crash. More than two months later, 16 of the 28 were found still alive. They survived by eating the other dozen survivors during this time period.
Vicki Weaver
The United States Marshals Service and members of the FBI sieged on Naples, Idaho on August 21, 1992. The agents were looking to book Randy Weaver for failure to appear on charges, and he was at Ruby Ridge with his wife Vicki. Here is Vicki shown from surveillance footage before she was killed by FBI sniper fire.
Lennon’s Glasses
Famous musician John Lennon of The Beatles saw his life come to a tragic end on December 8, 1980. Lennon was with his wife, Yoko Ono, at the time he was murdered. She shared this photo in 2013 of Lennon’s glasses that he was wearing at the time of his murder, still covered in blood from the night of the tragedy. She’s held onto the glasses for nearly 40 years now, showing how big of an impact that night had on her life.
Molly LaRue and Geoff Hood
Avid hikers Molly LaRue and Geoff Hood had planned to make the 2,000 mile trek down the Appalachian Trail in September 1990 when they ran into a nasty person. Paul David Crews had been on the trail and on the run from police when he encountered LaRue and Hood. Crews brutally murdered the two and wasn’t caught for eight days when Crews was found with several of Hood’s possessions. Crews was sentenced to death as a result of his crimes.
Princess Diana
Diana, Princess of Wales, was one of the most well known people in the world after marrying Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. Tragedy would strike on August 31, 1997, though, as she passed in a car crash in a tunnel in Paris. This photo was taken right before her final ride, and her funeral just days later was one of the most watched programs in television history. She was just 36 years old when she passed away.
Kris Kremers
Kris Kremers (pictured) and Lisanne Froon were Dutch students that disappeared on April 1, 2014. The two were hiking in Panama and disappeared. After searching, fragments of their bodies were found, but a cause of death has still not been determined and remains a mystery to this day.
Tupac Shakur
At just 25 years old, Tupac Shakur had accomplished much in the hip-hop world. However, in September 1996, Shakur had been in Las Vegas shortly after a boxing match. While sitting at an intersection, Shakur was shot four times and was hospitalized in Sin City. He was pronounced dead after six days in the hospital.
Paul Walker
Taken just moments before his death on November 30, 2013, actor Paul Walker can be seen here in the front of a red sportscar. The man driving, Roger Rodas, would end up crashing the car. Rodas did not survive the crash and Walker passed away due to injuries at age 40.
Space Shuttle Challenger Crew
This photo is the crew that was aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986. On that day, the shuttle broke apart just mere moments after taking off, killing all of the members aboard. As a result, the shuttle program was halted for more than two years.
Andrew McAuley
Always the adventurer, Australian Andrew McAuley had set out for his greatest expedition yet. On a kayak, McAuley had planned to travel all the way across the Tasman Sea, which clocked in at around 1,000 miles. In a haunting recording that was recovered from where he died, McAuley could be heard asking for a rescue as his kayak started to sink.
Gary Box
When the first airline struck the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, not many knew what was happening. First responders in New York City rushed to the scene, including this fireman named Gary Box. Box charged through the tunnel on the way to the scene, where he would pass away saving the lives of many.
Heath Ledger
Just a day before his death on January 22, 2008, actor Heath Ledger can be seen here looking a little worse for wear. Ledger had died from an accidental overdose on that day at 28 years old. Shortly after his death, Ledger received a posthumous Oscar for his work on “The Dark Knight” as The Joker.