Charles Darwin's Darwin Awards 
HOME
Darwin Awards
Honorable Mentions
Urban Legends
Personal Accounts
Slush Pile
2006 April Rejects
Reporter shot dead in exercise
Fun in elevators
Missing GI found in hotel A/C
Dead soldier found in AC
Gaseous Blunder
death by rodeo
Man runs himself over
In The Nude and The Chimney
Homebrewed GHB?
Monoxide conditioning
Soap Lake man electrocuted whi
Petrol-soaked man sets himself
Cigarette ignites fuel, REALLY
petrol and cigarettes - again
Cigarette ignites spilt fuel
Man spills petrol then smokes
Shocking Reconnect
Missing student found in trash
Student dead in landfill
Out with the trash
"Fun" On the Swings
College student garbage
Electrocuted while moving fuse
Explosion Injures Man
Final destination
Dead in Bulle cemetery
Landfill woman was just down i
Lightning kills motorcyclist o
Two fans electrocuted outside
Two fans electrocuted outside
Lightning Strikes Metal Cross
Oil Therapy Patient Fire
Man Dies Playing with Handgun
Race fans electrocuted
Two Jolted - One Pole
Nascar Electrocution
Natural Selection picks NASCAR
2 fans electrocuted at NASCAR
Iraqui People
Australian Soldier Killed
toolbox acceleration
Man killed after being flung f
Man Dies When Sink Hole Opens
Saved by Black Metal?
Oregon Man Survives 12 Nails t
Oregon man survives 12 nails t
Australia's 1st Iraq fatality
Complaining of a headache?
Dying for a smoke
Man Survives After Firing 12 N
At-Risk Survivor: Nail gun
A hot picture
Man sets self ablaze using cha
'Can you do that Again?'
Death By Skin Cream
Mad Biker
Smoking Kills
Man sets self ablaze using cha
Hell of a Headache
WELDER IGNITES TANKER
What's So Great about Sobriety
Man sets self ablaze using cha
Ram a cop car. Get shot. Die.
How Not to Open a Gas Tank
Man sets self ablaze using cha
Smoking Kills.....
Smoking IS Bad For You
Chicken with a Commuter Train
Killer Hospital Cigarette
Killer Hospital Visit
dafty cigerette
Lights up, checks out
Smoker in fireball tragedy at
JC student kills himself, conv
Death by Oil Therapy
Man killed in cigarette accide
Bathroom Cleaning
Flaming Patients
Patient dies in cigarette fire
Perils of smoking
One last smoke!
Bird Brain
Dying for a cigarette
Man killed in cigarette accide
Man killed in cigarette accide
Cigarette Accident
Up in smoke
Smoking patient
Man killed in cigarette accid
Patient dies after lighting up
Burning for a cigarette
Cigarettes CAN kill!
Smoking Kills
Man killed in cigarette accide
Man killed in cigarette accide
Dying for a Cigarette
Smoking is bad for your health
Patient dies after lighting up
Cigarette Fireball
Can't think of one!
Man killed in cigarette accide
No Smoking!
Patient dies after lighting up
cigarette + flamable lotion
Patient dies lighting up
Patient dies after lighting up
damn patient lights cigarette
Patient dies after lighting up
Patient dies after lighting up
Patient dies after lighting up
Dying for a ciggy
human fireball
Smoking Joe
Man burns to death
Patient dies after lighting up
Patient dies after lighting up
Patient dies after lighting up
Patient dies after lighting up
Man burns himself to death smo
Dying for a cig
Patient dies after lighting up
smoking kills
Light me up
Patient dies after lighting up
Patient dies after lighting up
Perils of smoking
Sleeping under the Job
Man dies retrieving pair of sh
cheap motel room
Darwin Training Film
Sweeping out Crims
TV's bad for your health
Man drowns in Shoe rescue
The Last Telephone Pole
Man dies retrieving pair of sh
Man dies retrieving pair of sh
Rod Hill
Shoe-dock-oo
Boy sets self on fire...
Flat Tire Fiasco
Man Blown out of Car
stealing prescription medicine
Car Crashes Into Bank
16-Jähriger bei Wildfütterung
Smart driver
Brazilian Cop kills NAKED Cop
Idiot kid sets self ablaze
Why U-turns are illegal
Shot on a Dare
Collector's Folly
Don'tCheckForGasolineWithALigh
I spilt what on my jeans?
Paperweight severs teachers ri
Note to self: Flashlight would
Tractor fails as jack
Boy Sets Self on Fire in Alleg
Man decapitated by elevator
Man Nearly Decapitated In Down
Doped Intruder
Muere tras caer de la pasarela
