What Accident?

Friends of George Burns have always kidded him about his singing. Burns, a master of self-deprecating humor, decided to take advantage of this and insure his voice for a million dollars. He thought it would be a wonderful publicity stunt.

"I was so excited," said Burns, "I couldn't wait to rush down to the insurance company. I took a cassette and a tape recorder with me so the insurance man could hear my voice. It was one of my best numbers -- a syncopated version of Yankee Doodle Blues with a yodeling finish. The insurance man listened patiently to the whole thing, then he just looked at me and said, 'Mr. Burns, you should have come to us before you had the accident.'"

- Bits & Pieces (March 3, 1994)

Not A Minute To Lose

Brian Shipwash and his girlfriend, Shandra Miller, were riding a motorcycle up North Carolina’s Pilot Mountain. At a curve in the road, Shipwash lost control and crashed into the side of an oncoming pickup truck. The couple went flying, and the motorcycle landed on top of Shipwash.

Ten other Harley-Davidson riders rushed to help and found the handlebars of the motorcycle stuck six inches into Shipwash’s abdomen. When they pulled the handlebars from his stomach, Shipwash pulled a small box from his pocket. It was broken and bloody, but inside was a ring.

Later Shipwash told his girlfriend the reason they were going to Pilot Mountain was so he could propose. In front of reporters, he said, “I know this is not the best time in the world, but will you marry me?”

“I was crying at the time because of the wreck,” Miller said. “But when I saw [the ring], I just startedtj crying even more.”

Though he suffered a broken hand and leg, Shipwash did not damage any major organs. No one else was injured in the accident. And Shandra Miller said yes.

 — Associated Press, “Crashed Biker 
Proposes at Accident Scene,” 
Chicago Sun-Times (December 31, 2003)