How Far Away is Death?
How far away is death? From close calls to tragic accidents, these incidents are equally shocking as insightful.
Tune in every Thursday to see the newest edition, or scroll down to browse previous topics.
Queso fresco-type cheeses
January 8, 2026
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that queso fresco-type cheese harbors Listeria due to its high moisture content and low acid level. Also, even pasteurized queso fresco-type cheeses can become contaminated if their manufacturing environments are not sanitary.
Construction work
Jan 1, 2026
The construction industry has kept its standing for America’s highest workplace deaths in 2025. Among fatal accidents, workers falling from heights, being compressed by heavy objects, and other massive injuries.
It’s always a good idea to train your management and workers to work safely. The new year is a good time to make this your priority. Register for a TapRooT® Training Course today.
Dangling desperation
December 18, 2025
The driver of a tractor-trailer was traveling a snow-covered West Virginia bridge on US Route 35 in Mason County when he lost control of the semi. The trucker and his cab dangled precariously from the bridge.
Watch the video:
FDA milk recall
December 11, 2025
Gallons—320 gallons, to be precise—were sold before milk producer Prairie Farms issued a press release November 25, 2025, regarding food-grade cleaning solutions in its fat-free milk.
Recall from the FDA:
- “Consumers should return or discard products and sanitize affected storage areas.”
- “The recalled milk comes from Prairie Farms Gallon Fat Free Milk, produced at the company’s Dubuque, Iowa, facility and distributed to select Woodman’s stores in Illinois and Wisconsin.”
- “According to the recall notice, milk production run processed with the code date DEC08 and plant code PLT19 145 during the timeframe of 17:51 to 21:23.
Content source/credit: Parade, “FDA Issues Urgent Milk Recall Over Possible Cleaning Agent Contamination,” Nov 29, 2025.
Massive factory fire
December 4, 2025
At this moment, 10:20 pm, Saturday, November 29, 2025, two firefighters have been injured in a recycling factory inferno. The injured firefighters are among hundreds battling a catastrophic fireball in North St. Mary’s, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.
Here’s a video of what’s happening at the scene:
A bad look
November 27, 2025
A recent murder has sparked online discussion about workplace violence and women’s safety.
On a seemingly normal Thursday morning at Advanced Process Technologies, David Delong picked up a sledgehammer and struck his coworker Amber Czech. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Delong admitted his actions to the authorities and is in custody (on a $5 million bail) until his trial in January.
What was the motive for such a heinous act?
Delong told prosecutors she gave him “a bad look”. He had been planning this murder for some time because he “didn’t like” her.
While we can’t predict shocking tragedies like this one, we can still put safeguards in place to prevent them.
Proactive measures like tool monitoring systems, self-defense or de-escalation training, risk assessments or reports, and safe spaces can help keep workers safe.
This week’s edition was written by Jacob.
Fleeing killers on the hunt
November 20, 2025
A seal in Washington state recognized danger as a pod of orca whales on the hunt grew close to it. Thinking fast, the seal jumped into a nearby boat full of photographers recording the orcas. Naturally, the cameras turned to record the seal’s actions. Watch video below.
Killed by a Butterfly?
November 13, 2025
It’s almost been a full year since a teenager died after injecting himself with the remains of a butterfly for an alleged online challenge.
14-year-old Davi Nunes Moreira started to feel unwell after injecting a diluted, crushed-up butterfly into his leg. He admitted his action to his father, went to hospital, then passed away seven days later.
There’s speculation he performed this act for an online challenge, but I couldn’t find any credible sources to confirm this claim. The autopsy nor the police report have been made public.
Some butterflies contains toxins, but they’re usually not very harmful to humans upon consumption. The cause of death could have been related to an infection from the syringe, embolism from an air bubble, or perhaps poisoning from the insect. The biochemistry of butterflies is extremely complex, so it’s hard to say for sure.
In any case, this is a tragedy that highlights the importance of proper supervision.
Whether or not the idea sparked from the internet or his own mind, this could have been prevented. Children and young adults lack risk-assessment skills, so it’s up to us to be a voice of guidance for those with less experience.
This week’s edition was written by Jacob.
Monster Melissa
November 6, 2025
Last week, the strongest storm of the year, Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, made landfall in Jamaica with violent 185 mph winds amid officials warning of catastrophic flooding. A TikTok influencer, Nicole Doyon, was on the island nation for a retreat with 14 girls and shared live updates of the superstorm as well as how to make the most of what you have on hand and determining the safest place to hunker down.
“I did have severe anxiety, so if we can just keep the comments as positive as possible, because I am having really bad moments,” Doyon told her followers that day. “We are scared, and we know it’s going to be traumatizing.”
Content source/credit: People, “Influencer Forced to Shelter During Yoga Trip in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa Makes Landfall,” October 28, 2025.
Stowaway discovered deceased on plane
October 30, 2025
In the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, maintenance crews discovered the body of a stowaway on an American Airlines plane, which had originated in Europe. This is the second time in 2025 that the body of a stowaway has been discovered on board a plane.
