1000 Ways to Die (2008–2012): Season 1, Episode 2 - Hard Lives, Easy Deaths - full transcript

THE HUMAN BODY IS REMARKABLY
RESILIENT.

EVERY DAY WE FIGHT A NEW WAR
AGAINST GERMS,

TOXINS, INJURY, ILLNESS,

CATASTROPHE, AND CALAMITY.

THE FACT THAT WE SURVIVE AT ALL
IS A MIRACLE.

BECAUSE EVERY DAY WE LIVE...

WE FACE 1000 WAYS TO DIE.

BILLY DEMAYO IS
A FEW SHORT BREATHS AWAY

FROM FREEZING TO DEATH.

MANY OF US THINK,
NOT A BAD WAY TO GO.

IT'S LIKE FALLING ASLEEP.



IF POOR BILLY HERE COULD TALK,

HE'D TELL YOU
A DIFFERENT STORY.

SOUTH PHILLY BILLY.

THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY
CALLED HIM.

HE GOT HIS JOB
IN THE MEAT PACKING DISTRICT

THROUGH A MOB-CONNECTED
COUSIN.

IT WAS A SWEET DEAL.

AND UNLIKE HIS CO-WORKERS,

THE COLD NEVER BOTHERED BILLY.

THE TEMPERATURE
INSIDE A MEAT LOCKER

IS KEPT AT A BONE-CHILLING
TEN DEGREES BELOW ZERO.

SOMETIMES AS A PRANK,

A WORKER WOULD BE
LOCKED INSIDE

FOR A MINUTE OR TWO.



BUT WHEN IT HAPPENED TO BILLY,

IT WAS NO JOKE.

GUYS, THE DOOR'S JAMMED!

JACK!

BILLY'S BODY TEMPERATURE
STARTS OUT

AT A NORMAL 98.6 DEGREES.

BUT WHEN THAT FREEZER DOOR
SLAMMED SHUT,

HIS DEATH CLOCK
STARTED TICKING.

TIME AND TEMPERATURE
WERE NOW HIS ENEMIES.

AFTER TEN MINUTES,
THE PALMS ON BILLY'S HANDS

ARE DOWN TO 60 DEGREES.

ANYONE WHO'S EVER BEEN OUT
TOO LONG IN THE COLD

WITHOUT GLOVES
KNOWS ONE THING:

IT HURTS LIKE HELL.

CAPILLARIES IN THE SURFACE
OF THE HANDS CONSTRICT,

CAUSING BLOOD TO RETREAT
DEEPER INTO THE TORSO

TO KEEP VITAL ORGANS
FUNCTIONING.

THIS RESPONSE TO SEVERE COLD

IS ONE OF OUR BUILT-IN
DEFENSE MECHANISMS.

THE HUMAN BODY WILL SACRIFICE
ITS OWN TOES, FINGERS,

HANDS, AND FEET TO FROSTBITE

IN ORDER TO ENSURE SURVIVAL.

17 MINUTES IN THE FREEZER,

AND BILLY'S CORE TEMPERATURE
HAS DROPPED TO 97 DEGREES.

THIS TRIGGERS
A MAJOR REACTION.

DEEP INSIDE HIS BRAIN,

THE HYPOTHALAMUS HAS DETECTED
THE TEMPERATURE DROP,

AND ORDERS THE CONSTRICTION
OF THE ENTIRE WEB

OF SURFACE CAPILLARIES.

HIS BODY-WARMING BLOOD
IS NOW IN FULL RETREAT.

HYPOTHERMIA, WHICH MEANS
A LACK OF HEAT,

BEGINS TO SET IN
WHEN THE BODY'S CORE TEMPERATURE

DIPS BELOW 95 DEGREES.

IT CONTINUES TO FALL
ABOUT ONE DEGREE

EVERY HALF HOUR.

BILLY'S CORE TEMPERATURE
HAS FALLEN BELOW 90 DEGREES,

AND HIS EYESIGHT
HAS BEGUN TO FAIL.

SUCH SIMPLE THINGS AS
THE NUMBERS ON A WATCH

BECOME GIBBERISH.

