The Happiest Man in the World lives in Croatia, in the small town of Petrinja. His name is Frane Selak, and by profession, he is a musician and conductor. It is Frane Selak who is officially recognized and listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the happiest resident of our planet.
“This Croatian’s luck would be enough for five lives of five average people. Who can answer why God extended His hand to him at the most dangerous moment so many times?” (German magazine)
Here is what Selak says:
“In my life, I have survived seven catastrophes—seven times I was on the brink of death. And ask me—am I a happy person? I will answer—YES! Very happy! My mother was seven months pregnant. In 1929, on a Saturday, my father, whose name was Martini, went out to sea in a boat—he loved fishing. My mother always accompanied him. Halfway there, she cried out: ‘Martini, I think I’m about to give birth!’ My father said: ‘You’ve lost your mind; there are still two months to go!’ And so my mother gave birth to me in the boat. My father cut the umbilical cord with a fishing knife, grabbed me by the head, plunged into the sea, wrapped me in a shirt, and quickly swam back.”
At the hospital, where the couple immediately went, the baby’s condition worsened. Of course, incubators for newborns were not even close to existing yet. The doctors delivered their verdict: the boy would not survive. But Frane’s mother did not even think of giving up! She rushed to the church, sprinkled holy water on the shirt in which the baby was wrapped in the boat—and the child immediately breathed differently, returning to life. This was the first miracle in Frane Selak’s life. Many years passed before Frane understood: even then, in the first days of his life, fate had given him the first, still unrecognized hint, which his parents later told him about many times: luck comes to those who, regardless of circumstances and opinions, are ready to fight for it to the end.
Frane Selak’s Seven Catastrophes
For the first time, the Croatian truly got lucky in 1962, when the train he was traveling on from Sarajevo to Dubrovnik derailed and fell into an icy river, reports Ananova. Seventeen people drowned, and Frane Selak nearly perished with them. He pulled an elderly woman traveling with him in the same carriage out of the water. He managed to swim to shore, suffering severe hypothermia, shock, bruises, and a broken arm.
In 1963, he fell out of an airplane between Zagreb and Rijeka—during the flight, the plane’s door suddenly opened. There was a beautiful stewardess on board. He unbuckled his seatbelt and went to flirt with the girl. At that moment, the plane door opened, and the stewardess flew out, followed by the ladies’ man Frane. The stewardess hung on a tree branch, catching onto her clothing, which saved her life. Frane, however, landed in a haystack. It turned out the plane had grazed a mountain slope due to fog. As a result of this catastrophe, seventeen people died again. Selak, however, escaped with shock, bruises, and cuts. This incident was included in the Guinness Book of Records.
In 1966, the bus Frane was traveling in to Split tilted and fell into a river. Four people died. Selak swam to shore, suffering cuts, bruises, and this time even greater shock.
The fourth catastrophe for the Croatian occurred in 1970. The Skoda car he was traveling in on the highway suddenly caught fire. Selak managed to escape the car just seconds before the fuel tank exploded.
After this incident, his friend began calling the lucky Croatian “Lucky.” “He told me then: ‘You can look at everything that happens to you from two sides. Either you are the unluckiest person in the world, or the luckiest.’ I preferred the latter,” Frane recalls.
In 1973, a weakened fuel pump sprayed gasoline directly onto the hot engine of his car, igniting flames through the breather. Frane lost his hair but again escaped unharmed, aside from minor burns.
In 1995, the sixth catastrophe for Frane Selak occurred. On one of Zagreb’s streets, he was accidentally hit by a bus. The lucky Croatian again escaped with “a slight fright”—he suffered minor bruises and even greater shock.
The following year, Selak was traveling in the mountains when, rounding a bend, he suddenly saw a UN truck speeding straight toward him. His Skoda crashed into a guardrail, broke through it, and hung on the edge of a precipice. Selak managed to jump out of the car at the last moment. After a short flight, he landed in a tree, from where he watched his car plunge into a mountain gorge and explode 90 meters below him.
