10 Normal Looking Selfies with a Disturbing Back Story

10-Normal-Looking-Selfies-with-a-Disturbing-Back-Story

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at seemingly normal self-portraits with surprisingly dark backstories.

Fan with Kobe Bryant

Getting a picture with your favorite celebrity is many people’s dream, especially when the celebrity is a legend like Kobe Bryant. That happiness is captured perfectly in a selfie taken in early 2020 by a young devotee attending California’s Mamba Sports Academy, who’s smiling excitedly as the player passes by. No one – especially not the fan himself – would have guessed it would be one of Bryant’s final photos. Just a day later, he boarded a helicopter that would tragically crash in Calabasas, California. In an instant, a slightly blurry image became one of the last recorded moments of an icon’s life. It's hard now to look at it without thinking about what was in store for the legendary athlete.

Mother & Son on Flight MH17

Millions fly in an airplane every day with no threats to their safety and most don’t even think about something going wrong. Certainly Gary Slok and his mother had no reason to worry as they embarked on a plane from their native Netherlands to Kuala Lumpur for a family trip in 2014. The two even snapped a quick picture to show how excited they were. The initially happy moment was soon destroyed. While traveling over Ukraine, Russian-backed forces shot flight MH17 down, sealing the fates of everyone aboard. Seeing the Sloks’ smiles is now a heart wrenching reminder of the innocent civilians that paid the ultimate price for another country’s act of aggression.

Mallory Grossman & Her Mother

Just because someone is smiling doesn’t mean they’re actually happy. Looking at Mallory Grossman and her mother, most would assume that the former is your average, happy pre-teen. Unfortunately, the reality was much darker. The Rockaway Township, New Jersey girl was relentlessly tormented by her peers on a daily basis, to the point where her school suggested she leave early for her own safety. Unfortunately, that didn’t put a stop to the cruel treatment, eventually leading Mallory to tragically take her own life in 2017, at twelve years old. The self-portrait with her mom is haunting proof that even the most joyful people can be suffering beneath the surface. Now, it serves as chilling proof of the disastrous effects that can come from unchecked tormenting.

Filippo Bari at Marmolada Glacier

As beautiful as Nature can be, it can be easy to forget its sheer power. In July of 2022, Filippo Bari and others visited the gorgeous Marmolada glacier in Italy. Taken by the sight, Bari captured the moment with a jubilant selfie, not realizing it would be the last one he ever took. The higher temperatures caused an ice mass to collapse, leading to a large chunk of ice plummeting to the trail below. Eleven perished in the catastrophe, including Bari himself. Looking at the sheer excitement on his face, it’s clear that he was expecting it to be just another adventure, not his final day. It’s sad evidence of the unpredictability of the great outdoors.

Anne Faber’s Rainy Day Selfie

Not everyone takes photos of themselves smiling; some opt for sillier or more dramatic expressions. In September of 2017, wnen Anne Faber got caught in some rainy weather in a small town in the Netherlands, she marked the moment by taking a picture of her jokingly distressed face. She then sent it to her boyfriend, before suddenly ceasing all communication. It was the last he, or anyone, would hear from her. It wasn’t until her remains were found weeks later that people learned that she had been assaulted and slain. Knowing this suddenly recontextualizes her final image, making her look of faux sadness much more chilling. While the perpetrator behind her murder was caught, her family was shattered by her death.

Couple at The Eagles of Death Metal Concert

Attending concerts is normally an exciting time, with some becoming the best night of a fan’s life. Gilles Leclerc and Marianne Labanane attended The Eagles of Death Metal show in Paris with the intention of enjoying some heavy metal tunes. Leclerc snapped a quick picture of the two before the show began, showing off their drinks as they prepared for a fun night. However, shortly after the setlist began, chaos struck. The perpetrators of the November 2015 attacks had targeted the theater, eventually storming inside and opening fire, taking Leclerc’s life among many others. Labanane survived the horrific event, making their photograph all the more chilling. It’s a permanent, heartbreaking memento from their tragic relationship.

The Crew of the Columbia

Going into space is a huge privilege and achievement, with some spending years training for the chance. Those on the space shuttle Columbia clearly felt wonder and excitement, as evidenced by a photo they took of themselves in zero gravity during their 2003 flight. It captures their smiling faces, all clearly proud of what they had accomplished so far. None had any idea that their vessel was damaged after striking a piece of debris, ensuring their deaths once they re-entered the atmosphere. Seeing the group and knowing their time was soon coming to a close changes the once-inspiring moment into something much darker and horrific.

Cheyenne Antoine & Brittney Gargol

No matter how much you think you know someone, everything can suddenly change in the blink of an eye. It was a normal night in 2015 when friends Cheyenne Antoine and Brittney Gargol got together for a fun night out in Saskatchewan. The two even took a cute selfie to commemorate the evening. It seemed to indicate a normal hang-out – until things took an unexpectedly dark turn. During an argument, Antoine attacked Gargol, eventually strangling her to death. That alone puts their photo into a new, grimmer context. However, there was another aspect that helped bring her to justice. The belt she had used for the grisly job was in the frame, providing evidence that exposed her lies and led to her conviction.

Three Teenagers’ Final Photo

With selfies, the attention is on the foreground, making it easy to accidentally ignore the background. One tragic case of this is the final moments of teenagers Essa Ricker and Kelsea Webster's lives. In 2011,they decided to take a quick picture with Kelsea’s younger sister on a set of train tracks in Utah. They didn’t realize a train was coming, though the headlights are visible in frame. They weren’t able to move in time, leading to them being struck. What makes things sadder is that one of the girls had commented on how cool their experience was just beforehand. Their final image evokes similar feelings to watching a horror movie, where you wish you could call out and warn the victims of what’s about to happen.

Tyler Hadley

Plenty of teenagers throw parties without their parents’ knowledge – but not many take it to this level. Upon looking at a 2011 photo of Michael Mandell and Tyler Hadley, you’d think the latter looked remorseful over holding an unallowed bash at his Florida family home. However, the truth was much darker. Moments before it had been taken, Hadley had shown his friend evidence of a grisly murder he had carried out against his parents. Perhaps knowing that night might be the last time he saw his friend, Mandell took a selfie to remember him by. The snapshot highlights just how young they both were, making many wonder what happened to make Hadley throw his whole life away like this.

Have you ever seen a seemingly innocent selfie with a dark backstory? Let us know in the comments below.