Florida Man’s Obituary Lists His Cause of Death as “An Uppercut from Batman”

(Image: DC)

If you have to die, die in such a way that will be memorable—in a good way! You don’t want to be remembered as the guy who died in a fatal blogging accident or someone who was beaten to death by a Girl Scout after trying to steal her cookies. Die in a way that will make men of quality envy you: death by Batman.

Stephen Merrill, 31, of Winter Haven, Florida passed away last week. The cause of his death was unknown at the time when it was necessary to write an obituary. So his friend Brandon Moxam suggested “uppercut from Batman.”

(May each of us be so fortunate as to have a friend like Brandon Moxam.)

Merrill’s fiancée, Stephanie Vella, consented. ABC Action News quotes her as saying, “He would have been honored to have died by an uppercut from Batman.” As would we all.

Initially, the newspaper The Ledger would not agree to publish such a lighthearted obituary. But it eventually relented and published it. You can read the full obituary here.

Merrill’s family and friends remember him as a funny guy who loved comics. His memorial service reflected this. ABC Action News describes it:

His friends and family all wore superhero shirts to honor Merrill's love for comics.  The celebration also included a Captain America's shield made from flowers and a quote on the program from one of his favorite movies, 'The Avengers.'

Vella says Merrill had qualities similar to Captain America. “Captain America was about helping others and so was Stephen. He left an impression on people if you ever came in contact with him, he was your friend.”

I will inform my wife that if I die and she is not under suspicion as the perpetrator, then she should list of my cause of death as “wedgie by the Wonder Twins.”

-via Uproxx