Five Real-Life Forrest Gumps

Forrest Gump is a beloved character from the 1994 film of the same name, played by Tom Hanks. The character is known for his simple, straightforward outlook on life and his unexpected adventures and encounters with historical figures. While Forrest Gump may be a fictional character, there are real-life individuals who have led similarly remarkable lives. Let’s take a closer look at five real-life Forrest Gumps.

1. Louis Zamperini

Louis Zamperini was an American Olympic runner and World War II veteran who survived a plane crash and spent over two years as a prisoner of war in Japan. Zamperini's life was the subject of the 2014 film "Unbroken," directed by Angelina Jolie and based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand. Zamperini was a track and field star in the 1930s and competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, where he met Adolf Hitler. During World War II, Zamperini served as a bombardier on a B-24 Liberator bomber and was shot down over the Pacific Ocean in 1943. He and two other crew members survived the crash and spent 47 days adrift at sea before being captured by the Japanese. Zamperini spent the next two years as a prisoner of war, enduring brutal treatment at the hands of his captors. He was eventually released at the end of the war and returned to the United States, where he struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. However, he eventually found solace in his Christian faith and became a motivational speaker, inspiring others with his story of survival and perseverance.

2. Frank Abagnale Jr.

Frank Abagnale Jr. is a former con artist and impostor who is best known for his exploits in the 1960s, which were the basis for the 2002 film "Catch Me If You Can," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Abagnale began his life of crime as a teenager, posing as a Pan Am pilot and using fake credentials to travel the world for free. He later posed as a doctor and a lawyer and forged checks worth millions of dollars. He was eventually caught and served time in prison, but was released on the condition that he would help the FBI catch other con artists. Today, Abagnale is a security consultant and speaker, advising companies and governments on how to protect themselves from fraud and identity theft.

3. John Goddard

John Goddard was an adventurer and explorer who made a name for himself in the 1950s and 1960s by embarking on a series of ambitious expeditions around the world. His life and accomplishments inspired the 2017 documentary "John Goddard's Life List," directed by Steve Dorst. Goddard's adventures included climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, exploring the Amazon rainforest, and traveling down the entire length of the Nile River. He also set out to complete a list of 127 life goals that he had written when he was 15 years old, including learning to fly a plane, visiting every country in the world, and becoming an expert in four different fields. Goddard's life was a testament to the power of setting goals and pursuing them with determination and passion. He passed away in 2013, but his legacy lives on as an inspiration to others.

4. Roy Chapman Andrews

Roy Chapman Andrews was an American adventurer, explorer, and paleontologist who is often called the real-life Indiana Jones. Andrews led a series of expeditions to Mongolia in the 1920s and 1930s, during which he discovered numerous fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. Andrews was also known for his adventurous spirit and his love of danger. He was once attacked by a band of robbers while traveling through the Gobi Desert, and he narrowly escaped a cave-in during an excavation in Mongolia. Andrews' discoveries helped to shed new light on the history of life on Earth, and his legacy as an adventurer and explorer continues to inspire others to explore and discover.

5. Violet Jessop

Violet Jessop was an Irish nurse and stewardess who survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Jessop was working as a stewardess on the ship when it struck an iceberg and began to sink. She survived by boarding one of the lifeboats, and later recounted her experiences in a memoir called "Titanic Survivor." Jessop's life was marked by a series of extraordinary events, including surviving the sinking of the Titanic's sister ship, the Britannic, during World War I, and working as a nurse on board the RMS Olympic, which collided with another ship in 1911. Jessop's experiences as a survivor of the Titanic and other maritime disasters have made her an inspiration to others, and her memoir remains a popular and widely-read account of the tragedy.