In a Blink

Summary

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Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities

Episode: "In a Blink"

Date: September 11, 2025
Host: Aaron Mahnke
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild

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Episode Overview

This episode of Cabinet of Curiosities presents two fascinating stories centered around the theme of resilience and unexpected turns of fate—how life’s trajectory can be altered “in the blink of an eye.” The first tale explores an unconventional 19th-century attempt by Irish Americans to liberate Ireland by invading Canada, while the second recounts the astonishing inner world and literary achievement of Jean-Dominique Bauby after he became fully paralyzed by locked-in syndrome.

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Story 1: The Fenian Raids and the Battle for Ireland (01:10–06:00)

Main Points & Insights:

• Aaron examines the persistent struggle for Irish independence, particularly the inventive lengths to which Irish immigrants in America were willing to go.
• John O’Neill, an Irish immigrant and former Union officer, becomes the leader of the Fenian Brotherhood, a militia group with the extraordinary plan to attack British-controlled Canada.
• Their objective: to seize Canadian territory and ransom it for Ireland’s freedom—demonstrating both desperation and creativity in the fight against British rule.
• The Fenian Brotherhood crosses from Buffalo, NY into Canada, capturing Fort Erie with surprising ease and briefly controlling territory north of the border.
• The group’s military experience, especially compared to the largely inexperienced Canadian defenders, leads to temporary battlefield success at the skirmish known as the Battle of Ridgeway.

Notable Quotes:

• “John had been happy to lend his services to the Union for a price, but he would never work for the English King who he saw as responsible for the destruction of his homeland.” (02:14, Aaron Mahnke)
• “The Canadians never knew what hit them, and the militia easily captured the Canadian town called Fort Erie.” (03:09, Aaron Mahnke)

Turn of Events:

• Due to an error in communication, the Canadian militia mistakenly responds to Fenian scouts as if they’re under cavalry attack, leading to confusion, vulnerability, and eventual retreat.
• Realizing the British and Canadians have begun to respond with overwhelming force, O’Neill and his men retreat to the United States after brief, ephemeral victories.
• The Fenian raids, though ultimately unsuccessful as military campaigns, have long-term consequences: they galvanize Canadian unity, helping prompt the Canadian Confederation in 1867.

Key Moment:

• “But curiously, in the long run, it marked a greater turning point for the Canadians…one of the many factors that actually led to the Canadian confederation the following year." (05:35, Aaron Mahnke)

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Story 2: Jean-Dominique Bauby and the Power of One Blink (07:36–12:01)

Main Points & Insights:

• The narrative shifts to France in the 1990s, spotlighting Jean-Dominique Bauby, a charismatic editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine.
• At 43, Bauby suffers a catastrophic stroke while driving his son, leaving him completely paralyzed—except for movement in his left eyelid.
• Doctors initially think he is vegetative until a friend notices his blinking, revealing his consciousness and leading to a diagnosis of locked-in syndrome.
• Jean communicates through an arduous system: as someone recites the alphabet, he blinks to signal his choice, constructing words one letter at a time.
• With incredible patience and willpower, over 10 months Bauby blinks out an entire memoir: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

Notable Quotes:

• “He was rushed to the hospital, but by the time he arrived, things had gone from bad to worse. He couldn't speak or move. And then he slipped into a coma. When he woke up 20 days later, the nightmare had only just begun.” (08:47, Aaron Mahnke)
• “Completely conscious, fully aware, but trapped in his own body.” (09:28, Aaron Mahnke)
• “The process took 200,000 blinks over the course of 10 months.” (11:14, Aaron Mahnke)
• “So yes, it's true that life can fall apart in the blink of an eye. But as Jean proved, life can also be rebuilt one blink at a time.” (11:53, Aaron Mahnke)

Memorable Moments:

• Jean's methodical mental editing and memorization before each morning’s session, so he could maximize what he blinked out to his interpreter: a feat of “mental endurance, patience and willpower.” (11:28)
• After his death in 1997, Bauby’s memoir captures the inner world of the “locked-in,” becoming a global bestseller and Oscar-nominated film.
• His story offers rare insight for medical professionals, families, and readers into the emotional and intellectual perseverance within total physical confinement.

