Hey there! I’m Josh Sundquist, and today I’m hosting a fun episode of MentalFloss on YouTube. Did you know that Robert David Hall, the actor who plays Dr. Albert Robbins on CSI, doesn’t have both of his legs because of a car accident? He’s only 5 feet 8 inches tall, but if I had prosthetic legs, I’d probably make myself a bit taller!
Since April is Amputee Awareness Month, let’s talk about some famous people who are missing body parts. When I say “amputee,” I mean anyone missing limbs or even smaller parts like fingers and ears. For example, the famous painter Vincent van Gogh cut off his own ear and gave it to someone special.
Adventurer Aron Ralston had to cut off his own arm with a dull pocket knife after being trapped under a rock for 127 hours. His story was so amazing that it was turned into a movie starring James Franco.
Then there’s surfer Bethany Hamilton, who bravely returned to surfing competitions after losing her arm in a shark attack. Talk about determination!
Rahm Emanuel, who was once the White House Chief of Staff and is now the Mayor of Chicago, lost his right middle finger in an accident with a roast beef slicer. Outlaw Jesse James also lost a middle finger while cleaning his gun, and that’s how they identified him after he passed away.
Actor Matthew Perry lost part of a finger in a door-slamming accident, and Ted Kennedy Jr., son of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, had his leg amputated due to childhood cancer.
Actor Eric Stoltz, known for his role in Super Troopers, was born without his right leg from the knee down. Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald lost both legs below the knee to diabetes, and Rick Allen, the drummer for Def Leppard, lost an arm in a car accident.
Guitarists Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath and Jerry Garcia from the Grateful Dead both lost fingers but continued to rock on. Jerry Garcia even inspired a popular ice cream flavor!
Supermodel Heather Mills lost her leg in a motorcycle accident with a police officer. Confederate General Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson lost an arm after being accidentally shot by his own troops during a battle. Actor James Doohan, who played Scotty on Star Trek, lost a finger during D-Day in World War II.
Even after his death, Galileo’s fingers had an adventure of their own. Three of his fingers were removed and changed hands for centuries until two were found in a jar in 2009. They’re now displayed in a museum in Italy.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss on YouTube! I’m Josh Sundquist, and I hope you enjoyed learning about these amazing people. Every week, we answer one of your intriguing questions. This week’s question comes from KongLor, who asks, “Why do fingernails grow so much faster than toenails?”
Great question, KongLor! It’s true that fingernails grow about three times faster than toenails, but scientists aren’t exactly sure why. We do know that fingernails grow fastest when you’re in your teens and twenties and tend to grow quicker in the summer.
Thanks for the awesome question, and feel free to leave more in the comments below. Once again, I’m Josh Sundquist, and as they say in John’s hometown, don’t forget to be awesome!
Research one of the famous people mentioned in the article who is missing a body part. Create a colorful and informative poster that includes their biography, the challenges they faced, and their achievements. Present your poster to the class and explain why you chose this person.
Pair up with a classmate and choose a famous person from the article. One of you will play the role of the interviewer, and the other will be the famous person. Prepare a set of questions and answers that explore their life, challenges, and accomplishments. Perform your interview in front of the class.
Imagine you are one of the famous people from the article. Write a short story from their perspective, focusing on a significant event in their life. Describe their feelings, thoughts, and how they overcame their challenges. Share your story with the class.
Use your creativity to design a prosthetic limb for one of the individuals mentioned in the article. Consider functionality, comfort, and aesthetics. Draw your design and write a brief description of how it would help the person in their daily life. Present your design to the class.
Choose a topic related to amputees, such as advancements in prosthetic technology or the history of famous amputees. Conduct research and create a presentation to share your findings with the class. Include interesting facts and visuals to make your presentation engaging.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, I’m Josh Sundquist, filling in for John this week to host MentalFloss on YouTube. Did you know that actor Robert David Hall, known for his role as Dr. Albert Robbins on CSI, is missing both of his legs due to a car accident? Interestingly, he’s only 5 feet 8 inches tall, and you have to admire his restraint because if I had two prosthetic legs, I would probably choose to be at least a foot taller.