THE VICTIM HAS
CROSSED THE BORDER

INTO A MEDICAL CONDITION
CALLED PROFOUND HYPOTHERMIA.

BILLY'S BLOOD THICKENS
AND SLOWS,

REDUCING HIS ABILITY
TO BURN OXYGEN.

HIS NERVE TISSUE IS
GETTING TOO COLD

TO TRANSMIT
ELECTRICAL IMPULSES,

CAUSING HIS HEART
TO BEAT ERRATICALLY.

RIGHT BEFORE BILLY'S HEART
STOPS FOREVER,

A PANG OF CONSCIOUSNESS
BREAKS THROUGH THE ICE.

MAYBE IT WASN'T
SUCH A GOOD IDEA

TO SMUGGLE SIDES OF BEEF
OUT THE BACK DOOR.

AND A REALLY BAD IDEA
TO HAVE GOTTEN THE BOSS'S

17-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER
PREGNANT.

THERE'S AN OLD ITALIAN PROVERB
THAT SAYS

REVENGE IS A DISH
BEST SERVED COLD.

REST IN PEACE,
SOUTH PHILLY BILLY.

WHEN PEOPLE FREEZE TO DEATH,

THEY ARE OFTEN MISTAKEN
AS VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.

THE REASON?

RIGHT BEFORE DYING,

CONSTRICTED BLOOD VESSELS
DILATE,

PRODUCING A SENSATION
OF EXTREME HEAT,

PROMPTING THEM TO STRIP DOWN.

IT'S A PHENOMENON CALLED
PARADOXICAL UNDRESSING.

THE PASSENGERS
IN THIS TWIN-ENGINE CESSNA

ARE ABOUT TO DIE.

CAUSE OF DEATH?

NOT WHAT YOU THINK.

IF WE BACK UP TO THE BEGINNING
OF THIS STORY,

IT'S CERTAINLY NOT
HOW THESE THREE FRIENDS

THOUGHT THEIR DAY
OR LIVES WOULD END.

RICHARD PAXON
AND HIS TWO PALS

HAD BEEN EXPLORING THE REEFS
BY CABO SAN LUCAS

FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS.

THEY DECIDED TO SQUEEZE IN
ONE LAST DIVE

BEFORE HEADING HOME.

AFTER AN HOUR AT 45 FEET,

THE DIVERS MADE THEIR WAY
BACK TO THE SURFACE,

MAKING SURE TO COME UP
SLOWLY ENOUGH

TO SAFELY RELEASE NITROGEN GAS
STORED UP IN THEIR BLOODSTREAMS.

DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS,
COMMONLY REFERRED TO

AS "THE BENDS,"

POSES A SERIOUS THREAT
TO ANYONE WHO SCUBA DIVES.

CATALINA ISLAND HOUSES

THE LARGEST HYPERBARIC CHAMBER
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

HYPERBARIC COMES
FROM THE WORD "HYPER,"

MEANING ABOVE NORMAL,

AND "BARIC,"
MEANING OF PRESSURE.

IF A DIVER IS SUFFERING
FROM THE BENDS,

HE'S BROUGHT HERE
FOR TREATMENT.

WHAT DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS IS--
IT'S NORMALLY CALLED THE BENDS.

AS YOU GO DOWN UNDERWATER,

BREATHING AIR OFF
A SCUBA CYLINDER,

THE AIR IN THE TANK HAS
ABOUT 80% NITROGEN.

AND SO THE DEEPER WE GO,

AND THE LONGER WE STAY
UNDERWATER,

THE MORE THIS NITROGEN
GETS DISSOLVED IN THE BODY.

AS WE COME UP, IF THE GAS ISN'T
RELEASED SLOW ENOUGH,

THAT GAS COULD THEN
COME OUT OF SOLUTION

IN THE FORM OF BUBBLES.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS
YOU'LL HAVE BUBBLES

THAT COULD FORM
AROUND THE JOINTS

AND CAUSE PAIN IN THE JOINTS.

YOU COULD HAVE BUBBLES
IMPINGING UPON NERVES,

LEADING UP, SOMETIMES,
TO FULL PARALYSIS.

