The Man Who Died Laughing

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The Man Who Laughed Himself to Death (Yes, It’s True!)

Sometimes history gives us stories so strange and joyful that they almost sound made up. In 1975, a man in the United Kingdom named Alex Mitchell sat down to watch his favorite comedy show, The Goodies. The episode featured a chaotic scene involving Scottish bagpipes and over-the-top slapstick humor. It was so funny that Mitchell began to laugh uncontrollably, and kept laughing for more than twenty minutes. Then, still laughing, he suddenly collapsed and passed away.

Doctors later said the cause was heart failure triggered by intense laughter. The tragedy shocked his family, but his wife later wrote to the BBC, thanking the network for giving her husband such a joyful final moment. She said the show made his last minutes “so pleasant,” a sentiment that has since turned the story from grim to oddly uplifting.

Today, the tale of Alex Mitchell is remembered as one of those extraordinary reminders of how powerful laughter can be. Scientists know that laughing releases endorphins, lowers stress, and boosts circulation, but Mitchell’s story takes that idea to its extreme.

It’s a strange kind of lesson: life is unpredictable, and joy can appear in the most unexpected ways. Mitchell’s story continues to circulate in “believe it or not” sections and history columns, not as a warning, but as proof that humor really does have a deep hold on the human heart.

If there’s something to take away from it, it’s this, laugh often, love freely, and let life’s light moments matter. Because for one man in 1975, laughter truly was the last word.