Travel insurance firm Travel Guard revealed the winners of their latest World's Unluckiest Traveler contest today (December 10).
The victorious entry is a shocking story from November 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. Julie and her friend Sam were traveling to do some sightseeing before going skydiving.
What began as the perfect vacation soon spiraled out of control when Sam fell ill after going to a club in Scottsdale to party. Her condition went beyond a simple drunken blackout, and taxis refused to take them. Desperate, Julie put her friend into a nearby shopping cart on the sidewalk and took her to their Airbnb.
Highlights
- Julie and Sam won $10,000 in the World's Unluckiest Traveler contest.
- Sam was taken to the hospital in a body bag after a drunken night out.
- Against advice, they went skydiving after a hospital night.
- Skydiving experts criticized their decision due to health risks.
Paramedics and the police arrived soon, only to find Sam unresponsive. The narrow entrance to their room further complicated the situation, making it impossible for a stretcher to fit in. What Julie saw next left her frozen—her friend was being taken to the hospital inside a body bag.
A couple of skydivers won $10,000 after sharing the story of how they jumped out of a plane right after spending a night in a hospital due to a drunken blackout
Image credits: Ave Calvar / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
"Talk about traumatizing," Julie wrote in her winning anecdote. She rushed to the hospital, worried about her friend. Sam's doctor soon put aside her fears: "[They] let me know that Sam was stable, and they would monitor her vital signs for the night," she explained.
Julie then recounts how, around 6 a.m., Sam finally woke up, confused and laughing, unable to properly grasp the nightmare she had put her friend through.
"Sam woke up, and she was laughing when she said: 'Julie…why am I in the hospital?' I asked her if she remembered anything after we left the club, which she didn't," Julie recounted.
Image credits: Christine Roy / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
Sam's positive attitude did not budge after Julie explained what had transpired the night before; on the contrary, she immediately went back into vacation mode, urging her friend to resume their plans as soon as possible.
"After I explained it all to her, suddenly she sat up and said, 'Wait, we need to leave; we have to go skydiving!' I said, 'No way, you were literally just in a body bag!'" Julie wrote.
"Against my wishes, and after spending all night in the hospital, we were going skydiving."
Despite their stressful night, the pair safely returned home and recommended everyone try skydiving at least once in their lives
Image credits: TravelGuard
"The skydiving itself was a breeze compared to the night we just experienced," Julie said, who earned Travel Guard's grand prize of $10,000 for indulging in her friend's daredevil impulses.
The winner explained how she and her friend returned home safe and sound but assured readers that the experience taught them how to be more careful with their drinks and to keep an eye on each other while partying. "Anything could happen in just a few seconds," Julie said.
Image credits: Lola Prior / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
The anecdote ends happily, with the pair thoroughly enjoying their skydiving experience despite their insane night out.
"If skydiving is on your bucket list, Sam says you need to check that off ASAP, no excuses," Julie wrote.
Julie and Sam won the big prize after receiving 10,852 votes. Shortly behind was Jennifer, who received 10,729 votes and won the runner-up prize of $5,000. In third place, and way behind the other two, was Lloyd, with 2,009 votes, who won an award of $3,000.
A fourth-place winner and a randomly selected person were also given prizes, with the former earning $1,900 and the latter $450, and a GoPro action camera.
Experts considered their story to be irresponsible, as their physical condition before the jump could've led to severe health complications
Image credits: TravelGuard
Julie and Sam enjoyed skydiving and earned $10,000 in cash, but according to skydiving experts, their adventure could've had a much more gruesome ending.
Bored Panda reviewed the case alongside Joaquín Toma, a class B skydiver with over 130 recorded jumps, who expressed disbelief that instructors allowed the pair to jump, considering one of them was fresh out of a hospital.
"It's strange that they allowed them, but I guess it depends on the area where you jump; some instructors can be quite lax, but most are very strict," he stated. "In my case, people get their alcohol levels checked before jumping."
Image credits: Kamil Pietrzak / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
"It's a very demanding activity emotionally, psychologically, and physically," he said. "It's an inherently risky endeavor, which is why jumpers need to be in the best condition possible to reduce the likelihood of accidents."
In Toma's view, what allowed Julie and Sam to return home safely was the fact that an instructor jumped with each of them. "Tandem jumping means the instructor does everything for you and makes sure you touch land safely," he explained.
Image credits: Kamil Pietrzak / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
While jumping with an expert effectively eliminates most risks of physical injury, they do not protect users against health issues that might arise due to changes in blood pressure or blacking out.
In skydiving, jumps are usually made at 13,000 ft from the ground, with parachutes opening at 4,000 ft. "Jumpers have to equip themselves with an extra parachute, which automatically detects if the main one hasn't opened and activates at 1,250 ft," Toma stated.
Netizens congratulated the pair on winning the big prize, but some wondered if the risk was worth it in the end
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
"Some travel stories are unforgettable, but this one takes the term 'unlucky' to a whole new level!" one wrote.
"Skydiving carries quite the risk. No thanks," another added.
Others labeled the example set by the winning story as "terrible," considering their victory a "real shame."
"The only thing about these stories is the people are idiots," another lamented.
"Right? A lot of it could have been prevented with common sense," a reader replied.
"No thanks." Netizens debated whether the winning story was due to bad luck or irresponsibility
Image credits: Qasiim02
Image credits: raging6907
Image credits: hanzala_m21852