As the year 2014 draws to a close, let’s take out some time to stroll in the memory lane to see the most unforgettable and shocking moments which left a mark in our subconscious. From devastating stealth invasions to a seventeen-year old education activist winning the Nobel Peace Prize, it is safe to say that the year was truly an extraordinary one. The following list shows fifteen of the most memorable moments of 2014: 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
15. Internet Breaks Down by ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Image By: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe
In mid-July, the internet started to become ridiculously filled with videos of people dumping buckets of ice-cold water on themselves as a campaign to create awareness of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis disease.
A fun concept, the participant makes a video of himself doing the challenge and nominates at least three individuals along with a donation of $10. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge made its way to the celebrities too as countless got soaked such as Robert Pattinson, Emma Stone, Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Anne Hathaway, Stephen King, Justin Timberlake, Tiger Woods, Vince McMahon, Bill Gates, Robert Downey Jr. and even the brains behind Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg to name a few.
14. Phillip Hughes Dies Young at 25
At the tender age of 20, a cricket star was born as Phillip Joel Hughes made his debut in Test match against South Africa and surprised the world by not only winning the match but also impressively scoring 160 and becoming the youngest cricketer to score centuries in the match’s innings; a record previously held by retired Australian cricketer Doug Walters since 1965.
For a rising star, Hughes became a sensation among his teammates and fans alike but his life as well as his career came to a halt when he was struck on the neck by a bouncer ball during a Sheffield Shield match New South Wales. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
The young cricketer collapsed after the stroke and was rushed to St. Vincent’s Hospital and died without regaining consciousness despite intensive care and surgery – a great loss for his and cricket fans around the world.
13. Russia Unofficially Invades Ukraine 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
Some countries’ thirst for power and domination never gets satisfied and Russia is no exception. The year just began and in the month of February, Ukraine fell prey to the once proud super power of the world as Russia slowly began to send its troops and military equipment in the territories of Ukraine with the vile intentions of unofficially stealthily invading it.
Things only got complicated as Russian President Vladimir Putin – after seizing control of Crimea – felt it was his right to send in the troops. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
With bloodshed and slaughter being a common practice due to the ongoing war, only time will tell when will there be light again in the terrorized lands.
12. Angelina Jolie Receives Honorary Damehood 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
If there is one Hollywood starlet famous for not only her acting career but for her heart of gold then it is none other than Angelina Jolie.
Her tiring efforts against sexual violence around the globe did not go unrecognized as she was awarded the Insignia of a Honorary Dame Grand Cross by none other than Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace this year. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
“To receive an honor related to foreign policy means a great deal to me, as it is what I wish to dedicate my working life to,” Jolie stated on her damehood. “Working on the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative and with survivors of rape is an honor in itself. I know that succeeding in our goals will take a lifetime, and I am dedicated to it for all of mine.”
11. Brock Lesnar Ends Undertaker’s WrestleMania Winning Streak
It was a moment that put the entire Mercedes-Benz Superdome in a state of shock and utter quietness as the unthinkable happened: The Undertaker – one of the greatest wrestlers of all time to ever step foot in a WWE ring – was defeated by the Best; Brock Lesnar; ending his undefeated WrestleMania winning streak of 21 annual victories on the grandest stage of them all.
Similar to football and cricket having their respective World Cups, WWE has WrestleMania which showcases the very best product sports-entertainment has to offer and the winning streak of the Demon from Death Valley has been regarded as the most astounding attraction when it comes to the annual pay-per-view. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
After 21 WrestleMania wins, the Undertaker met his most vicious challenge as he faced off Lesnar in a thrilling 25 minute match that resulted in the Deadman finally being defeated; regarded as one of the most depressing and shocking moments in the history of WWE.
10. Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo Wins FIFA Ballon d’Or 2013
The year started with an ongoing rivalry between two of the most gifted athletes in football history as both Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi had their eyes on the prize: FIFA Ballan d’Or 2013.
The competitiveness against each other brought with it the most memorable moment for any football player as the Portuguese legend and Real Madrid’s star Cristiano Ronaldo clinched the Ballon d’Or for the second time in his career defeating argentine’s Lionel Messi. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
The event brought smiles to some as well as tears to others, as many die hard fans of the sport desperately wanted Messi to win it for the 5th time but Ronaldo ended his streak by a comprehensive win in the end. It turned out to be an amazing year for Ronaldo as his performance and skills were even more impressive than the previous years despite his growing age nearing 30.
9. Germany Wins FIFA World Cup 2014
Football was undoubtedly one of the most played games of the entire year around the globe and the prestigious FIFA World Cup only added flavor to the marvelous sport. With 171 matches played throughout the tournament in different Brazilian venues, it was Germany that reigned supreme at the end of the long arduous war. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
Their much deserved victory was their 4th win at the FIFA World Cup and their very first since 1990. While the betting odds were strongly in favor of the runner up team Argentina, it proved once and for all that it takes a fantastic amount of team work to defeat the one man show, Lionel Messi.
