In 1999, 5-year-old Gonzalez was found clinging to an inner tube off Florida after his mother and others drowned while fleeing Cuba toward American soil.
Created to help the world's couch potatoes turn the tube on and off without having to make the arduous 2-meter journey to the TV set, the standby feature has spread to virtually every appliance in the home and office.
Since Elian first appeared off the Florida coast in November, clinging to an inner tube with his companions and his mother long-since drowned, his story has grown more and more bizarre.