This is the saddest photo I've seen in a long time
Friday, February 9th, 2007 - 7:20pm
The man wears a bucket of KFC on his head. I wouldn't expect anything less. - Pred
Search
User login
The man wears a bucket of KFC on his head. I wouldn't expect anything less. - Pred
If that doesn't make you want to kill yourself, I don't know what will. Poor kids.
Everything can be debated, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's debatable.
--Chuck Klosterman, Fargo Rock City
Nothing that some extremely expensive plastic surgery wouldn't fix. Right ?
I think the saddest part is the look in her eyes. Good on her for keeping her word.
Elysium: The democratization of the web ... has installed an illusion of a digital first amendment that protects speech no matter how poorly spelled or stupid.
XBL: E Munnie
elementsofmeaning.blogspot.com
Truly. But just, wow. I mean, what just seems so sad is that there's absolutely no joy in her eyes. None. Just... well, depression.
Quote:
XBL Tag: Prederick
She looks panicked, actually. But seriously, there's got to be a plastic surgery solution to this. Can't they reconstruct the face from a few photographs ?
People magazine ran a story on that gentleman a while back. As hard as it is to believe, that is his face after several surgeries. A suicide bomber jumped on the humvee that he was in. The humvee exploded and he was trapped in the turret and the ensuring flames from the explosion melted his face and hand. The marine is only in his early 20's too. I want to say more but I feel that it would drive this straight into P&C territory.
A Mind Without Purpose Will Walk In Dark Places
"I may be out of ammo but I ain't out of chainsaw B*TCHES!" - Sinister's warcry for Gears of War
Holy Frak. Even though his face is no longer what we commonly associate with a 'face', it's pretty damn expressive. Powerful stuff.
Cerebri Music - Play. Rewind. Repeat.
Twitter | Xbox Live: dhaelis | PSN: dhaelis
He's lucky to be alive, and he's lucky to have someone who knows him that well. Without knowing the context of the picture, we are just guessing at her emotion. I've seen some absolute dogs of wedding pictures, from otherwise happy events. Heck, she could even be upset at the photographer's reaction. Maybe just tired.
Actually, for what he's been through, I think he looks pretty good. I have some questions, like why he's not wearing a compressive mask to help with the fluid retention, that lead me to believe they chose to be photographed that way as opposed to a more "palatable" appearance.
I believe it's probably harder for us than for them.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
Good God.
I don't like shock journalism that appeals to the emotional side as an argument about an intellectual issue. But good God.
Yes. Her face is far more heartbreaking than his. Somehow.
"PEACE ON EARTH. GOOD WILL TO MEN. PUBLIC SHELTER. ADMISSION 50¢"
There are limits to what can be done, shihonage. He looks like he probably had 2nd/3rd degree burns to almost his entire head.
Wow. It's a great photo but difficult to look at.
It is possible to construct a face somewhat similar to his own via intensive plastic surgery, but that sort of extensive procedure is well beyond what most normal people can afford, let alone our cash-strapped fighting men and women. Maybe somebody can get the folks at Dr. 90210 to help out pro bono.
"Men like sex, thus boobies! Oogaba!" - dejanzie
"If ads put your sanity to the test
come on down to Rat Boy's nest!
light up a stogie, and soon you'll see
how rock can be commercial-free!
'I'd hit it!'" - HP Lovesauce
Simon Weston suffered similar injuries in the Falklands War. Extensive surgery improved his disfigurement drastically, but it can only go so far. I appreciate that the soldier in the wedding photo has the benefit of 20 yeard of medical advancement (finances allowing) but there are still limits.
Requires 2 non-replaceable LR41 button cell batteries for the monkey (included)
My goodness... I don't know what to say. Is it true commitment? Pity? Guilt? I would never want to be in that type of situation.
XBL / Art / Blog (09/20) / Buy! (10/07)
At the risk of sounding way too dramatic, if I were that dude I would probably back out of the marriage. Storybook love is one thing, but if I really loved the girl I'd want her to have some sort of chance at a normal life.
"PEACE ON EARTH. GOOD WILL TO MEN. PUBLIC SHELTER. ADMISSION 50¢"
"100WelshHeroes.com"... There's a joke to be made there.
Elysium: The democratization of the web ... has installed an illusion of a digital first amendment that protects speech no matter how poorly spelled or stupid.
XBL: E Munnie
elementsofmeaning.blogspot.com
Holy f*ck.
Xbox Live: CrankyBaby
baggachipz: Who cares about Japan, let them have their silly pointless dog games and countless re-hashes of anime-based dragon princess super lucky crapitty crap.
The first thing I thought when I saw that was "It's the Toxic Avenger."
HatchetJob.com - a netcast about more than videogames.
This truly is sad. I look at the picture and a chill runs down my spine. Thank god I do not have to fight in a war...I am well aware of my mortality. I do not wish to be reduced from what I am. The thought of it terrifies me.
McChuck wrote:
Wow...
Man, Have to say I kind of agree with you Morrolan.
XBox Live - DwarfDain
Disfigurement does not preclude a normal life. I've seen people around DC with similar injuries, going about their daily business. The biggest difference is that it got his entire head and hand; usually, one sees hands and parts of the upper body.
