Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) speaks to media on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 3, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch TimesSen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Wednesday called Democratic opposition to artificial

A number of incidents are being reported by those traveling in China with President Trump. At least once, the American press pool has been harassed by the Chinese security and caught on

President Donald Trumps high-profile visit to Beijing produced a tense security confrontation that played out mostly behind the scenes but spilled into public view on Thursday when reporters confirmed

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and MuseumKathleen Cavendish better known as Kick Kennedy did not live long enough to see her brother Jack become president.Kathleen Cavendish, also known as Kick Kennedy, led a dramatic life. She was the younger sister of John F. Kennedy, and grew up in their bustling, prestigious family. As an adult, Kick also married a British noble, which made her the Marchioness of Hartington. But Kicks life was marked by tragedy as well. Because her husband was a Protestant, her parents disapproved of her marriage. Kick went ahead with the wedding, only to lose her husband after a few months when he died in World War II less than a month after Kicks brother Joe was also killed. And years before the tragic deaths of her brothers John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, Kick Kennedy also died young. In 1948, she perished in a plane crash at the age of just 28. This is the sad story of Kathleen Kick Kennedy Cavendish. Kick Kennedy, The Rebellious Kennedy SiblingBorn on Feb. 20, 1920, Kathleen Kennedy was the fourth of nine children born to Joseph Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald. She and her older brothers Joe Jr. and Jack better known as future president John F. Kennedy were considered the gold trio of the Kennedy siblings, according to the National Parks Department, and were expected to set a good example for the others. John F. Kennedy LibraryThe Kennedy siblings, from left to right: Jean, Bobby, Patricia, Eunice, Kathleen, Rosemary, Jack, and Joe Jr.But Kathleen Kennedy was always free-spirited. Her family nicknamed her Kick because of her outgoing, joyful personality, and Kick retained her independent spirit even after attending convent schools in Connecticut and France. Kennedy biographer Lynne McTaggart remarked to the New York Post in 2016 that Kick was the only rebel of the family. Like the rest of her family, however, Kick Kennedys life changed forever when her father became the American ambassador to the United Kingdom. Joseph Kennedy brought his family overseas, and Kick quickly made an impression with her charisma and charm. She left an especially strong impression on William Billy Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington. However, the young couple faced a number of challenges. Cavendish was Protestant, while Kicks family was Catholic. And the dawn of World War II threatened to separate them for good. Becoming The Marchioness Of HartingtonShortly after Kick Kennedy arrived in London, World War II began in Europe. London began to gear up for the conflict, and Kit later remembered air raid drills with a series of piercing blasts along with wardens bustling people into the underground dugout. Alongside Joe and Jack, Kick even walked to Westminster to hear Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declare war. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and MuseumJoe Jr., Kick, and Jack walked to Westminster to hear Great Britain declare war on Germany. Sept. 3, 1939. Shortly thereafter, Kick was forced to return to the United States. She briefly worked at the Washington Times-Herald but pined for Cavendish and her life in England, and arranged to return to London with the American Red Cross. Back across the Atlantic, Kick found that The Blitz had decimated the city but her relationship with Cavendish was as strong as ever.However, the challenge of their different religions remained. Cavendish wanted to remain in the Church of England and raise their children as Anglicans. And though his family supported his relationship with Kick, Cavendish was the heir to the dukedom of Devonshire and Chatsworth House. If he left the Church of England, his children might not inherit his dukedom. Meanwhile, Kick Kennedys family also disapproved of the marriage. Her mother Rose was especially aghast according to the Telegraph, she almost had a nervous breakdown, believing her daughters soul would be damned but Kick had always had an independent spirit. On May 6, 1944, Kathleen Kennedy married William Cavendish, the Marquess of Hartington. Only Kicks brother Joe attended. Though Kick retained her Catholicism, she had agree to raise their children as Anglicans. Chatsworth