If you have ever been to Las Vegas, or seen at least a picture of the strip, then you have probably witnessed a tall tower above all other buildings from a distance.
Well that 1,149 foot tall tower is formally known as the Stratosphere Tower which is considered a landmark by all Las Vegas natives.
The man behind the tower, and the casino next to it was Bob Stupak. Stupak was a risk-taker, a gambler and had a unique vision. He built the Vegas World Casino under a loan, the same casino that would eventually report $100 million per year in gross revenue.
This casino helped him fund the bankroll for the most ambicious project of his life: the Stratosphere Tower. It was opened in 1996 and since then it remains the tallest observation tower in the US. The only reason why Stupak could not make it even taller was because of possible interference with flights in the area.
Being a life struggler, Stupak survived a motorcycle accident that broke all the bones in his face and put him in a comma. He was even able to function miraculously fine after that.
A few years after that Stupak would be diagnosed with leukemia. He did not take it so well this time, after a long struggle against the disease Bob Stupak has now passed away, he was 67 years old. Stupak is a man who will always be remembered as someone who made the Las Vegas strip what it is today.