According to some accounts, James Otis—the patriot recognized for his bold declaration, “Taxation without representation is tyranny”—once voiced an uncanny wish: to be taken from this world by a flash of lightning. On May 23, 1783, his words became reality as a bolt struck him down, fulfilling his own prophecy in front of his family while he was mid-story. Otis was a brilliant lawyer whose words sparked the Revolution, but he suffered from severe mental health crises later in life. His sudden death actually brought comfort to his family, who believed it was God directly answering Otis’s long-time personal prayer for a quick, painless exit.