RICHARD WAS EAGER TO GET BACK
INTO HIS NEW TOY--

A PRESENT HE GAVE HIMSELF
FOR GETTING HIS CERTIFICATION

TO FLY A TWIN-ENGINE
AIRCRAFT.

IN HIS EXCITEMENT HE FORGOT

ONE OF THE CARDINAL RULES
OF DIVING:

NEVER DIVE AND FLY
THE SAME DAY.

AS SOON AS THE
UNPRESSURIZED PLANE CLIMBED OUT

AND REACHED
ITS CRUISING ALTITUDE

OF 12,000 FEET,

RICHARD AND HIS FRIENDS BEGAN
TO FEEL THE FIRST SYMPTOMS

OF D.C.S.

THE HIGHER THE ALTITUDE,
THE HIGHER THE PROBABILITY

OF DEVELOPING
DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS.

PROBABLY THE WORST SCENARIO
WOULD BE

SOMETHING CALLED
A VESTIBULAR HIT,

WHERE BUBBLES FORM
IN THE BALANCE MECHANISM--

THE EAR--

AND YOU END UP WITH
JUST SEVERE NAUSEA,

SEVERE VERTIGO OR DIZZINESS.

IT'S A REALLY BAD IDEA
TO FLY FOLLOWING A DIVE, YEAH.

WITH RICHARD AT THE CONTROLS
OF THE PLANE,

BUT LOSING CONTROL
OF HIS MIND AND BODY,

IT WAS THE ALL-TIME
WORST CASE SCENARIO.

THE THREE MEN,

INCAPACITATED BY THE BENDS,

COULD ONLY WATCH IN HORROR
AS THEIR PLANE AUGERED

STRAIGHT INTO A MOUNTAINSIDE.

1870, NEW YORK CITY.

DURING CONSTRUCTION
OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE,

WORKERS CAME DOWN WITH
A MYSTERIOUS MALADY

KNOWN AS CAISSONS DISEASE.

THE WORKERS WOULD COME BACK
TO THE SURFACE

AND DOUBLE OVER
IN SEVERE PAIN,

LEAVING MANY CRIPPLED,
AND SOME DEAD.

THEY WERE SUFFERING FROM
A NEWLY DIAGNOSED ILLNESS--

THE BENDS.

THE ISLAND COUNTRY OF HAITI
KNOWS A THING OR TWO

ABOUT DEATH.

WITH A HISTORY RICH
IN OCCULT RITUAL

AND VOODOO PRACTICES,

DEATH IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED
IN HAITIAN CULTURE.

THEY'VE EVEN TURNED IT
INTO A COMMODITY.

ONE OF HAITI'S BIGGEST EXPORTS
ARE HUMAN CADAVERS

FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES.

BUT IT'S ON THE VOODOO SCENE
WHERE HAITI TRULY GARNERS

MAJOR DEATH KUDOS.

THIS LAND BELONGS TO ME!

THESE TWO BROTHERS
HAVE SQUARED OFF

OVER A LAND DISPUTE.

AFTER ACCUSATIONS, INSULTS,
AND A SHOVE,

THE MAN ON THE GROUND, JAMES,
IS THINKING ABOUT REVENGE.

HE SEEKS OUT
A VOODOO WITCH DOCTOR

AND ARRANGES A NASTY SURPRISE
FOR A BROTHER TURNED ENEMY.

THAT WHITE POWDER
SEEMS HARMLESS ENOUGH...

BUT IT CONTAINS
A SLOW-ACTING POISON

CALLED TETRODOTOXIN,
OR TTX.

TETRODOTOXIN CAN BE EXTRACTED
FROM PUFFER FISH,

WHICH IN SOME CULTURES
IS CONSIDERED A DELICACY.

BUT WITH A BIG RISK.

TETRODOTOXIN IS A NERVE TOXIN
THAT IS FOUND IN CERTAIN FISH

THAT ARE SERVED IN JAPAN.

WHEN PEOPLE EAT PUFFER FISH,
THEY SOMETIMES WILL EAT IT

TO GET A BADGE OF HONOR.