French down under
Boy Sets Self on Fire
listerine chug
Boy sets self on fire
Fatal Elevator Accident
Teenager sets himself on fire
Liar Liar Pants on Fire
Gas burns
Boy Sets Self on Fire in Alleg
Boy Sets Self on Fire
Man Nearly Decapitated In Down
Pittsburgh Elevator "Accident"
Teenager Sets Himself on Fire
Wired
Snowmobile on water
Hot Pants
More fun with Gasoline!
Unfortunately not fatal
Boy Sets Self on Fire in Alleg
Boy Sets Self on Fire in Alleg
Boy Sets Self On Fire In Alleg
Ingnited boy steals gas
Gasoline theft
boy sets himself on fire
Zippo Boy
Ice Then Slice
Ice Then Slice
It's not loaded...
Man Dies When ATV Hits Barrier
Mum set alight in spray bottle
Darwin Award For Self-Extincti
Man Throws Penis at Cops
Labor Party Activist to be Lai
Alternative Drunk Driving
woman drives off fifth story
Gang members shoot their own
Scam Altimately leads to death
Overkill
Man plunges UP elevator shaft?
Man Using Torch Killed When Oi
Woman Killed Crossing Thruway
Caged Tiger Kills Owner in Min
Undignified Deaths
Homemade Firecracker
Man dies after fall from hotel
Man Killed Falling Out of Car
Explosive paperweight injures
Explosive paperweight injures
Deadly paperweight
Buggered
It's A Live One!
Man cuts off cousin's leg
Man Dies After Sex w/Horse
EXPLOSIVE BUG KILLER
madness at sea
madness at sea
Exploding Paperweight
Don't lay on the road
"Paperweight" severs hand
Man killed...falling from car
Paperweight Explodes
Attack of the Garden Gnomes
Baptist Minister Electrocution
40mm Paperweight
Paperweight severs hand
Paper wt. severs teachers hand
How not to kill a Fly 101
Exploding paperweight
Shell injures teacher
dum dum
Damn bu...ooom!
Falls down elevator
insect karma
Paperweight Severs Calif. Teac
Helicopter mishap
I am sure i saw a fly there!
Exploding paperweight costs te
40mm Bug Killer
At-Risk Survivor-teacher
Not So Bright Teacher
Exploding paperweight costs te
Exploding paperweight severs t
exploding paperweight
Crushing Bug Blow Up
Teacher hurt squashing bug wit
Explosion
Bug blasts off teachers hand
Exploding paperweight costs te
Not so handy anymore!
Exploding paperweight costs te
Ultimate schooltrip fun
Iguana hunter dies intree fall
He should have used a grenade
Exploding Paperweight
Exploding Paperweight
Teacher crushing bug lose hand
Shell as paperweight
Man Loses Hand Crushing Bug
Teacher Loses Hand
Exploding paperweight costs te
Exploding paperweight
40 mm exploding paperweight
Teacher Learns A Lesson
EXPLODING PAPERWEIGHT
Paperweight Severs Hand
Exploding paperweight
Spider-hunting nudist ends wit
Teacher Squashes Bug
"I thought it was a dud..."
Homeland Security not Secure
Exploding paperweight costs te
Use brain's before pounding
Exploding paperweight costs te
Man severs hand
Exploding paperweight costs t
Exploding paperweight costs te
Exploding paperweight costs te
Paperweight Severs Hand
Exploding paperweight costs te
Paperweight Head-H. Mention
Paperweight Severs Hand
bad choice of fly swatters
Crushing Bugs
Exploding Paperweight
Exploding paperweight
How not to kill a bug
Exploding paperweight costs te
Paperweight Explodes, Severs T
The Spider-Hunting Nudist
Dies From Gas Generator Fumes
Detroit man dies from generato
Shlongs away!
Burning to Kill
Arachnophobe - Revealed
Man falls out of car on freewa
Spider has fiery revenge
Hang Gliding on the Freeway
Man chasing dog hit by Bus
Spider-hunting nudist ends wit
Girl Critical After Crashing M
Man blown out of Convertible
Nudist's spider-killing stunt
Nudist's spider-killing stunt
Two Ts to the Wind
Spider fiery revenge on nudist
Consequences of Stripping
Man blown out of convertible
Nude spider
Nudist's spider-killing stunt
Shoulda been driving a viper
Volunteers Clean The Gene Pool
Man Blown from Convertable
Man Falls Out Of Car Window
Man blown out of convertible
The Little Engine that Could
Obetz man dies after falling o
Man blown out of convertible
Man Throws Penis at Police
Man is blown out of convertibl
Man Falls Out Of Car
Man arrested while attending T
Freshman falls from 6th-story
Older Rejects 
 
