In 1967, Dr. James Hiram Bedford, a psychology professor and World War I veteran, became the first person cryonically preserved.
Diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer, he pursued the idea outlined in The Prospect of Immortality by Dr. Robert Ettinger, hoping future advancements might restore his life and health. Over five decades later, his body remains stored at Alcor Life Extension Foundation. Although technology to revive cryonically frozen individuals has yet to be developed, Bedford’s preservation represents humanity’s persistent dream of overcoming mortality and unlocking the secrets of life extension.