8. Peshawar School Attack by Taliban
Known as the City of Frontier, Peshawar is one of the richest countries of Pakistan in terms of culture and history.Unfortunately, the recent attack by the notorious Taliban forced the city to bend down on its trembling knees because of the massacre it caused in the premises of Army Public School; leaving the school with blood, tears and a pool of innocent little dead bodies. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
Killing people is bad enough but killing young children who are not even familiar with the word of ‘terrorism’ is outrageously inhuman and unforgivable – apparently something which Taliban feel a great pride in. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
Killing 132 children and injuring more than 245, the violent attack has been condemned by all the shocked Pakistanis across the country and by the entire world.
7. India’s Mars Orbiter Mission
After realizing that space technology is a thing of the future, India began working on a spacecraft which would successfully orbit the planet Mars; adding itself in the list of one of the very few countries who have made a name for themselves in the field of astronautics along with America, Russia and United Kingdom.
Launched on November 5, 2013, the Mars Orbiter Mission proved to be a successful one as it entered Mars’ orbit nearly a year later; making India the first Asian country to do so. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
The most remarkable aspect of the amazing project was the overall cost as it took approximately 450 crore ($73 million); the cheapest yet fruitful Mars mission of all time.
6. The Death of Robin Williams
Image Courtesy: AP/Dan Steinberg
Robin Williams touched the spirits of audience of all ages. Whether it was a child or a grown man, everyone appreciated the comedy portrayed by the magnificent actor who gave everything he had for a smile on other people’s faces.
The world was truly in a deep shock after learning the fact that Williams ended his own life by committing suicide as he hanged himself with a belt. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
It was truly sad to see that the man who is responsible for bringing so many lovable characters in our lives such as the adorable Genie, Popeye the Sailor, Peter Pan, Alan Parrish and Dr. Sean Maguire, Fender Pinwheeler and President Theodore Roosevelt was no more living among us.
5. Israel – Gaza Conflict
The history between the animosity between Israel and Gaza dates back to June 2006 but the two states wrote the most bloodiest and gruesome chapter to their historic rivalry between the months of July and August of this year.
What could have been a quickly resolved tussle ended in an extremely unnecessary slaughter that modern mankind has ever witnessed. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
Tensions became bitter when a Palestinian teenager was killed as an act of revenge for killing three Israeli teenagers as Israel soon launched Operation Protective Edge in the name of self-defense with the aid of countless missile strikes which resulted in the deaths of 71 Israelis and 2,100 Palestinians; a loss that Palestinians faced along with a massive destruction of their territory.
4. The Oscar Selfie
Image Source: Twitter/@TheEllenShow
When Ellen DeGeneres was announced to be the host of the 86th Academy Awards for the second time, no one had any idea that her selfie would make more of an impact than her hosting. As soon as she posted a selfie on her Twitter along with A-list Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper etc., it became the most retweeted photo in a matter of hours. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
The selfie phenomenon quickly became a unique thing in its own right as millions of people around the globe began to do it as if it has become the coolest act of the year. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
The simple but entertaining habit of the selfie concept quickly became insanely popular among politicians, astronauts and sportsmen as well; much to the delight of people who frequently intimidate it.
3. Ebola Virus Epidemic
What started in the heart of West Africa quickly spread across half of the globe like wild-fire as the threat of the Ebola virus proved that it has no bounds. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
Named after a river in Democratic Republic of Congo where the disease was discovered for the very first time in 1976, it was the year 2014 that struck bad luck as the virus began to devastate human lives as far as the eye could see. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
As of December 13, the Ebola virus has infected an alarming number of more than 18,498 victims and killed more than 7,188 poor souls and has furiously puzzled even the most gifted doctors and medical specialists around the world with the fear that the virus might have no cure at all despite countless research and study.
2. Malala Yousafzai Wins Nobel Peace Prize
Image Courtesy: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP
The young but enthusiastic Pakistani female education activist could not have been more right when she stated, “I tell my story not because it is unique, but because it is not. It is the story of many girls.” 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
After miraculously surviving a fatal shot to the head by Taliban who warned her from going to school, Malala Yousafzai became only more passionate about creating awareness of education among young girls in her tribal area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
In a short span of two years after the assassination attempt, Malala became the second Pakistani and the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution in struggle against oppression against the young generation who are entitled to education; a victory she shared with Kailash Satyarthi, another children’s right activist from neighboring country India.
1. Disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
None of the moments from the entire year were as shocking and dreadful than the mysterious disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 with not even a single trace of its whereabouts.
Scheduled to leave for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014, the Boeing 777 aircraft was reportedly missing half hour after its takeoff. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
Carrying an enormous amount of 227 passengers from 15 nations and a crew of 12 Malaysians, the plane has still not been found despite months of untiring search. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
Despite being presumed to crash into the Indian Ocean, the strange disappearance of the Malaysian airlines put the world in shock by convincing its inhabitants that there is so much that we can never be truly sure about know despite the advancement of technology. 15 Most Memorable Moments of 2014
Did we miss any memorable moment of 2014? Feel free to leave a comment below!