~ Randomizer ~
Newsletter
Gift Shop
Rules  Search
Contact Darwin
Submit a Story
Philosophy Forum
Home

  

Darwin Awards
2006 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

death by rodeo

2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Stuart Mazanec loved to hunt, fish and ride his dirt bike. But the 17-year-old known for his bold spirit wanted to do more, setting his sights on the rodeo.

He was riding a bronco for the first time Saturday when the horse rolled over him as he was trying to dismount at a rodeo clinic near Byers.

The budding bronco rider died Wednesday night, his body too broken to recover.

"It was his first and last ride," said Pam Mazanec, the boy's mother.

After consulting with their priest and hospital surgeons, the Mazanec family took Stuart off life support when it was apparent that the trauma to his heart and other organs was too much.

"He was wise beyond his years," Pam Mazanec said of her only son. "I'm disappointed I won't be able to see what kind of man he would have turned out to be."

The atmosphere at Douglas County High School, where Stuart was a senior, was subdued after students and school officials were told of his death. Grief counselors were on hand to help students who were having a difficult time with the news.

A large group of friends, most wearing T-shirts they customized to salute Stuart, gathered in the agriculture room at the high school after classes Thursday to talk about their loss.

"He's such a great person; it's hard for us to make sense of it," said Eddie Pryor, a senior and close friend.

Friends recalled funny, touching moments - such as the time Stuart accidentally set his family's lawn on fire or the time they had a food fight with Stuart's birthday cake at a county rifle-shooting competition.

"There was nothing but love in that kid's heart," said senior Jenny Romanin, who had known Stuart since kindergarten. "When he went into something, he jumped in with both feet."

Stuart lived on a 5-acre sod farm outside Larkspur. He became an accomplished marksman in 4-H Club competitions with both rifle and bow.

Stuart had seen his friends ride horses, and he yearned to do the same, especially after listening to family friend and rodeo veteran Jay Brentner.

"I'd tell him stories about all the rodeos I've been to, and he thought it was pretty cool," Brentner said.

Stuart and about 10 other teens went to the Byers camp to be tutored on rodeoing by Brentner and other cowboys. Stuart rode bareback for the required 10 seconds, but when he tried to get down, his hand got caught in the rigging around the horse's neck, Brentner said.

Stuart tried to run with the horse, but then the animal staggered and tripped and landed on top of him, Brentner said. The horse got up, and Stuart was limp, hanging along the animal's side.

He was airlifted to Swedish Medical Center, where he spoke to his mother even though his jaw was broken.

"The first thing he told me was, 'Mom, don't cry,"' Pam Mazanec said.

Doctors who operated on Stuart said it appeared that a firecracker had gone off in his heart. Still, on Monday morning, Stuart was alert and smiling.

By Wednesday afternoon, however, his body began to fail. The decision was made to remove life support that night.

"We concluded we wanted to be in control of what was happening to him," Pam Mazanec said.

Pat Bohlender-Lowe, a vice president on the board of directors of the Colorado State High School Rodeo Association, said she could recall only one fatality involving rodeo youth in the state - a bull riding accident on the Western Slope about 20 years ago.

"People sometimes forget what a rough sport it is," Brentner said. "But for Stuart, the one thing he always wanted to try ended up being the thing that killed him."

Submitted on 04/28/2006

Submitted by: yigzy
Reference:

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

>> Moderator Scores <<

James said:
Definitely Toss: Not Amusing
The poor kid got caught in the horse's rigging, and the horse tripped and fell on him. That could have happened to anyone! HOW is this amusing, much less eligible for a DA??? There is NO stupidity WHATSOEVER; this was a tragic accident. PLEASE re-read our rules of submission. Thanks!


Sheryl said:
Definitely Toss: Not Amusing
Thanks for the story, yigzy. No, there was no Darwin grade stupidity here. He went to an accredited school who taught rodeo riding and was the victim of a freak accident. Tragic, not amusing.


The Darwin Awards Gift Shop

The Darwin Awards Condom

Keep yourself out of the gene pool!
A condom in a matchbook, useful for emergency contraception, bachelor parties, frat parties, and important rites of passage. LOADED inside and out with funny quotes and stories. Everyone loves this item!
Friends don't let friends reproduce!
$13 for Pack of 4

 

 

Slush Pile
Slush Pile Rejects


Advanced Search

HomeRulesFAQsAwardsSlushSite Map
DarwinAward | HonorableMention | PersonalAccount | UrbanLegend

>> The Darwin Awards, by Wendy Northcutt <<
Link to Fight Evil.