HouseKathleen Kennedy at her wedding to William Cavendish. Only her brother Joe, standing over her shoulder, attended.It was a joyful occasion. But tragedy lurked around the corner.The Many Tragedies Of Kick KennedyJust months after Kick Kennedy became Kathleen Cavendish, tragedy struck. Her brother, Joe Jr., was killed in action while flying over the English Channel on Aug. 12, 1944. Meanwhile, her husband was sent to fight in Belgium, and the pain of separation was hard for the newlyweds. I have a permanent lump in my throat and I long for you to be here as it is an experience which few can have and which I would love to share with you, William wrote to Kathleen on Sept. 3, 1944. Six days later, he was shot and killed in Heppen, Belgium. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and MuseumKick and Billy Cavendish married in May 1944. He died months later. So ends the story of Billy and Kick, Kick wrote in her diary. Life is so cruelWriting is impossible.To a friend, she wrote, One thing you can be sure of, life holds no fears for someone who has faced love, marriage and death before the age of 25.But Kathleen Cavendish did not let tragedy define her. Though made a widow in her 20s, she threw herself into London society and politics. She gave speeches, performed duties as the Marchioness Of Hartington, and rubbed elbows with young politicians. And at a ball in 1946, Kick crossed paths with Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 8th Earl of Fitzwilliam.Here, history seemed to repeat itself. Kick fell for Fitzwilliam, and, once again, her family disapproved. Not only was Fitzwilliam a Protestant, but he was also married at the time that he and Kick met. Rose Kennedy threatened to disown her daughter if they married. But Kick was smitten. Public DomainA portrait of Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 8th Earl of Fitzwilliam.Once Fitzwilliams divorce was final, the couple boarded a plane to France. They hoped to meet with Kicks father, Joseph, and ask for his blessing. But they never made it there. On May 13, 1948, the plane carrying Kick and Peter crashed in France. Kathleen Cavendish died at 28, along with everyone onboard.The Sad Legacy Of Kathleen Kick KennedyAfter her death, Kathleen Cavendish was buried at Chatsworth. According to the National Parks Service, her in-laws, the Cavendish family, gave her a full Catholic burial. But only her Kicks father Joe attended. Indeed, her death came as a terrible tragedy to the Kennedy family, which was still reeling from the loss of Joe Jr. Ultimately, all three members of the golden trio Joe Jr., Jack, and Kick would die tragic deaths. ViennaUK/Wikimedia CommonsKathleen Cavendishs gravestone, alongside a plaque commemorating the visit of her brother, President John F. Kennedy, shortly before his assassination. And Kick Kennedys death was not just a tragedy for the Kennedy family. Her adopted country also mourned the loss. No American, man or woman who has ever settled in England, was so much loved as she, and no American ever loved England more, The Times in London declared. Strangely enough, it was those in London who are most disenchanted with this day and age who perhaps derived the greatest comfort and light from her enchanting personality.Kathleen Cavendish was the second of four Kennedy siblings to die tragic deaths. Next, learn more about the Kennedy curse, and then read about Kicks sister Rosemary Kennedy, who was lobotomized.The post Kathleen Cavendish, John F. Kennedys Beloved Sister Who Died At The Age Of 28 appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Blankshein et al., Advances in Archaeological Practice (2026)The crannog was built in Loch Bhorgastail around 5,000 years ago.In a lake on northern Scotlands Isle of Lewis sits a tiny island that appears to be a simple stone mound. However, archaeologists recently discovered that its completely manmade and its centuries older than Stonehenge.This crannog on Loch Bhorgastail was originally constructed around 3400 B.C.E. as a round timber base covered in brushwood. Its purpose remains unknown, but a trove of Neolithic pottery found in the shallow water surrounding it is providing insight into how ancient people may have used this landmass, as well as the hundreds of other similar structures that dot the countrys waters.The 5,000-Year-Old Crannog In A Scottish LakeIn 2021, archaeologists from the University of Southampton and the University of Reading set out to survey the island (which has no name) on Loch Bhorgastail. Bits of wood had previously been seen beneath the stone surface, but they were believed to be supports for structures that once stood on the isle.University of SouthamptonA close-up view of the wood that makes up the crannogs base.Upon further investigation, however, researchers realized that the island was actually a crannog. Crannogs are small artificial islands that are typically thousands