William Pace

William Pace

Guinness World Record Holder, Longest Living Person with a Bullet in His Head
Country: USA

Content:
  1. William Lawlis Pace: The Man with a Bullet in His Head
  2. A Life with a Bullet
  3. Guinness World Record
  4. A Legacy of Resilience

William Lawlis Pace: The Man with a Bullet in His Head

William Lawlis Pace, a Central Californian, passed away in 2012 at the ripe age of 103. Already a centenarian, Mr. Pace had a remarkable distinction: he had lived the past 94 years with a bullet lodged in his head.

William Pace

A Life with a Bullet

In 1917, tragedy struck when William's older brother, Marvin, accidentally shot him with his father's 0.22 caliber rifle. Although William survived, the bullet cost him an eye and his hearing in one ear, settling permanently in his brain. Doctors dared not remove it, leaving William to navigate life with the foreign object.

Despite the facial asymmetry caused by the bullet, William adjusted remarkably. He lived a full and seemingly uninterrupted life, working as a cemetery caretaker. His amiable nature and wry humor endeared him to the local community. William remained married to his wife, Onetia, for over 70 years until her passing in 2004.

Guinness World Record

In 2006, William's remarkable story reached the Guinness World Records. He was officially recognized as the "Longest Surviving Person with a Bullet in Their Head." The confirmation involved an X-ray that year, proving the bullet was still nestled in the back of his skull.

A Legacy of Resilience

After reaching the century mark and surpassing it, William passed away peacefully in his sleep at 103. He remained an extraordinary record-holder whose story is unlikely to be replicated. The intentional pursuit of such a record is highly improbable, and so Mr. Pace's record is likely to stand the test of time.

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