Vesna Vulović, the stewardess who fell to earth (1950-2016).
December 24, 2016 12:20 PM   Subscribe

Vesna Vulović, an air stewardess who survived the highest ever fall without a parachute after her plane broke up at 33,000ft (10,000m), has died aged 66. She was not scheduled to be on that flight, being mixed up with another flight attendant named Vesna. Trapped in the plane’s tail cone, she plummeted to earth in sub-freezing temperatures and landed on a steep, heavily wooded slope. She had a fractured skull, two crushed vertebrae and a broken pelvis, ribs and legs. She went on to put her celebrity at the service of political causes, protesting against Slobodan Milošević’s rule in the 1990s and later campaigning for liberal forces in elections. The MythBusters investigation, later questions about the circumstances and height of fall, and more. (previously)
posted by Wordshore (28 comments total) 20 users marked this as a favorite
 
I remember this being on the news when I was four or so, and finding it impossible to grasp the concept (the bunk bed in my bedroom seemed impossibly and dangerously high). Reading this now, it feels that 2016 is trying to make some kind of point by now taking even the previously indestructible from amongst us.
posted by Wordshore at 12:37 PM on December 24, 2016 [11 favorites]


I remember Casey Kasem using this story once to introduce "Free Falling".
posted by selfnoise at 12:55 PM on December 24, 2016 [7 favorites]


It would have taken her about 3 minutes in free-fall to reach the ground.
posted by gottabefunky at 1:05 PM on December 24, 2016 [2 favorites]




I know the kinetics don't add up, but I believe that all one has to do is jump up right before you hit the ground. Ta-da!
posted by joecacti at 1:14 PM on December 24, 2016


Jump up going 300 mph, sure.
posted by gottabefunky at 1:21 PM on December 24, 2016 [4 favorites]


Also (this is, at the end of the day, an obituary post)
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posted by Wordshore at 1:22 PM on December 24, 2016 [2 favorites]


I remember this vividly from the brief time I spent teaching English as a foreign language. Vesna's story was turned into a kind of mad-lib for verbs or adjectives in a workbook I used; it was very hard to teach the material because the story was so incredible that no one could focus on the grammar.

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posted by chavenet at 1:28 PM on December 24, 2016 [6 favorites]


Wow, Death decided it was time.

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posted by limeonaire at 1:29 PM on December 24, 2016


She sounds like a really decent human being, who used this awful event for good.
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posted by lesbiassparrow at 1:55 PM on December 24, 2016 [15 favorites]


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posted by evilDoug at 2:28 PM on December 24, 2016


✈️
posted by Halloween Jack at 2:37 PM on December 24, 2016 [1 favorite]


I too am named Vesna. You'd be amazed how often these mixups happen.

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posted by nevercalm at 2:40 PM on December 24, 2016 [13 favorites]


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posted by Cash4Lead at 2:52 PM on December 24, 2016


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posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:59 PM on December 24, 2016


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posted by Pope Guilty at 3:01 PM on December 24, 2016 [20 favorites]


[Final Destination reference deleted]
posted by gottabefunky at 3:15 PM on December 24, 2016


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posted by bonobothegreat at 3:43 PM on December 24, 2016


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posted by aralymn at 4:30 PM on December 24, 2016


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posted by mochapickle at 5:48 PM on December 24, 2016


People who literally are unkillable are dying this year. Fair winds, Ms. Vulović. You made good use of the extra time.
posted by Naberius at 6:19 PM on December 24, 2016 [10 favorites]


Very sorry about this news! She was a good lady. •
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 8:45 PM on December 24, 2016 [1 favorite]


"I am like a cat, I have had nine lives," she told the New York Times. "But if nationalist forces in this country prevail, my heart will burst."
posted by unknowncommand at 9:33 PM on December 24, 2016 [8 favorites]


Vesna's story was turned into a kind of mad-lib for verbs or adjectives in a workbook I used

Yeah I remember that! Original Headway, mid 90s, the workbook for pre-int level.
posted by Meatbomb at 2:01 AM on December 25, 2016 [2 favorites]


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posted by radwolf76 at 10:06 AM on December 25, 2016


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she is my hero. so much so, i have her name tattooed on my arm, above a heart. she would probably think that is stupid.

i don't even care if the fall was a hoax. she isn't my hero because she fell, or even that she survived. it's because she STOOD UP. when she was told she would never walk again, she stood up. when she could oppose a genocidal dictator, she stood the fuck UP.

2016 is killing all the heroes.

go in peace, Vesna.
posted by lapolla at 3:18 PM on December 25, 2016 [12 favorites]


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For one brave and determined lady.
posted by daybeforetheday at 5:20 PM on December 26, 2016


it's because she STOOD UP. when she was told she would never walk again, she stood up. when she could oppose a genocidal dictator, she stood the fuck UP.
She stood up and asked for a cigarette! (paraphrasing just a little from the linked story) -
posted by rongorongo at 9:34 PM on December 27, 2016


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