of years old, University of Southampton archaeologist Stephanie Blankshein explained in a statement. Hundreds exist in lochs of Scotland and many remain unexplored or undiscovered.The entire structure is manmade. Sometime between 3500 and 3300 B.C.E., the Neolithic people of Scotland constructed a round timber base with a diameter of 75 feet in the shallow water. They then piled brushwood on top, and later communities added a stone layer.University of SouthamptonAn aerial photo shows the stone causeway that once connected the crannog to the shore.A stone causeway once linked the crannog to the shore to provide easy access, but it has since been submerged. No structures remain on the island, but archaeologists have found artifacts in Loch Bhorgastail that may provide clues about how it was used.What Was The Purpose Of The Ancient Manmade Island In Loch Bhorgastail?In the water surrounding the crannog, researchers have discovered hundreds of bits of pottery from jars and bowls used by Neolithic people. Some of them even still contain food residue.Because of this, archaeologists theorize that the island was used as a gathering spot for cooking, food preparation, and feasts. If thats the case, there were seemingly large and productive communities living in the area 5,000 years ago. The construction of the crannog itself also supports this hypothesis.University of SouthamptonBits of Neolithic pottery found near the crannog in Loch Bhorgastail.While we still dont know exactly why these islands were built, said Blankshein, the resources and labor required to construct them suggests not only complex communities capable of such feats, but also the great significance of these sites.However, the crannogs location has also created difficulties for the archaeologists studying it. Stereophotogrammetry, the typical method they use to map ancient sites, works well on land or in deep water, but not in shallow water.Fraser Sturt, the director of the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, noted in the University of Southampton statement, Fine sediments, choppy conditions, floating vegetation, and distorted or reflected light all hinder shallow water imaging. Stereophotogrammetry is very effective in deep water but runs into problems at depths of less than a meter. This problem is a well-known frustration for archaeologists.To get around this issue, a diver used two waterproof cameras mounted at a set distance apart to photograph the crannog. The images were then stitched together, creating a model of the island both above and below the waterline.University of SouthamptonDivers excavating the timber base of the crannog.The results were recently published in the journal Advances in Archaeological Practice.Loch Bhorgastail provided a rare opportunity to develop, test, and refine a workflow capable of achieving terrestrial-grade accuracy underwater, the authors wrote. This flexible, field-deployable workflow proved effective not only at Loch Bhorgastail but also offers a transferable model for other shallow-water environments facing similar challenges.As such, not only does the discovery on the Isle of Lewis reveal more about the purpose of this specific Neolithic crannog, but it may also help archaeologists uncover the mysteries of similar sites across Scotland.After learning about the 5,000-year-old manmade island in Scotland, go inside the history of the Picts, the fearsome warriors of ancient Scotland. Then, explore the magical Fairy Glen on the Isle of Skye.The post Researchers Just Realized That This Island In A Scottish Lake Is Actually Manmade And It Predates Stonehenge appeared first on All That's Interesting.

National Academy of DesignAn 1858 painting by George Henry Hall entitled A Dead Rabbit or Study of an Irishman.The 2002 film Gangs of New York focuses on two gangs in 19th-century New York: the Natives and the Dead Rabbits. In real life, the Natives were called the Bowery Boys. But Dead Rabbits truly existed and, just as the movie suggests, the group was composed of Irish immigrants.In the mid-19th century, they controlled a large swath of Lower Manhattan, including in the notorious Five Points neighborhood. The Dead Rabbits frequently clashed with the Bowery Boys, who embraced anti-immigration, anti-Irish, and anti-Catholic ideas making them the Dead Rabbits natural enemy. Their most infamous clash came on July 4, 1857, in a raucous street brawl that left dozens if not hundreds injured. This is the wild true story of the Dead Rabbits, the real New York City gang from Gangs of New York.Irish Immigration To New York City In The 19th CenturyThe story of the Dead Rabbits begins with Irish immigration to New York City, which soared during the mid-19th century. Then, many Irish fled Ireland during the Irish Potato Famine and some 900,000 arrived in New York between 1845 and 1855. According to RTE, Irish-born New Yorkers were a third of the citys population