As more than five decades have ticked away, curiosity has grown about whether a man can truly be brought back to life through the marvels of modern science.
This question has captivated many, sparking imaginations and debates. Did the advances in human science achieve the miracle that one man, Dr. James Hiram Bedford, once dreamed of?
In 1967, with an unyielding zeal for life, Professor Bedford made a bold decision to have his body frozen, hoping to awaken in 2017 when technology might find the answer.
Three years have passed beyond this marked timeline, and the world wonders what became of the man once heralded as the wealthiest in America…
Professor James Hiram Bedford, a distinguished psychology professor at the University of California and a World War I veteran, savored a richly diverse life throughout the early to mid-20th century.
Twice married, he was an inveterate traveler, exploring Africa’s wilds, delving into the Amazon’s mysteries, and journeying through Europe’s historic landscapes, including Greece, Türkiye, Spain, England, Scotland, Germany, and Switzerland. Enterprisingly, he was among the pioneering motorists of the Alcan Highway to northwest Canada and Alaska.
In 1967, Bedford was confronted with terminal kidney cancer, which had metastasized to his lungs, and faced with the limits of medical science at the time, he had little option but to concede to his grim prognosis.
However, inspired by a novel idea from Dr. Robert Ettinger’s book, ‘The Prospect of Immortality,’ Bedford saw hope in cryonics — a field Ettinger helped establish with the Cryonics Institute, offering post-mortem body freezing services.
On January 12th, 1967, shortly after his heart ceased to beat, Robert Nelson initiated the preservation process on Bedford by injecting him with dimethyl sulfoxide, a foundational cryoprotectant.
Bedford’s passing marked a pioneering moment in the cryonics field that aimed to defy death, offering the enchanting possibility of future revival.
The UK’s Daily Telegraph cast light on Bedford’s freezing process in January 2017, sharing his poignant final words to Robert Nelson, now 82 years old and one of the original scientists in the historic event:
“I undertake this not with clarity that I will awaken. My intent is the hope that my descendants may one day revel in the splendor of scientific achievement.”
Having set aside over $100,000—equivalent to more than VND 2 billion today—to fund his freezing process, Bedford succumbed to cardiac arrest on January 12, 1967, at a nursing facility, aged 73.
In the immediate aftermath, Dr. Renault Able performed life-preserving aid including artificial respiration and cardiac massage to facilitate continuous blood flow.
Following his passing, his blood was fully evacuated and replaced with dimethyl sulfoxide to safeguard his organs, before he was consigned to a liquid nitrogen chamber maintained at -196 degrees Celsius.
In 1991, 24 years later, Alcor, a well-known cryonics organization, decided to inspect Bedford’s cryogenic state. As technicians carefully sliced through the metal casing of his containment unit, they uncovered Bedford resting within a pale blue sleeping bag, secured by a nylon strap, as he was transferred to a fresh liquid nitrogen chamber cloaked with polystyrene foam for examination.
The technical team observed that Bedford’s body had endured the test of time reasonably well. His countenance appeared youthful for his age at death, although areas of skin on his torso and neck bore discoloration, and they noted two punctures.
Although there was a spell of olfactory evidence of blood near his facial orifices and his eyes remained partially ajar, his corneas exhibited the crystalline white of ice. Examination revealed Bedford’s right leg draped over the left, with some surface cracking of the skin, yet despite these findings, the preservation was deemed commendable.
He was tenderly placed in a renewed sleeping arrangement and submerged back into the depths of nitrogen, pending further action. Now, more than five decades on from his willing suspension, Professor Bedford remains in icy repose, aligned with 145 others bound by similar hopes.
The narrative of James Hiram Bedford persists as a testament to human aspiration and the quest for immortality. His story intrigues us, challenging our understanding of life, death, and the scientific pursuits that draw humanity toward new horizons.
If you have thoughts or insights about the implications or ethical dimensions of cryonics, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to share your comments and join the conversation below.
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