AND THE BADGE OF HONOR IS
TO EAT JUST ENOUGH PUFFER FISH

TO GET JUST ENOUGH
OF THE TETRODOTOXIN POISON

TO CAUSE LOCAL POISONING
WITHIN THE MOUTH.

WHEN YOU EAT TOO MUCH
OF THE PUFFER FISH,

OR IF YOU EAT INAPPROPRIATE
PARTS OF THE PUFFER FISH,

SUCH AS THE INTERNAL ORGANS.

THEN YOU CAN BECOME POISONED
WITH TETRODOTOXIN.

JUST TWO DAYS AFTER QUARRELING
WITH HIS ANGRY BROTHER,

JAMES WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD.

BUT WHEN THEY BURIED HIM,

HE WAS PARALYZED
IN A ZOMBIE-LIKE STATE.

STILL CONSCIOUS, YET UNABLE
TO MOVE OR SCREAM.

HE COULD ONLY WATCH
AS HE WAS BURIED ALIVE.

IF YOU HAVE SEVERE ENOUGH
POISONING,

YOU CAN EVEN GET
LOW BLOOD PRESSURES,

ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHMS,
AND THEN PARALYSIS

THAT WILL START IN
THE LOWER PARTS OF YOUR BODY

AND ASCEND TOWARDS
THE UPPER PARTS OF YOUR BODY.

AFTER HIS BURIAL,
JAMES' CASKET WAS DUG UP

BY GRAVE ROBBERS.

WHEN THE ROBBERS
OPENED THE CASKET,

THEY WERE FACED WITH
THE HORRIFIC SIGHT OF JAMES,

WHO SPENT THE LAST MINUTES
OF HIS LIFE

TRYING TO CLAW HIS WAY OUT
OF THE CASKET

UNTIL HIS FINGERS WERE
WORN DOWN TO THE BONE.

THE MAN FLAPPING HIS ARMS
LIKE A BIRD IS DOLPH SCHMIDT,

A GERMAN LIBRARIAN
WITH A SERIOUS FETISH FOR FISH.

GOOD FISH.

DOLPH LONGED TO BE

AS CLOSE TO FISH AS POSSIBLE.

TO SWIM LIKE THEM,
AND TO SWIM WITH THEM.

TO FULFILL HIS DREAM,

THIS AMATEUR ICHTHYOLOGIST
WENT SO FAR

AS TO CREATE
HIS OWN FISH SUIT.

HE TOOK AN OLD WATER BED,
CUT IT UP,

AND GLUED IT INTO SOMETHING
HE CALLED THE "MERMAN."

DOLPH COULDN'T WAIT TO TAKE IT
ON ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE.

AT A NEARBY LAKE,
HE CLIMBED INTO HIS FISH SUIT

AND HEADED DOWN TO THE WATER.

BUT IT WAS SLOW GOING,

AND HE QUICKLY STARTED
TO OVERHEAT.

WE PRODUCE HEAT INTERNALLY.

AND WE DISSIPATE THAT HEAT
TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

ALL CELLS ARE
METABOLICALLY ACTIVE,

AND AS ENERGY IS PRODUCED,
HEAT IS DISSIPATED.

THE HUMAN BODY POSSESSES
MILLIONS OF SWEAT GLANDS,

LOCATED JUST BENEATH
THE SKIN.

WHEN BODY TEMPERATURE RISES,

SWEAT BEGINS TO FORM
IN THESE GLANDS,

AND IS SECRETED
TO THE SURFACE.

AS THE SWEAT EVAPORATES,
HEAT IS DISSIPATED

AND COOLS OFF THE BODY.

THE EXAMPLE OF THAT MAN

WHO PUT THAT WATER BED MATERIAL
ON HIM--

THOSE WATER MOLECULES
COULD NOT PENETRATE.

HE PUT A MICROCLIMATE
NEXT TO HIS SKIN.

HE HAD A DOUBLE WHAMMY.

HE BASICALLY COULDN'T
LOSE HEAT BY SWEATING,

AND HE COULDN'T LOSE HEAT
BY RADIATION.