Selak also attributed five of his marriages to the catastrophes of his life.
But if, until 2003, “higher powers” tested Frane in various disasters, in June 2003, it was “decided” to test him with what most people associate with happiness—a 74-year-old Frane won the lottery, receiving a sum equivalent to 600,000 pounds. That is almost $1,000,000. With the winnings, Selak bought a house, a car, and a speedboat. After that, he married his beloved, who was 20 years younger than him. At the time, he said: “Now I will enjoy my life. I feel reborn. I know God has been watching over me all these years.” But then Frane Selak, considered the happiest man on Earth, decided to give away the lottery winnings he had previously won to friends and relatives, writes The Daily Telegraph. Selak believed that “money cannot buy happiness” and returned to a modest life. He sold his luxurious house on a private island, gave away the money, and returned to his modest home in the town of Petrinja, south of Zagreb.
The happiest man in the world said:
– “God gave, we shared, praise the Lord, we live and are healthy. We are all lucky, at least because we are alive.”
“All I need at my age is Katarina! Money would change nothing,” the pensioner said.
He spent the remaining winnings on a hip replacement surgery to make his married life more pleasant and also built a chapel in honor of the Virgin Mary to thank the Mother of God for his luck.
I hope you have… enough happiness to make life sweet for you,
…enough trials to make you strong,
…enough sorrow to keep you human,
…enough hope to make you happy.
I became curious to look at the horoscope of this lucky man)) so I will partially examine the horoscope and the factors of luck or misfortune. Or is it all so bad?
He was born on June 3, 1929. By the Sun sign, our lucky man is Gemini.
1st house (Ascendant) at 21 degrees Scorpio—the person has powerful inner strength and an inexhaustible reserve of energy. Scorpio symbolizes the process of transformation (the process of inevitable changes). The ruler of the 21st degree is Pluto. It indicates an unstable life, a fate full of changes and transformations. Strikes and fluctuations of fate. The threat of collapse, ruin, fall, or overthrow. Sooner or later, Pluto forces one to get to know oneself, completely transforming one’s worldview. The pain of separation and loss helps to gain new experience and experience feelings previously unknown.
The Ascendant is also conjunct the star Unukalhai (the Serpent’s Heart—has the nature of Uranus and Neptune), whose influence is often very dangerous and destructive. It is noteworthy that for men, Unukalhai in love and marriage indicates either the unfaithfulness of a wife or a man’s attraction to many women. However, the star favors those who begin to help others, share their knowledge, and then the influence of the star Unuk Elkhaya will bring luck and fortune.
The ruler of the 1st house, Pluto, is in the 8th house — fate is always close. The ability to survive in extreme situations, the danger of falling into mass catastrophes, never getting lost under any circumstances, the ability to take risks and survive disasters. Life presents many situations that force one to burn bridges and start anew.
2nd house (related to finances) — the cusp is in Sagittarius. Saturn is positioned here, indicating that the person will not earn much in life. However, Saturn is in harmonious aspects with a strong Neptune and Venus. Harmonious aspects promise money, property, especially in old age. This also includes good musical abilities; earnings are connected to creativity. Selak is a musician by profession.
Uranus (brings sudden events, surprises) is the ruler of the 3rd house (short trips) and is located in the 5th house — trips involve unexpected adventures that one “could not have planned.” Uranus has harmonious aspects to Mercury (in the 8th house) and Mars in the 9th house (travels, trips, luck), so our hero miraculously avoids death.
4th house in Pisces — mystical circumstances of birth. Let us recall Frane’s birth at sea and the miracle that occurred in the church. The ruler of the 4th house, Neptune, is in the 9th house (according to Hermes, the ninth house is the house of God, Higher Will, and divine help. It is the ninth house that allows a person to change fate). Neptune is a theme of mystery, danger, uncertainty, and risk.