by 1855.Many of the immigrants had come to the United States with nothing, having spent what little money they had on their passage across the Atlantic. As such, many settled into poorly maintained tenement housing, which was largely concentrated in the Lower East Side. Library of CongressA New York City tenement building. A few residents can be seen sitting on the fire escape.Tenements were dark, densely crowded, and ridden with disease, and Irish immigrants relied on each other to survive. They developed social networks, opened businesses, and, as a growing voting bloc, changed the citys politics.In the rough-and-tumble world of 19th-century Manhattan, they also formed gangs including the Dead Rabbits. And this gang of Irish immigrants soon clashed with another group, the nativist Bowery Boys. The Dead Rabbits And The Bowery BoysThe Dead Rabbits, who controlled territory in Lower Manhattan and the Five Points neighborhood, were a gang composed of Irish Catholic immigrants. Theres some debate about where their name came from. One story states that a dead rabbit was thrown into the middle of the room during a meeting, and was taken as a lucky omen.Another, suggested by the Observer, postulates that it came from the Gaelic ribad (a big, hulking person). With dead meaning very, perhaps Dead Rabbits was born. Public DomainA depiction of a Dead Rabbit gang member.Then again, its also possible that the Dead Rabbits were actually part of a different gang, the Roach Guards, or that the term dead rabbit was a pejorative used by both their enemies and the New York City press. In any case, the gang was said to be led by John Old Smoke Morrissey, an Irish-born boxer who later became a U.S. Congressman. Most of the other members were men, but the Dead Rabbits purportedly included women in their ranks as well, including the fearsome Hell-Cat Maggie who allegedly wore brass fingernails and filed her teeth to points. And the Dead Rabbits had an enemy: the Bowery Boys. This gang represented the anti-Irish feeling of the era. As the Library of Congress reports, many Americans looked down on the Irish because of their poverty, their living conditions, their willingness to work for low wages, and their Catholicism. The Bowery Boys were thus anti-Catholic and and anti-Irish.Wikimedia CommonsJohn Old Smoke Morrissey, the leader of the Dead Rabbits.They were led by William Poole, also known as Bill the Butcher, until 1855. Then, Poole was shot and killed by Morrissey and his compatriots. According to The History of the City of New York Project, Pooles last words were purportedly: I think I am a goner. If I die, I die a true American; and what grieves me most is, thinking that Ive been murdered by a set of Irish by Morrissey in particular.But the most violent clash between the Dead Rabbits and the Bowery Boys occurred two years later, in July 1857.The Dead Rabbits Riot Of July 1857 And Their Legacy TodayOn July 4, 1857, tensions between the Dead Rabbits and the Bowery Boys escalated into open warfare. As the city celebrated Independence Day, the two gangs came head-to-head in a violent clash that left dozens wounded. As The New York Times breathlessly reported on July 6, the so-called Dead Rabbits riot or Great Gang Fight began when the Dead Rabbits attacked a Bowery Boys clubhouse. The attack was not anticipated, the paper wrote, [but] still a vigorous resistance was made by the assailed fire arms, clubs, brick-bats, and stones were freely used.Though the Bowery Boys were forced to retreat, the Great Gang Fight ratcheted up that evening and bled into the next day. Hundreds of gang members perhaps as many as 1,000 bitterly fought on the streets of Manhattan. While residents locked their windows and doors, and police tried to contain the violence, the gang warfare went on.Public DomainA depiction of the Great Gang Fight of 1857, which left dozens injured and at least eight men dead.Brickbats, stones and clubs were flying thickly around, and from the windows in all directions, and the men ran wildly about brandishing firearms, The New York Times wrote. Wounded men lay on the sidewalks and were trampled upon. Now the Rabbits would make a combined rush and force their antagonists up Bayard street to the Bowery. Then the fugitives, being reinforced, would turn on their pursuers and compel a retreat to Mulberry, Elizabeth and Baxter streets.The gang fight didnt end until the night of July 5, when the New York state militia arrived. By then, eight men had reportedly been killed and between 30 and 100 had been injured. But the true tally may never be known.Though the Dead Rabbits remained active in New York City, little is known about their activities after this point, and they more or less disappeared from newspaper coverage by the 1860s. But their story which is also a story of immigration and belonging was memorably revived in Gangs of New York.After reading about the Dead