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• Irish independence & Fenian Brotherhood background: 01:10–03:00
• The Fenian capture of Fort Erie and tactical confusion: 03:01–04:30
• Retreat and aftermath leading to Canadian Confederation: 05:10–06:00
• Jean-Dominique Bauby’s stroke and locked-in syndrome: 07:36–09:30
• Communication breakthrough with blinking: 09:31–10:30
• Writing ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’ and Bauby’s legacy: 10:31–12:01

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Closing Thoughts

Aaron Mahnke ties both tales back to the fragility and resilience of the human condition, highlighting how pivotal moments—sometimes as small as a blink—can reshape destinies, spark historical change, and reveal true courage.

Transcript

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[Aaron Menke]

Welcome to Aaron Menke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and mild.

Our world is full of the unexplainable and if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities.

Ireland suffered under English rule longer than any other colony. In fact, the English occupied Ireland for over 700 years. It's a testament to Ireland's strength and the vibrancy of their culture that it endured. Despite this, the Irish fought for their independence throughout the centuries, but sometimes the fight took a curious turn. Such was the case in 1866 when the battle for Ireland's independence spread to a whole different continent. Like a lot of pioneers, John o' Neill was very sure of himself and didn't like being told what to do. He fought on the side of the Union during the Civil War, but transferred battalions when he wasn't promoted and then retired before the war was even over. He learned how to fight and how to run an army during his time in the service, but the cause was never really his. He was an Irish immigrant who had left home during the Famine and was just trying to find his place in the world. But it seemed that everywhere he went there was always some king or president trying to get you to join his army. John had been happy to lend his services to the Union for a price, but he would never work for the English King who he saw as responsible for the destruction of his homeland. After John left the army, he was working in Tennessee when he met some fellow Irish immigrants who had formed a militia called the Fenian Brotherhood. Their goal was to further the cause of Irish independence in America by attacking British controlled Canada to the north. They hoped to occupy the country and hold it ransom for Ireland's freedom. It was a far fetched idea, but they were angry men who knew how to fight and they weren't exactly in a position to help while they were on the other side of the ocean. They felt that this was the Only option that was left to them. John traveled with the militia to Buffalo, New York, where they prepared to cross the Niagara river into Canada. They numbered over a thousand men, but that was hardly enough to take a whole country. But again, John and his like were stubborn. This became even more evident when the man who was supposed to lead them into battle didn't show up. Rather than give up the fight, the Fenians selected John as their new leader. He had battle experience after all, and a strong enough presence to inspire the men. Soon they were on their way across the river. The Canadians never knew what hit them, and the militia easily captured the Canadian town called Fort Erie. The Fenians blockade the town from the rest of the world and sent out a letter to the civilians claiming that they meant them no harm. They only wished to drive the British from the area. By this point, the British were mustering thousands of troops across Canada to defend their country. But the Fenians weren't deterred. They left Fort Erie behind and continued their conquest west to a village called Ridgway. As they arrived, they heard the bugles of the approaching Canadian army and formed a defensive line. John sent out riflemen to attack the marching Canadians and and draw them toward the Fenian army. Soon he was watching from the rear as hundreds of Canadian soldiers weaved their way toward his men through various trees and the small buildings of a farm caught between the two armies. And here's the thing. John's men were disciplined from their time in the Civil War. They kept formation and maintained regular gunfire against the enemy, picking off a few here and there, keeping them from advancing quickly. Wanting more intelligence, John ordered scouts on horseback to travel out and report back as to the size of the army. But this strategy had unintended consequences as well. When the inexperienced Canadian soldiers saw the few approaching horse scouts, they mistook them for a cavalry charge. They tried to change their formation, clumping into a tight square. But this only made them more vulnerable to gunfire. By the time their comrades realized the mistake and tried to get them back into a line, morale was dropping and some of the men started to flee. Soon the entire Canadian army was running up the road back the way they had come. The Fenians rejoiced, picking off a few more Canadians as they fled down the road. But John had seen the size of the army and he knew that he couldn't keep this up. They retreated back to Fort Erie and after a skirmish near the river, successfully retreated back into the U.S. john would lead several more raids on Canada over the next few months before the Americans finally made him stop in order to preserve peace with England. It was a major victory for the Irish, who had shown the world what they were capable of, but curiously, in the long run, it marked a greater turning point for the Canadians, who took the attacks as a wake up call that their defenses needed updating. It was one of the many factors that actually led to the Canadian confederation the following year, which saw several Canadian provinces that were still technically separate British colonies unite into the large, strong country that we know today.

