On October 4, 1957, at a secret nuclear test site in the Nevada desert, Lt. Col. Glenn Manning was waiting with his colleagues for the detonation of an experimental plutonium bomb. When a civilian aircraft flew into the area and crashed, Manning heroically ran to the crash site to give aid, but then was caught in the test explosion.
Somehow still alive but horribly burned, the military doctors gave Manning little chance of survival. But miraculously, his skin began healing at a fantastic rate. At the same time, he began growing to the point where the army had to erect a circus tent to house him and bring in meat by the truckload to feed him.
Manning’s doctors soon found a new threat to his life -- the Colonel’s heart was not growing proportionally with his body, and the lack of blood flow to his brain would drive Manning insane before it ultimately killed him.
So, as you contemplate the hopes and challenges of a new year, consider the fate of Col. Manning, and try to imagine yourself in his shoes (size 70, 10xEEE).
In a Films From Beyond exclusive, we have unearthed Col. Manning’s journal from those amazing days after his accident, including his New Year’s resolutions for 1958. Surprisingly (or maybe not), they don’t differ much from most people’s resolutions, even in 2025.
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| 1. Always wear sunscreen when strolling around the nuclear test site. |
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| 2. Ask doctor about Oozemplic® for weight gain problem. |
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| 3. Find a bigger apartment. |
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| 4. Deal with the gambling problem. |
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| 5. Look into anger management therapy. |