Rabbits, the notorious Irish gang of 19th-century New York City, discover the story of Lucky Luciano, the man who created the American mafia. Or, look through these stunning photos of New York City from when it was mostly farmland, not skyscrapers.The post The Dead Rabbits: The Story Behind One Of 19th-Century New Yorks Most Notorious Gangs appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Pablo Escobar was born into a poor Colombian family in 1949. But when he was killed at age 44, he was one of the wealthiest men on Earth. So, what was Pablo Escobars net worth at the time of his death?As the leader of Colombias Medelln Cartel, Escobar was the king of the global cocaine trade. The criminal group purportedly brought in up to $420 million every week at its height, leaving Escobar with so much cash that he resorted to storing it in fields and empty warehouses.Public DomainPablo Escobars 1976 mugshot after he was arrested on drug charges.Due to the illicit nature of the drug lords wealth, its impossible to tell exactly how much money he had. But estimates put Pablo Escobars net worth at $25 billion or more.From luxurious mansions to private prisons, go inside Escobars immense wealth.From A Life Of Poverty To Untold RichesPablo Escobar was born on December 1, 1949, in Rionegro, Colombia. His father was a poor farmer, and his mother worked as a teacher to help support their seven children. Many of Escobars early crimes involved reselling stolen items to make money.But by the time he was in his 20s, Escobar had turned to a life of violence, joining a gang and kidnapping people for ransom. Then, in the 1970s, he started a group that would grow to become one of the most infamous drug trafficking organizations in history: the Medelln Cartel. Drug Enforcement AdministrationIn 1984, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Colombian authorities raided one of the Medelln Cartels facilities and discovered that it was producing 20 tons of cocaine per month.The cartel produced, transported, and sold cocaine, first within Colombia and then across the globe. Their drugs were smuggled to the U.S., Asia, Australia, Africa, and Europe, and by the mid-1980s, Escobar and his associates controlled up to 80 percent of the worlds cocaine trade.Business was so successful that it eventually brought in hundreds of millions of dollars each week. As Roberto Escobar, Pablos brother, explained in The Accountants Story: Inside the Violent World of the Medelln Cartel, [M]ost of our money came back to Medelln as straight cash in suitcases and green duffel bags. Truckloads of cash. A mountain of U.S. dollars and Colombian pesos, the currencies in which we worked. So much cash that we would spend as much as $2,500 monthly on rubber hands to hold the money together.And as the cartels income grew exponentially from year to year, so did Pablo Escobars net worth. Mansions, Zoos, And Private PrisonsEscobar spent his money as quickly as it came in.In the late 1970s, he built Hacienda Npoles, his massive estate in Puerto Triunfo. The 7,000-acre property reportedly cost $63 million and held a soccer field, a bullfighting arena, a private airstrip, and a zoo with giraffes, elephants, zebras, and other exotic creatures.The notorious drug lord purchased private planes, yachts, helicopters, and even submarines to help smuggle cocaine. He also threw extravagant parties. According to a 2024 report by the Argentine outlet Infobae, Escobar hosted a month-long 33rd birthday party at Hacienda Npoles in 1982, with different bands and artists performing every night.Timothy Ross/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty ImagesAn aerial view of elephants in the zoo at Hacienda Npoles.He even built his own prison. In 1991, he turned himself in to Colombian authorities to avoid extradition to the U.S. (According to some reports, he first offered to pay off his countrys national debt instead.) As part of the deal, Escobar was permitted to construct a luxury prison in which to serve his sentence.Known as La Catedral or Hotel Escobar, the facility was outfitted with a soccer field, jacuzzi, nightclub, and sauna. Escobar had phone and computer access, and he frequently held parties while behind bars. During this time, Escobar was listed in Forbes as one of the wealthiest men in the world. Indeed, he had so much money that he didnt know what to do with all of it.What Was Pablo Escobars Net Worth?After buying everything he could possibly want, Escobar still had piles of cash left over and it just kept coming. He was celebrated as a Robin Hood figure because he funded countless projects to help the poor, but even that couldnt put a dent in his massive wealth.When Escobar and his fellow cartel members couldnt launder their money quickly enough, they reportedly resorted to storing it in fields and warehouses. According to Roberto Escobar, I know that Pablo was earning so much cash that each year