I work occasionally with a guy in Iowa who was badly burned in a fuel fire on an aircraft carrier in the 60's. One side of his face and the lower portion, so he's got the swollen lips and lapped skin, and his arms and hands look like they have rows of coins under the skin. He's got a fine life and is happily married, the whole bit.
Like I said, not knowing the context of the picture, why should we let our initial shock be the judge of the situation? We don't know what she's feeling in the picture, we are just projecting our own revulsion. But if that happened to someone you loved deeply, and you were with them for months afterwards, I don't think any of you would walk away.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
Does she look sad? To me, it looks like she's just listening to something the photographer is saying, and someone snapped a picture before they were ready. Notice that her stare is very, very blank, especially if you cover up anything or anyone surrounding her face, and that the guy's not even looking at the photographer (which you do in wedding photos). Anyway, I agree with Robear: We have no idea what she's feeling or thinking in the picture, and we're just projecting our own shock or revulsion on to her. Besides, it's not like it's impossible to love and be happy with someone who has major disfigurement.
And it's not like people with major disfigurement can't have normal lives. But, it is very, very hard - not because society will treat you terribly, but because you treat yourself terribly. Almost fifteen years ago, my cousin suffered severe burns when a stove she was cooking at exploded; she had very noticable scarring around her neck, cheeks and ears (she's lucky she's not dead). But she still has emotional and psychological issues from "The Accident", as she calls it, feeling that her disfigurement is a cross or punishment that she imposed on her family, friends and children. Fifteen years of therapy hasn't helped that guilt much, but her loved ones - including her husband - most certainly did not walk away from her to 'lead normal lives'. What is a normal life, anyway?
"Today's Tom Sawyer, he gets high on you, Kat. You." - Haakon7
My Website v. 3.0
A normal life is just that. Looking average, having a relationship and kids. Naturally there are certain deviations from this (we might say that it's +/- some percentage of attractiveness), but that won't affect one's life too much.
It's lucky your cousin was already married. If not, she'd probably have been single for the rest of her life.
HatchetJob.com - a netcast about more than videogames.
I define average as anything other than myself.
XBox Live|Tshirts|xfire | Last.fm
I have to go with Kat on this one. There is no such thing as a normal life. I believe that anyone who thinks there is such a thing, are just deluding themselves.
Granted there are things that are accepted to be common amongst most people of the world, "normalcy" is not one of them.
Quintin_Stone wrote:
lunabean wrote:She just doesn't look unhappy to me. I look at her, and her expression is... inquisitorial. Like the photographer just asked her something but she didn't hear it correctly, then he snapped the photo just to get it over with.
And honestly, while I don't feel great that he came back so messed up... I can't really pity him. He's alive. He's getting married to a good lookin' woman that obviously loves him.
He's got a lot more going for him than the guy my wife had to do a 1 to 1 watch on a few weeks back. Missing a few organs, multiple areas of exposed tissue, dope that was just keeping him knocked out, and really no chance that he'd ever see his wife or two babies again... So, yeah, I just can't feel pity or revulsion here. Sorry.
IronClad Online: PurEvil
I disagree. The things that are common are the things that help define a normal life. Now I'm not a mathematician (which will soon become obvious) but bear with me.
I'd be surprised if every culture has birthday cakes, but I suspect that most cultures celebrate birthdays, or have some 'rite of passage' ceremony.
Now, if we could tell that X amount of people experienced this ceremony -- and over the last Y years (thousands, hundreds, whatever) -- then I think we could say it was 'normal'.
And if we can see trends in other moments in life - first love, first kiss, first cut finger - then perhaps we could say those are normal too.
Put all the data into a big spreadsheet. You could probably work out how many of these incidents happened to every person. Look at enough people and I reckon you could out what was normal and what wasn't normal. If someone had too few incidents, they'd have an abnormal life.
Of course what would make it tricky is how 'normal' changes from age to age. So we might have to say that, apart from things at are normal to do with biology, there are different norms for culture. The middle-ages vs the roaring twenties, for example.
Then there are economic differences. Based on the earth's population, I reckon that GWJ's readership is abnormal. But I think 'momentuous' occasions to do with breeding and family are comparable - the mechanics haven't changed much.
HatchetJob.com - a netcast about more than videogames.
Just been thinking -
I'd like a synonym for 'normal'. Something that doesn't suggest correctness. For example there are many millions of religious and spiritual people, but I don't think having faith is 'normal'. (I might be proved wrong after I'm dead, but that's how I feel for now.)
HatchetJob.com - a netcast about more than videogames.
Wow. "What is a normal life, anyway?" was more of a rhetorical question than anything else. However:
is one of the saddest and most insensitive statements I've ever seen written on this website. You might think you're just 'telling it like it is', but honestly, how can you make any sort of judgment whatsoever without knowing the person in question?
It's not appropriate for me to further articulate my response, but it's safe to say that I definitely do not feel kindly towards you right now.
"Today's Tom Sawyer, he gets high on you, Kat. You." - Haakon7
My Website v. 3.0
It wasn't a comment on your cousin - quite the opposite.
She was in a relationship and so her husband had got to know her properly and love her. That helped keep them together.
If she hadn't been in a relationship, it would have been much more difficult for her to find someone, however good her personality may be.
I can be a little clinical sometimes and this can jar. I'm sorry if I hurt your feeings.
HatchetJob.com - a netcast about more than videogames.