SO THERE WAS NO WAY THAT
HE WAS GONNA DISSIPATE HEAT.

IF THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE
WAS COOL,

THAT COULD HAVE SAVED HIM.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR DOLPH,
IT WAS A SCORCHER--

97 DEGREES.

NOT LONG AFTER STARTING
FOR THE WATER,

HE BEGAN FEELING
THE FIRST SYMPTOMS

OF HYPERTHERMIA.

INITIALLY, IT COULD BE
HEAT CRAMPS,

WHERE YOU'RE GONNA START
TO SEE SOME PAIN.

THEN IT GOES
TO HEAT PROSTRATION.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE
ATTENTION.

YOU'RE GONNA BE
A LITTLE BIT DELIRIOUS.

LOSS OF BALANCE.

AND THEN IT GOES TO HEAT STROKE.

IF YOU GET INTO HEAT STROKE,
THAT'S A CRITICAL AREA

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T
GET COOLED DOWN RAPIDLY,

YOU'LL NEVER SURVIVE.

TO REACH A POINT
OF HEAT STROKE

WOULD NORMALLY TAKE
ABOUT THREE HOURS.

IT WAS SO HOT, AND DOLPH EXERTED
SO MUCH ENERGY,

HE GOT THERE IN LESS
THAN 15 MINUTES.

WITH THE LAKE'S EDGE
TANTALIZINGLY CLOSE,

DOLPH'S CORE TEMPERATURE
RED-LINED AT 108 DEGREES.

RIGHT BEFORE HE DIED,
DOLPH FINALLY GOT HIS WISH.

HE KNEW EXACTLY
WHAT IT FELT LIKE

TO BE A FISH...
OUT OF WATER.

WE'VE WATCHED STORIES OF
FOLKS WHO DIED ACCIDENTALLY,

TRAGICALLY, OR JUST
THROUGH PLAIN STUPIDITY.

BUT WHEN WE TAKE EACH OTHER OUT,

DEATH BECOMES EVEN MORE GRUESOME.

THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT STORY.

ANY MARRIED MAN OUT THERE KNOWS

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE PECKED TO DEATH.

BACK IN THE SECOND CENTURY,
IT HAD A DIFFERENT MEANING.

LET'S SAY YOU'RE THE GUY WITH THE BEARD

AND THE BAD FUR COAT.

AND YOU HAD INCURRED THE
WRATH OF THE TRIBAL LEADERS.

HERE'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

THEY WOULD WRAP YOU UP IN A
FRESHLY KILLED ANIMAL SKIN,

AND THEN TAKE YOU OUT IN THE FOREST

AND LEAVE YOU TIED TO A TREE.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WOULD DEPEND UPON

WHATEVER CARNIVORES WERE AROUND.

MOST LIKELY, VULTURES WOULD
QUICKLY PICK UP THE SCENT

AND DESCEND UPON YOU LIKE
A FAT KID ON A HAPPY MEAL.

THEIR RAZOR-SHARP BEAKS
WOULD TEAR YOU APART

WHILE YOU HELPLESSLY WATCH
YOURSELF GET EATEN ALIVE.

THOSE WERE THE DAYS.

HI, WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

YOU KNOW MY NAME.

YOU YELL IT EVERY
NIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

HER NAME IS SHAYNA RICHARDSON.

AND THIS IS RICK WEST, HER
HUSBAND AND JUMP INSTRUCTOR.

SHAYNA IS ABOUT TO MAKE HER
FIRST SOLO PARACHUTE JUMP.

ALL RIGHT, SHAYNA,

WHAT ARE GETTING READY TO DO?

MY FIRST A.F.F.

A.F.F. STANDS FOR ACCELERATED FREEFALL,

AND SHAYNA WAS PREPARED.

IT WAS A PERFECT MORNING
OUTSIDE OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI.

A GOOD DAY TO JUMP.

ONCE THE JUMP PLANE REACHED 12,000 FEET,

SHAYNA AND RICK CLIMBED OUT ON THE WING

AND FLEW OFF.

RICK RECORDED THE
EVENT ON A VIDEO CAMERA.

