Coca-Cola is widely known as being a symbol of America. It was created by Dr. John Pemberton — a famous physician in the 1800s. When the Civil War hit, he tossed away his lab coat for a buttoned uniform and joined the army.

After getting caught in a direct line of fire, he was given a life-threatening drug to ease the pain for his last few hours.

But he miraculously survived and used his near-death experience to build Coca-Cola’s $74 billion dollar brand.

Sources:

[Dr. John Pemberton]
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[Asa Candler]
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[Joseph Whitehead and Benjamin Thomas]
   • History and Facts about Coca-Cola!  
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[Ernest and Robert Woodruff]
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   • How BIG is Coca-Cola? | Size, History...  
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[Coca-Cola]
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   • The history of Coca-cola  
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   • How BIG is Coca-Cola? | Size, History...  
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[Vin Mariani]
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20...
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