The Incredible Story of the Guy Who Ate a Plane
Imagine someone sitting down to eat, not a regular meal, but pieces of metal, glass, and even parts of an airplane. It sounds impossible, but that’s exactly what Michel Lotito did. Known for his unusual ability to consume objects most people wouldn’t dare touch, Lotito took things to the extreme when he ate an entire airplane over the course of two years.
His story is a jaw-dropping example of what some humans are capable of. Let’s dive into the incredible journey of this man, famously remembered as the guy who ate a plane.
Michel Lotito: A Life of Extreme Feats
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Michel Lotito, born in 1950 in Grenoble, France, became world-famous for doing what no one else could imagine: eating objects made of metal, glass, rubber, and other indigestible materials. From an early age, Lotito discovered that he could consume items that would make others sick.
This unique ability led him to a life of fame as a performer, earning the nickname “Monsieur Mangetout,” meaning “Mr. Eat-All.” Lotito’s strange eating habits were a result of a rare condition called Pica, which causes individuals to crave non-food objects. While most people with Pica eat things like dirt or chalk, Lotito took it to the extreme, making a career out of it.
His talents went beyond mere entertainment—he held the Guinness World Record for “Strangest Diet” and became a cultural phenomenon. Throughout his life, Lotito ate a wide variety of bizarre items, but nothing was as extraordinary as his decision to consume an entire airplane.
The Plane-Eating Feat: How He Consumed a Cessna 150
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Perhaps the most jaw-dropping feat of Michel Lotito’s career was his decision to eat a Cessna 150, a small, lightweight aircraft used for personal and flight training purposes. From 1978 to 1980, over the course of two years, Lotito gradually consumed the plane. He broke the plane into smaller, bite-sized pieces to make it easier to digest.
Starting with parts made of rubber and glass, Lotito eventually worked his way up to the heavier metal components. The process involved grinding down pieces of the plane and ingesting them with generous amounts of mineral oil and water, which helped his body handle the sharp and indigestible materials.
Lotito consumed around 9 kilograms (almost 20 pounds) of plane parts daily, carefully balancing his metal diet with soft, regular food. By the end of the two-year period, he had eaten every last piece of the Cessna 150, cementing his place in history as the man who defied the impossible.
How Did He Do It? The Science Behind His Unbelievable Feat
Michel Lotito’s body was uniquely adapted to handle his unusual diet. While most people would suffer severe internal injuries from eating even a small piece of glass or metal, Lotito’s stomach and intestines had an abnormally thick lining, allowing him to safely consume sharp and toxic materials.
Doctors discovered that Lotito’s digestive system was nearly twice as thick as the average person’s, which allowed him to break down these materials without causing internal harm. To protect his stomach from damage, Lotito also drank large amounts of water and mineral oil to coat the objects and help them pass through his system smoothly.
His teeth were incredibly strong, allowing him to chew through metal, glass, and rubber. Although doctors monitored him closely, Michel Lotito never experienced any serious health problems related to his extreme diet. His case became a scientific curiosity, with experts marveling at how he managed to survive and thrive on a diet of materials not meant for human consumption.
Other Unusual Things Michel Lotito Ate
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While the Cessna 150 plane remains Michel Lotito’s most famous meal, it was far from the only unusual item he consumed. Throughout his career, Lotito ate a wide range of bizarre objects, including bicycles, shopping carts, televisions, beds, and even a coffin. Some of the items he ingested were part of his performances, but others were consumed simply to challenge himself.
Lotito often ate small household items such as lightbulbs, nails, and bolts, grinding them down into manageable pieces and washing them down with mineral oil. Over the course of his life, Lotito is estimated to have eaten nearly nine tons of metal and other strange materials.
He carefully avoided items that could cause an immediate reaction, such as explosive materials, but almost nothing else was off-limits. Each object consumed became part of Lotito’s growing legend, as people around the world marveled at his unmatched ability to eat the unimaginable.
Public Reactions and Media Attention
Michel Lotito’s incredible talents did not go unnoticed by the public and media. As his fame grew, he became a regular feature in newspapers, magazines, and television shows around the world. Lotito’s unique ability earned him a place in the Guinness World Records and appearances on numerous talk shows and variety programs.
Audiences were both amazed and horrified as they watched him consume objects that would land the average person in the hospital. His feats became a form of entertainment that captured the imaginations of people everywhere, sparking curiosity about the limits of the human body.
While some were skeptical at first, believing it to be a hoax, doctors and medical professionals confirmed the legitimacy of his abilities, further adding to his mystique. Lotito performed for live audiences throughout his career, often drawing large crowds who were eager to witness the “guy who ate a plane” perform in person. Despite the bizarre nature of his talent, Lotito was beloved by many, and his legacy continues to fascinate people today.
Featured image: Instagram.com