we would simply write off approximately 10 percent of our money because the rats would eat it or it would be damaged beyond use by water and dampness.RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty ImagesLa Catedral, the Colombian prison that Pablo Escobar built for himself.Still, Pablo Escobars net worth was allegedly $25 billion. A 10 percent loss was negligible when it came to that much money. And $2 million was certainly nothing to Escobar. According to The New Zealand Herald, his son Juan Pablo told the Colombian magazine Don Juan in 2009 that Escobar once burned that amount to fuel a fire when his daughter complained that she was cold while the family was hiding from the authorities in a remote location.Of course, Escobars life of luxury couldnt last forever. The drug lord was killed on Dec. 2, 1993, when Colombian special forces tracked him down and exchanged fire with 44-year-old Escobar and his bodyguards. Escobar was shot in the head or, according to some theories, shot himself while trying to escape. More than 25,000 people attended Escobars funeral, a testament to both his power and his controversial heroic status among the locals he provided with financial aid. The Medelln Cartel crumbled without Escobar, and rival groups took over. In the decades since his death, Escobar has gone down in history as one of the worlds wealthiest and vicious drug lords. But the true net worth of Pablo Escobar remains somewhat of a mystery. Are all the stories of his riches true? Or are they part of the legend surrounding the powerful criminals life? After reading about the net worth of Pablo Escobar, discover how much money Al Capone was worth. Then, learn about Amado Carrillo Fuentes, the Mexican drug trafficker known as the Lord of the Skies.The post How Much Was Pablo Escobar Worth? The Startling Truth About The Colombian Drug Lords Wealth appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Wikimedia CommonsAlfredo Ball Trevio was a Mexican doctor and murderer who inspired author Thomas Harris to create the character Hannibal Lecter.In 1959, Alfredo Ball Trevio was a medical intern from a prominent family living in Monterrey, Mexico. Nobody who knew him could have ever expected that he would go on to inspire one of Hollywoods most infamous villains.That October, Ball Trevio brutally murdered his lover, Jess Castillo Rangel, before dismembering him and stuffing his remains into a small box. He was swiftly apprehended and imprisoned at the Topo Chico penitentiary, where he continued an informal medical practice.A few years into his sentence, Ball Trevio met Thomas Harris, an American journalist who was at the prison to interview another criminal. Harris thought that Ball Trevio was the official prison doctor and he was shocked to learn that he was actually an inmate.Harris later drew upon his encounter with Ball Trevio while writing his 1981 novel Red Dragon, in which he introduced Hannibal Lecter, a former psychiatrist who became a serial killer. When the books sequel, The Silence of the Lambs, was adapted into a film in 1991, Lecter became a pop culture phenomenon but few people know of the man behind the character.So, who was Alfredo Ball Trevio?The Chilling Crimes Of Alfredo Ball TrevioAlfredo Ball Trevio was born into a wealthy family in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas in the late 1920s or early 30s. His father encouraged him to do well in school, and he eventually decided to become a doctor.By 1959, he was working as an intern in Monterrey, but his life would soon turn upside down. One night in October, Ball Trevio got into an argument with his lover, Jess Castillo Rangel. In a rage, Ball Trevio soaked a towel in chloroform and held it over Castillo Rangels face. Once the man fell unconscious, Ball Trevio moved him to the bathroom and used his training as a surgeon to carefully slit his throat with a scalpel and drain the blood from his corpse.El NorteAlfredo Ball Trevio (right) pictured alongside his victim, Jess Castillo Rangel (left), in a 1959 issue of the Mexican newspaper El Norte.Ball Trevio then chopped Castillo Rangels body into small pieces and placed them in a box, which he tried to dispose of. But when the remains were discovered several days later, the police quickly traced the crime back to Ball Trevio.He was found guilty of murder and was initially set to be executed, but his sentence was later commuted to 20 years in prison. Despite the circumstances behind his conviction, Ball Trevio gained the trust of the warden and was allowed to practice medicine in the penitentiary. He was even permitted to leave the facility to see patients at times.So, when Thomas Harris first saw Ball Trevio in his light suit and gold Rolex in 1963, he couldnt be blamed for mistaking him for a doctor who was employed by the prison. Little did he know, his short conversation with Alfredo Ball Trevio would change his life forever.The