In Frane’s chart, there are two Grand Trines. One Grand Trine is formed by Saturn, Venus, and Neptune; the second by Lilith, Venus, and Neptune.
A Grand Trine acts as a Cosmic shield against dangers. A person with a Grand Trine in their chart is not afraid of any twists of fate; they have strong abilities that can be manifested when necessary, and often external circumstances help them to live life more happily and faster than others. It is no wonder that astrologers call this configuration the “Mercedes.”
Moon symbolizes a woman, changes, relocations, travels, water, liquids. The Moon is “responsible” for physical life, so it both teaches and protects. The Moon is in Aries in the 5th house, in conjunction with Uranus (a truly explosive combination of planets and signs) + harmonious aspects to Mercury, Pluto, and Mars. In life, this brings extreme situations on the road — explosions, fires, falls.
The Moon is also at 19 degrees Aries (at the Sun’s degree). At this point, great energy is concentrated; it brings fame in life (Selak is listed in the Guinness Book of Records).
What is more important: the influence of the stars or the position of the planets in the horoscope? The position of the planets, of course, determines important fateful qualities, but stars can influence for a long time.
Mercury in Gemini in conjunction with the star Capella — possible unpleasant experiences, controversial situations.
Uranus in the 5th house (love) in conjunction with the star Deneb Algenubi — has a destructive effect on relationships, and accidents during travels are also possible. However, the negative influence of Deneb Algenubi can be overcome if one finds the strength to decipher the hidden demands in these events. In any case, this star indicates the impossibility of passively accepting fate and avoiding problem-solving.
But what indicators point to winning the lottery? In his chart, there are several. I will mention them briefly. The Moon, ruler of the 8th house, is in the 5th house (gambling, lottery) in conjunction with Uranus (lucky chance) + sextile to Pluto (money). The chart shows 28, 29 degrees, which brings wealth.
North Lunar Node in Taurus in conjunction with Jupiter — happiness, luck, life protection; multiple marriages.
The position of Neptune at 29 degrees Leo in conjunction with the star Regulus brings fame and great wealth. However, this star is also associated with accidents that may follow success.
But what factors indicate a large number of marriages? Jupiter in the 7th house in Taurus. Uranus is in aspect to Mercury (ruler of the 7th house of partners) — Uranus loves change and brings unstable marriages. A strong Uranus pushes a person toward gaining freedom and the ability to live as they wish.
Neptune plays an important role, strongly expressed in the horoscope. Neptune embodies the very concept of temptation. Neptune in trine to Venus — the person is “magically attractive.” Pluto and Mars (rulers of the 1st house) are in aspect to Mercury in the 8th house; this position fuels sexual desires. Recall how successfully he flirted with a flight attendant on the plane.
But why did he give away his money? Lilith in the 2nd house — periodic attacks of fear of losing everything, being left without means of subsistence, or, on the other hand, complete disregard for money and things. This “pits” a person back and forth: from stinginess to inexplicable spending, and at different times may behave completely differently (literally throwing money to the wind, for example, climbing onto a rooftop, tossing a stack of bills down for passersby to pick up) — and Frane simply gave his money away.
And the fact that he built a chapel in gratitude to the Virgin Mary also indicates a trine from Lilith to Neptune in the 9th house (the house of God, religion). Neptune’s position in the horoscope is so strong that, no matter what happens, faith in God remains great.
What else can be said after looking at the chart and the video… a lucky person. In my opinion, material and spiritual wealth are in constant interaction. There are very rare cases when a happy person does not have enough money. Money solves many things, but it never solves or fulfills the main thing… it cannot buy love, it cannot awaken feelings… He chose love! Our happiness, the ability to love, to rejoice in life — is within us. And only we ourselves decide: to be grateful for life or to be dissatisfied with it.
Love your life! And let the fire of your love burn, no matter what!
Frane Selak, may you live a long life and have good luck!