Today, in honor of April being Amputee Awareness Month, I’m going to talk about several famous individuals who are missing body parts. I’ll define “amputee” broadly to include not just limbs, but also appendages like fingers and ears. For instance, painter Vincent van Gogh famously cut off his own ear and gave it to someone special.
Adventurer Aron Ralston had to cut off his own arm with a dull pocket knife after being trapped for 127 hours under a rock. Fortunately for Hollywood, he resembles James Franco and had a video camera with him.
Speaking of inspirational stories, surfer Bethany Hamilton returned to competitive surfing after losing her arm in a shark attack.
Former White House Chief of Staff and current Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel is missing his right middle finger due to an accident involving a roast beef slicer. Legendary outlaw Jesse James lost his middle finger while cleaning his gun, and his body was identified by that missing finger after his death.
Actor Matthew Perry is also missing part of a finger due to an unfortunate door-slamming incident. Ted Kennedy Jr., son of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, had his leg amputated due to childhood cancer.
Actor Eric Stoltz, known for his role in Super Troopers, was born without his right leg from the knee down. There are many amputee musicians, including jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, who lost both legs below the knee to diabetes, and Rick Allen, the drummer for Def Leppard, who lost an arm in a car accident.
The lead guitarists of both Black Sabbath and the Grateful Dead were missing fingers: Tony Iommi lost two fingers in an industrial accident, and Jerry Garcia had a finger accident but went on to create a popular ice cream flavor.
Supermodel Heather Mills lost her leg in a collision with a police officer on a motorcycle. Confederate General Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson lost an arm after being shot by friendly fire during battle. Actor James Doohan lost a finger on D-Day before portraying Montgomery “Scotty” Scott on Star Trek.
Finally, Galileo lost three fingers after his death, and they changed hands for several centuries before two of them were discovered in a jar in 2009. They are now displayed in a museum in Italy.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss on YouTube, made with the help of many wonderful people. I’m Josh Sundquist. Please check out my channel for more content related to amputees.
Every week, we answer one of your intriguing questions. This week’s question comes from KongLor, who asks, “Why do fingernails grow so much faster than toenails?” You’re correct, KongLor! Fingernails actually grow three times faster than toenails, but the reason remains unknown. We do know that fingernails grow fastest in your teens and twenties and tend to grow faster in the summer.
Thanks for that great question, and feel free to leave more in the comments below. Once again, I’m Josh Sundquist, and as they say in John’s hometown, don’t forget to be awesome.
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This version removes any potentially sensitive or inappropriate content while maintaining the overall message and structure.
Amputee – A person who has had a limb removed by surgery. – After the accident, the athlete became an amputee and learned to use a prosthetic leg.
Body – The physical structure of a person or an animal, including the bones, flesh, and organs. – The human body is made up of many systems that work together to keep us healthy.
Parts – Distinct pieces or segments that make up a whole, especially in the context of the body. – The heart and lungs are important parts of the circulatory and respiratory systems.
Fingers – The five digits on each hand, used for grasping and manipulating objects. – Our fingers are essential for tasks like writing and typing.
Arm – The upper limb of the human body, extending from the shoulder to the hand. – She raised her arm to answer the question in class.
Accident – An unexpected event that results in damage or injury. – The cyclist wore a helmet to protect his head in case of an accident.
Cancer – A disease caused by uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. – Scientists are researching new treatments to help fight cancer.
Diabetes – A chronic condition that affects how the body processes blood sugar (glucose). – People with diabetes need to monitor their blood sugar levels regularly.
Growth – The process of increasing in physical size or developing over time. – Proper nutrition is important for the growth and development of children.
Determination – The quality of being firm in purpose or intent; a strong will to achieve something. – Her determination to recover from the injury inspired everyone around her.
