Happy Birth and Deathday

Posted in Personal

I survived another birthday yesterday. I have always thought it would be supremely ironic to die on my birthday. Shakespeare did. April 23rds, 52 years apart.

Little did I know, however, that a phenomenon known as the “birthday effect” exists. I found out because I googled “people who died on their birthdays.” Statistically, people are more likely to die on their birthdays than any other day of the year. Men more than women.

Maybe getting through the day alive is a small annual victory.

Apparently, the Swiss lead the world in birthday death percentages, but deaths were most pronounced for those over 80. I can see getting to that stage of life and setting a goal of reaching for one more birthday.  But, once you get there…. The actress Ingrid Berman, born in Sweden, died on her birthday, August 29. However, she was 67 and had breast cancer.

Suicides are counted in some of the data which, I would think, skews the results. It does have dark logic to it. A birthday should be a happy day. If life isn’t going well, however, a birthday can be an unhappy reminder of things gone awry. Men 35 and older are at an increased risk, especially if mental health issues are involved.

Besides Shakespeare and Ingrid Berman, which at least semi-recognizable names passed on their birthdays? Feminist Betty Friedan; Machine Gun Kelly–not related to Chip; Swede Risberg, who was one of Shoeless Joe’s teammates on the Black Sox; the artist Raphael; talk show host Mike Douglas; Pittsburg Pirate pitcher Bob Moose, at age 29.

The chances of dying immediately before or after a birthday are also higher. I guess I’d better not let my guard down for a couple of weeks. At least.

 

Unknown's avatar

Published by Ernie Quatrani

Married with three adult children, I taught in the Upper Perkiomen School District for thirty-nine years, where I was also heavily involved in co-curricular activities, including the school newspaper, TV studio, and baseball. After coaching for thirty-two years, I retired and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame. Before becoming a high school English teacher, I received my BS in communication from Temple University, Post-Baccalaureate Teaching Certificate from St. Joseph’s University, and Masters in Educational Administration from Villanova University. 
 My work has been published or is forthcoming in The Main Line Times, The News of Delaware County, The Catholic Standard and Times, North Dakota Quarterly, r.kv.r.y., Apalachee Review, Green Hills Literary Lantern, and The Town and Country.

One thought on “Happy Birth and Deathday”

  1. Have you ever considered the fact that, at some point in every year until you die, you live through your death day? I don’t share that thought with many people for fear of freaking them out, but I thought you might find it interesting. An interesting death day anecdote: after Dale’s dad died, Dale and his mom were going through his things and found a local newspaper that he’d saved. They couldn’t find anything in it that seemed like something he would have found worth saving…except that the paper’s date was a year to the day before died. Thought-provoking, isn’t it?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment