Last known photo of inventor who inspired Tesla was taken just before he died alone and penniless
Nikola Tesla died in 1943 - 60 years before the car company was founded in his name
Ella Scott
Reddit users have recently discovered the fate of inventor Nikola Tesla - the little-known namesake of Elon Musk’s automative company.
Born in 1856, Nikola lived until he was 86 and is best known for inventing the first alternating current (AC) motor.
During his career, the electrical engineer also created the Tesla coil, the neon lamp and the first wireless remote-control boat.
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However, despite early gaining fame and fortune for his work, Nikola later fell into relative obscurity.
Due to his inventions falling out of favor with the world, the futurist ended up spending all of his money and was forced to live in a series of New York hotels.
Due to not being able to afford the rooms, he often left bills unpaid and his work fell into relative obscurity.
In January 1943, Nikola died on the 33rd floor of the Hotel New Yorker in Manhattan.
His cause of death was later declared coronary thrombosis.
Following his lonely death, US government agents were said to have swept into Nikola’s digs to gather up his notes and files, which still remain a mystery.
60 years after his death, Tesla Motors, incorporated in July 2003, was named after the electrical engineer in tribute.
Taking to the popular Reddit thread r/interestingasf**k, one user posted a photograph of what is believed to be the last taken of Nikola.
Underneath the heartbreaking post, one social media user wrote: “Some of the most creative geniuses have spent their entire lives being underappreciated, only to become influential after their death.
“Nicola Tesla, Leonardo Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Ludwig Boltzmann etc.”
A second said: “The car company was named after him and their logo modeled after his face. How kind!”
Unfortunately, this user’s comment is up for debate as Tesla has never actually confirmed the inspiration behind its logo design.
In 2017, Musk claimed it was supposed to symbolize a ‘cross-section of an electric motor’.
However, others have speculated if it is simply an elegant representation of the letter ‘T’.
Speaking about Nikola, a third Reddit user typed: “Tesla was one those people that have great ideas but awful communication.
“He pretty much was too smart for his time and couldn't teach people or get them to listen to him. Poor man must have felt so alone.”
Another said: “It's a shame and a black eye on our culture that such a brilliant man whose impact on modern society is immeasurable, died in such unfortunate circumstances.”