WHOO! GOOD JOB, SHAYNA.

YEAH. THAT'S MY GIRL!

I LOOKED UP AND SAID, YOU
KNOW, "GOOD JOB, SHAYNA.

YOU DID A GOOD JOB."

AND THEN A FEW SECONDS LATER

I SEE HER SPINNING IN FRONT OF ME.

AND I'M THINKING, "YOU
SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS."

I THOUGHT SHE WAS DOING IT FOR FUN.

SECONDS LATER I STARTED REALIZING

SHE'S NOT HAVING FUN--
WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE.

SHAYNA!

SHAYNA!

MY HEART WENT TO MY THROAT.
I COULDN'T HARDLY BREATHE.

I WAS LIKE, "MAN, I GOTTA
DO SOMETHING FOR HER.

WHAT CAN I DO? CAN I GET CLOSE ENOUGH?"

SHE COME SO CLOSE, MAN.

I HAD THOUGHTS OF, MAN, IF
YOU COULD JUST JUMP DOWN--

DIVE DOWN REAL QUICK AND GRAB HER...

BUT THEN I KNEW, YOU KNOW, IN REALITY,

THAT IF I TRIED TO GRAB HER,

WE COULD PROBABLY TANGLE PARACHUTES

AND BOTH FALL TO OUR DEATH.

SO I SPIN ON TOP OF HER, YELLING AT HER,

"PUMP THE BRAKES."

THAT'S WHAT I'M YELLING
IS "PUMP THE BRAKES."

PUMP THE BRAKES!
PUMP THE BRAKES!

PUMP THE BRAKES!

PUMP THE BRAKES!

SHAYNA! PUMP THE BRAKES!

PUMP THE BRAKES!

PUMP THE BRAKES!

SHE'S YELLING BACK AT ME.

I'M YELLING, "PUMP THE BRAKES."

SHE GOES, "I AM. IT'S NOT WORKING."

YOU CAN'T HEAR THAT IN THE VIDEO,

BUT IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

PUMP THE BRAKES!

SHAYNA!

SHAYNA! PUMP THE BRAKES!

AND I'M FEELING... SICK TO MY STOMACH,

YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME
WE GET CLOSE TO LANDING.

SHAYNA!

GOD DAMN IT!

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS MY
GIRLFRIEND, YOU KNOW.

SOMEONE THAT I LOVED AND CARED ABOUT

THAT HAD HIT THE PAVEMENT.

AND SHE HIT PRETTY HARD,
AND IT MADE A BIG POP.

AND THEN IT WAS SILENCE AFTER THAT.

AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT
MOST LIKELY SHE WAS DEAD.

SHAYNA! SHAYNA!

SO I SHUT THE VIDEO
OFF AND RAN UP TO HER.

HER PARTIALLY OPEN CHUTE
HAD BROKEN SOME OF HER FALL.

BUT SHAYNA STILL CAME IN
HOT AND HIT THE PAVEMENT

AT 55 MILES PER HOUR, FACE FIRST.

AND SHE SPIT A BUNCH OF HER TEETH OUT,

AND THERE WAS BLOOD
COMING OUT OF HER EYES,

HER EARS, HER NOSE.

IT WAS-- IT WAS
PRETTY ROUGH.

AND SHE'S LIKE, "AM I ALIVE?"

THIS IS ONE TIME WHERE
SOMEONE WHO SHOULD HAVE DIED

DID NOT.

AGAINST ALL ODDS, SHAYNA
RICHARDSON SURVIVED

HER TERRIBLE FALL.

WITH 1,000 WAYS TO DIE,

SHE HAD FOUND ONE WAY TO LIVE.

DEATH-- WE AVOID
IT AT ALL COSTS.

WE DEFY IT AND WE DENY IT.

BUT IT'S AS MUCH A PART OF OUR LIVES

AS LIFE ITSELF.

WHETHER WE'RE WHISTLING IN THE GRAVEYARD

OR PLANNING OUR OWN FUNERAL,

EVERY BEGINNING HAS AN END.

JUST LIKE THIS SHOW.