It’s a question that has intrigued people for centuries. No one really knows who the first person in the world to die was, but we do know that death has been a part of human life for as long as we’ve existed.
It was when God sent Adam and Eve out into the harsh, unfamiliar world of the garden that they had their first encounter with death. The pain and regret that they felt as they saw their sons killed was something they’d never imagined before.
Cain
Cain, born in the Garden of Eden to Adam and Eve, was a human being who soon became the first person in the world to die. He murdered his brother Abel in a fit of rage.
He was jealous of Abel’s closeness to God. He was also jealous of Abel’s sacrifice, which was accepted by God and considered “more excellent” than his own (Hebrews 11:4).
After committing this crime, Cain fled from his parents and lived as a nomad. He was fearful of going back to his parents because he knew that if anyone found him, he would be killed.
In the Midrash, Cain’s blood was a sign that he should not return to his family; it was a warning that he was unworthy of being around his parents and loved ones. He also began to fear that he would be killed by other nomads who would take advantage of his vulnerability.
Vladimir Komarov
In 1967, Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov became the first person in the world to die from space flight when his Soyuz 1 capsule failed to deploy its parachute during landing. It was a devastating loss that shattered the space program and the Soviet people.
Despite his skill and talent, the launch of Soyuz 1 was rushed, and a number of design flaws were ignored by those who built it. These factors made the Soyuz a prime candidate for failure, and it was only by chance that Komarov made it to space on this ill-fated mission.
After he fell from the Soyuz, Komarov’s body was recovered and numerous Soviet officials gazed upon his charred remains. He was given a state-sponsored funeral with full military honors, and his remains were entombed in the Kremlin.
Li Wenliang
Li Wenliang was a doctor who became a hero to the people of China. He warned his colleagues in a private chat group on WeChat that a mysterious virus was growing in the city.
He was reprimanded by police for “spreading rumours.” But when he went back to work, he contracted the same coronavirus that he had warned about.
In the days that followed, his story was hailed in China as a hero for truth-telling and a hero for freedom of speech. But he was also vilified by some authorities as a liar and a threat to public order, as Chinese citizens took to the internet in outrage.
Li Wenliang died on Friday at Wuhan Central Hospital. He had been in a critical condition since his diagnosis, a statement from the hospital said. The death sparked tributes and anger on China’s social media platform, Weibo.
V. Kamaraj
Kamaraj, the 3rd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, was a very popular politician in India. He was elected three times as the Chief Minister, and he brought prosperity to the state.
He also pushed for reservation of positions for the Tamil community, a move that had never been done before in Indian politics. The Brahmins, who had been a major political force, were in total opposition to it and threatened to stone him to death.
In 1966, Jawaharlal Nehru arranged a meeting of all chief ministers to discuss the issue. When Kamaraj heard about this, he passed the information to Nehru and advised him to resume party work.
On Gandhi Jayanti day, 2 October 1963, he resigned as the Chief Minister and asked Congress leaders to re-vitalize the party. This action helped revive the party and it was under Kamaraj’s leadership that Indira Gandhi won the 1964 elections. Eventually, she became the prime minister of India.
