'Miracle Mike'

Mike the Headless Chicken, also known as Miracle Mike, became famous for surviving 18 months without a head. On September 10, 1945, in Fruita, Colorado, farmer Lloyd Olsen intended to slaughter a chicken for dinner. He chose Mike, a five-month-old Wyandotte chicken. However, Olsen’s axe missed the jugular vein and most of Mike's brainstem, leaving one ear and part of his brain intact. Astonishingly, Mike didn’t die. He was able to balance, walk clumsily, and even attempted to preen and crow, despite lacking most of his head.

Olsen, surprised by Mike's survival, began to feed him with a mixture of milk and water through a dropper and cleared his open esophagus of mucus with a syringe to prevent choking. Realizing they had a bizarre spectacle on their hands, the Olsens took Mike on a national tour, earning money from people paying to see the headless chicken. Mike became a sensation, even appearing in magazines like *Life* and *Time*.

Researchers and scientists examined Mike and determined that enough of his brainstem was intact to control his basic functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and balance. Mike's fame continued to grow, and he was often billed as "The Headless Wonder Chicken."

Sadly, Mike's life came to an end in March 1947 in a motel room in Phoenix, Arizona. Mike began choking in the middle of the night, and without their syringe on hand, the Olsens were unable to save him. Despite his odd life and death, Mike left a lasting legacy. Fruita, Colorado, still holds an annual "Mike the Headless Chicken Day" every May to commemorate his improbable survival and place in history.

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