January 19: The First Human Ever Frozen for Future Revival

James Bedford became the first human ever frozen for future revival in January 1967. The psychology professor hoped science would one day cure his cancer and bring him back. Nearly six decades later he remains frozen at Alcor in Arizona, still waiting for that future to arrive.

A Nurse Ran Door to Door Collecting Ice from Neighbors

When Bedford died, the cryonics team was completely unprepared. Robert Nelson, president of the Cryonics Society of California and described by newspapers as a TV repairman, could not be found for over an hour. Bedford's nurse frantically ran up and down the block collecting ice from neighbors' home freezers to pack around his body while they searched.

His Last Words Were Painfully Ironic

Bedford murmured his final words to those gathered around him. He said I'm feeling better and then quietly died. The 73 year old psychology professor had battled kidney cancer that spread to his lungs. He left $100,000 in his will to fund cryonics research and his own preservation.

The Freezing Process Went Completely Wrong

The team was supposed to drain Bedford's blood and replace it with antifreeze solution to protect his tissues. Instead they simply injected the antifreeze into his arteries without removing the blood first. Bedford died before preparations were complete and the rushed procedure left his preservation far from ideal.

His Son Picked Him Up in a U-Haul Truck

Bedford's frozen body spent decades being shuffled between failing cryonics companies. His $100,000 maintenance fund evaporated in legal battles with relatives who opposed his wishes. From 1977 to 1982 his family kept him in a self storage unit, occasionally refilling the liquid nitrogen themselves. His son Norman once transported him in a rented U-Haul.

He Is the Only Pre-1974 Frozen Person Still Preserved

Robert Nelson, the man who froze Bedford, was later sued for allowing nine other frozen bodies to thaw and decompose when his company ran out of money. Bedford alone survived that era. When Alcor examined him in 1991, they found him in surprisingly good condition with ice crystals still sharp around his body.

Bedford Waits Alongside Ted Williams at Alcor

If scientists ever revive Bedford, he will wake to a world completely transformed. His wife and other family members chose burial or cremation. He will know no one. His frozen neighbors at Alcor include baseball legend Ted Williams and his son, both awaiting the same impossible future.