Inspiration For Hannibal LecterThomas Harris had traveled to the Topo Chico prison to interview Dykes Askew Simmons for Argosy magazine. Simmons had been convicted of killing three people while on vacation in Mexico, though he maintained his innocence and was desperate to return to the United States.He even tried to escape, he told Harris during their interview, and had been shot twice in the leg by a guard. Thankfully, a prison doctor saved his life.In 2013, Harris wrote of this encounter in the introduction to the 25th anniversary edition of The Silence of the Lambs. In an excerpt reprinted in The Times, Harris described meeting Alfredo Ball Trevio whom he referred to as Dr. Salazar recalling that he was a small, lithe man with dark red hair. He stood very still and there was a certain elegance about him.LTV East Hampton/YouTubeThomas Harris, the author who created Hannibal Lecter, during an interview in 2019.Harris asked Dr. Salazar how he treated Simmons, but their conversation soon took a strange turn. The doctor instead began questioning Harris, leading him into a bizarre psychological analysis of Simmons and his alleged crime. When they were interrupted by a patient, Harris asked Salazar to contact him the next time he was in Texas so they could talk further. Certainly I will, when I next travel, Salazar said.As he was leaving the prison, Harris asked the warden how long the doctor had worked at the prison. You dont know who that is? the man responded.The doctor is a murderer, said the warden, according to Harris. As a surgeon, he could package his victim in a surprisingly small box. He will never leave this place. He is insane.When Harris began writing Red Dragon in the late 1970s, his visit to the Mexican prison came back to him. As he wrote in the later introduction to The Silence of the Lambs:My detective needed to talk to somebody with a peculiar understanding of the criminal mind. Lost in the tunnel of work, I plodded along behind my detective when he went to the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane to consult with an inmate. Who do you suppose was waiting in the cell? It was not Dr. Salazar. But because of Dr. Salazar, I could recognize his colleague and fellow practitioner, Hannibal Lecter.While Harris didnt initially give Dr. Salazars real name, it was later revealed that he was none other than Alfredo Ball Trevio.Alfredo Ball Trevios Life After PrisonBall Trevio was released from prison after 20 years behind bars, and he immediately returned to his work as a doctor in Monterrey, treating the citys elderly and poor.When the movie The Silence of the Lambs was released in 1991, those who knew Ball Trevio reportedly recognized him in Hannibal Lecter. Harris and, subsequently, the filmmakers had borrowed Ball Trevios sleek style, from his sunglasses to his stylish suit, when creating Lecters character. Harris had also been inspired by Ball Trevios insight into the criminal mind.MGMAnthony Hopkins played Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs.Ball Trevios family purportedly began referring to him as Hannibal and Dr. Lecter, as reported by The Latin Times in 2013, which the doctor found funny. However, Ball Trevios past also haunted him. According to The Times, the doctor told a Mexican newspaper in 2008, I dont want to relive my dark past. I dont want to wake up my ghosts, its very hard.Alfredo Ball Trevio died of cancer in 2009 at age 81 (some outlets report that he was 78 due to discrepancies regarding his true date of birth). While he seemingly didnt want to be remembered for his crimes, his link to Hannibal Lecter has all but cemented his legacy as a killer. Still, the people of Monterrey look back on him as a skilled doctor who would freely help those who couldnt afford medical care.As one of his former patients told The Times, He was a good person.After learning how Hannibal Lecter was based on a real doctor named Alfredo Ball Trevio, discover the true stories behind 13 horror movies. Then, read about Danny Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper whose crimes inspired Scream.The post Alfredo Ball Trevio, The Real-Life Hannibal Lecter Who Treated Patients While In Prison For Murder appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Character customization is a feature that's long been asked for in Phasmophobia, as who doesn't want to have the best drip equipped while investigating the most nefarious phantoms, banshees, and everything in between? Thankfully, the wishes of many in the player community came true with the game's Player Character Update (0.17.0.0). Now you're free to dress up your paranormal investigator as you see fit, and add more options to your supernatural wardrobe with events and other special challenges.

Spring has sprung and Target has released some new product finds in time for summer fun with food items ranging from savory to sweet and practical to indulgent.