Milan Rastislav Štefánik was the first Slovak to circumnavigate the world, to climb Mont Blanc, to survive the shooting down of his ice-plane during World War I. He was an intellectual, scientist, inventor, astronomer, national hero, but also a lover of women and a bon vivant. 100 years ago, everyone considered his dreams a utopia, but he was not afraid to step into the unknown and realise his dream of liberating his own nation. His life story seems almost unbelievable, considering that he did it all as a single man in failing health, from the poorest of circumstances.