Dying on the same day as your birthday. What is the probability? One in 365, approximately. Several people throughout history have been born and died on the same day such as William Shakespeare, Ingrid Bergman, Gary Cooper, and Maria Felix. For many people, it may be just a coincidence, but in some religions and according to beliefs, being born and dying on the same day may have an important meaning.
It is said that Moses, for example, died on his 120th birthday. In Judaism, life is a mission that God gives you, and it begins and ends on your birthday, so dying that same day could mean, for many people, that you completed your mission in this life.
On the scientific side, studies suggest that we are more likely to die on our birthday than on any other day. According to a study conducted in Switzerland in 2012, people over the age of 60 are 14% more likely to die on their birthday. To determine this, they studied 2.5 million deaths and found that 900 people had died on the day of their birth. That means there is a one in 2,800 chance of dying on that day.
Another study conducted in the United States found that people are 7% more likely to die on their birthday than on any other day. This one analyzed 25 million deaths and found that people under the age of 29 are more likely to die on that day than older age groups. This means that if you are over 60, the odds of dying on your birthday are 6 to 1. If you are under 29, the odds are 13 to 1.
Here are some personalities that fill in these odds!
Ingrid Bergman
One of Hollywood’s greatest divas immortalized her career with three Oscars, as well as being named the fourth most important star in the history of cinema. Sadly, the Swedish-born actress died on August 29, 1982, at the age of 67 from breast cancer.
William Shakespeare
The acclaimed British writer who was the author of plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Othello, died on April 23, 1616. There are certain contradictions surrounding the life of this key figure in world literature, since although he was baptized on April 26, 1564, everything indicates that he was born on the 23rd.
Maury Chaykin
The American actor died on July 27, 2010, due to heart failure. The performer was known for his role as Harvey Weingard in the HBO series Entourage, a character inspired by the life of producer Harvey Weinstein.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr.
The fifth son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt died on August 17, 1988, on his 74th birthday. The cause was lung cancer, which he had been suffering from for years.
María Félix
The great diva of Mexican cinema, who became an icon of fashion and the entertainment world, died on April 8, 2002, at the age of 88. “La Doña” died of a heart attack at her home in Mexico City.
Stories published in Spanish in Cultura Colectiva
