People who were too hard on themselves
Bob Jones Sr.
1. "Mary Gaston, get my shoes; I must go to preach." – Bob Jones Sr.
Robert Reynolds Jones Sr. was an American evangelist, pioneer religious broadcaster, and the founder of Bob Jones University. Concerned with the secularization of post-secondary education Jones Sr. began the Bob Jones University to fill the need for an orthodox Christian college. A man of God to the very end, Mrs. Jones recounted that his last words before slipping into a semi-coma leading up to his passing were “Mary Gaston, get my shoes; I must go to preach.”
Osamu Tezuka
2. "I'm begging you, let me work!" – Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, and animator. Often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, he has earned many monikers including “The God of Manga”, “The Father of Manga”, and “The Godfather of Manga”. At the 1964 New York World’s Fair, Tezuka met in person with Walt Disney where Disney said he hoped to “make something just like” Tezuka’s famous Astro Boy anime. Fans of Tezuka’s anime Kimba the White Lion might notice that Disney’s Lion King borrows many main characters ideas from the earlier anime series. A devoted artist until the end, Tezuka’s last words were to a nurse that tried to take away his drawing equipment while encouraging to rest.
Kurt Vonnegut
3. "And if I should ever die, God forbid, I hope you will say: 'Kurt is up in heaven now'. That's my favorite joke." – Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was an American writer born and raised in Indianapolis. Vonnegut attended the University of Cornell until withdrawing in January 1943 to join the US Army during World War II. His breakthrough novel didn’t come until the release of Slaughterhouse-Five in 1969. After his death he was hailed as one of the most important contemporary writers and a dark humor commentator on American society. A self-proclaimed “Christ-loving atheist”, his final wish was that people would joke about him being up in heaven after his death.
Leonardo Da Vinci
4. “I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have” – Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance period who was an active painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. As can be seen in his many drawings and paintings Da Vinci took an observational approach to science and tried to place emphasis on describing phenomenon in clear detail instead of conducting experiments or theoretical explanations. Da Vinci deied at the age of 67, possibly of a stroke, where he lamented on his deathbed that he was not able to have accomplished more before dying.
Olavo Bilac
5. “Give me coffee, I’m going to write” – Olavo Bilac
Olavo Brás Martins dos Guimarães Bilac a Brazilian poet, journalist, and translator. The author of the Brazilian Flag Anthem, he is often called the “Prince of Brazilian Poets”. His campaigns in favor of military conscription have also made him the patron of the Brazilian military service. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was a brilliant student even from a young age. By 15 he had enrolled in the school of medicine at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Eventually, he would quit medicine to pursue his passion in journalism and poetry, which lived on to his last breath.
Richard Strauss
6. "I would give anything just to have written this." – Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a successor of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt he was a leading composer during the late Romantic and early modern musical eras. He began composing at the age of 6 and continued to write until his death nearly 80 years later. His final words were said while clutching Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto.
Lead Belly
7. "Doctor, if I put this here guitar down now, I ain't never gonna wake up." – Lead Belly
Huddie William Ledbetter, better known by his stage name Lead Belly was an American folk and blues singer, musician, and songwriter. His instrument of choice was a 12 string guitar, but he was also affluent at playing the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and windjammer. Ledbetter was posthumously added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Gene Vincent
8. "Mama, if I get through this, I swear I'll be a better man." – Gene Vincent
Vincent Eugene Craddock was an American musician who is known for pioneering the genres of Rock and Roll and Rockabilly. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. His 1956 hit song “Be-Bop-a-Lula” with the group Blue Caps is considered a significantly early example of the Rockabilly style. After his death at the age of 36, he was the topic of many tribute songs including “Sweet Gene Vincent”, “The Catman”, “Rock Billy Boogie”, Good Bye Gene Vincent”, and “Gene and Eddie”.
Cecil Rhodes
9. "So little done, so much to do." - Cecil Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes was a British mining magnate, politician in southern Africa. He served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896. He is the namesake of the internationally known Rhodes Scholarship, which is funded by his estate. Suffering from poor health throughout his life Rhodes died an early death at the age of 48. Since passing, his legacy as a staunch British imperialist and white supremacist has been the subject of much debate with some activists seeking to have his remains removed from Zimbabwe and returned to Britain.
Jane Delano
10. "I must get back to my work." - Jane Delano
Jane Arminda Delano was the American nurse who founded the American Red Cross Nursing Service. A descendant of one of the first settlers in America, Delano attended graduated from the Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing in New York City in 1886. Through her efforts, three organizations were united to create the American Red Cross Nursing Service, which trained 8,000 registered nurses that were ready for duty by the start of World War I. She was awarded with the Distinguished Service Medal by the Secretary of the Army for her contributions during the way.