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[Aaron Menke]

Life can change in the blink of an eye. It's a cliche because it's true. As a Frenchman named Jean Dominique, Bobby learned all too well. In the mid-1990s, Jean was at the top of his game. He was the editor in chief of a major fashion magazine and a charismatic figure in Parisian high society. He attended glamorous parties, drove fast cars and moved through the world with charm, wit and style. He was 43 years old and seemingly invincible. And then, on December 8th of 1995, everything changed. That day, Jean was driving his son to the theater when something inside him Snapped. His vision blurred, and he broke out in a cold sweat. The world seemed to slow to a crawl, like time itself was freezing. John didn't know it yet, but he was experiencing a massive stroke while behind the wheel with his child in the passenger seat. Somehow, though, he managed to stay calm and pull the car over. He was rushed to the hospital, but by the time he arrived, things had gone from bad to worse. He couldn't speak or move. And then he slipped into a coma. When he woke up 20 days later, the nightmare had only just begun. Jean was alive, but completely paralyzed. He couldn't move, eat, or even swallow on his own. Most terrifying of all, he couldn't speak, which meant that he had no way to show that he was still mentally present. His doctors thought that he was in a vegetative state until a friend noticed that Jean's left eyelid was twitching. They called out to Jean and told him to blink if he understood, and Jeanne blinked in response. That showed everyone that he was actually still there. Completely conscious, fully aware, but trapped in his own body. He was diagnosed with Locked in syndrome, a rare neurological disorder where the entire body is paralyzed except for some small eye movement. Bijan wasn't done fighting. Using only his left eye, he developed a communication system with his speech therapist. As they recited each letter of the Alphabet, Jean would blink at the right moment to select the letter that he wanted. And letter by letter, word by word, he painstakingly spelled out messages to nurses, doctors and family. It was slow and it was exhausting, but it worked. Using this new system, Jean was able to describe what it felt like to be trapped inside his own body. And more than that, it gave him a piece of his life back. He could talk with friends, connect with his caregivers, and share moments with his family. Instead of just watching life happen around him, he was part of it again. His daughter would perch on the armrest of his wheelchair, pretending that they were racing in one of the fast cars that he used to love. In those moments, Jean found joy, even if only for a few seconds at a time. And then, just a little over a year later, Jean came down with pneumonia. His weakened body struggled to fight the infection, and he died on March 9th of 1997 at the age of 44. But that wasn't the end of his story. Just two days later, a book was published telling the story of Jean's struggle. It was called the Diving Bell and the Butterfly. And thanks to how much Jean had been able to communicate, it offered a rare glimpse into the experience of being trapped inside your own body. The book became an international bestseller, and a decade later it was adapted into a critically acclaimed film that earned four Oscar nominations. Doctors, therapists and researchers still cite it as a landmark work in understanding patients with severe paralysis, but here's the most impressive part. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a memoir, meaning that Jean Dominique Bobi wrote it himself. Using nothing but his left eyelid, he dictated the entire 130 page manuscript by blinking one letter at a time to an interpreter. The process took 200,000 blinks over the course of 10 months. Jean and his interpreter worked together for a a few hours each day, and he spent the rest of his time composing passages in his head, editing and memorizing every word so that he could get it all out in the morning. It was a feat of mental endurance, patience and willpower, and it let him tell his story. So yes, it's true that life can fall apart in the blink of an eye. But as John proved, life can also be rebuilt one blink at a time.

I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts or learn more about the show by visiting curiositiespodcast.com the show was created by me, Aaron Manke, in partnership with How Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series and television show and you can learn all about it [e-mail] and until next time, stay curious.

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