J. Paul Getty III, member of the Getty oil dynasty family, died recently at the age of 54. His life sucked.
- He was kidnapped when he was 16 and when his father and grandfather refused to pay the ransom without evidence that it was not a hoax. Four months later, the kidnappers, demanding $3 million, cut off the kid's right ear and sent it as evidence.
- His billionaire grandfather paid $2.2 million in ransom ("the maximum that his accountants said would be tax-deductible"). His grandfather lent the remaining to the father...at a 4 percent interest.
- He was disinherited by the same grandfather who disapproved of his marriage and received nothing in the will.
- He became addicted to alcohol and drugs, from which he had an overdose that led to a stroke leaving him wheelchair bound, paralyzed, unable to speak and partly blind.
Money don't buy happiness, kids.