Curtis Scott: The Man Who Never Sleeps

I've always been fascinated by people who can't sleep. I mean, how do they do it? Don't they miss the sweet embrace of slumber?
Imagine my surprise when I met Curtis Scott, a man who hadn't slept a wink in over 40 years.
Curtis is a charming fellow, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He told me his story over a cup of coffee (which he drank in under a minute, by the way).

As a young man, Curtis was a test pilot for the Air Force. One night, during a routine mission, his plane malfunctioned. He ejected from the cockpit, but his parachute failed to open. Curtis fell 10,000 feet to the ground and miraculously survived.

However, the accident had a profound effect on him. Curtis began to suffer from insomnia. He couldn't fall asleep, no matter how hard he tried. Night after night, he would toss and turn in his bed, his body weary but his mind racing.

At first, Curtis was terrified. He thought he was going to die. But as the years passed, he began to adapt to his unusual condition. He found ways to occupy his sleepless nights, reading, writing, and working on projects.

Curtis is now 85 years old, and he still hasn't slept a single night since that fateful accident. He is the longest-known survivor of insomnia, and his case has baffled doctors for decades.

I asked Curtis how he manages to function without sleep, and he just shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "I just do."

I'm not sure I could ever understand what it's like to live without sleep, but I'm grateful to Curtis for sharing his story with me. He's taught me that even the most impossible things are possible, if you never give up.

Curtis is a reminder that we are all capable of extraordinary things, if we only believe in ourselves.
So next time you're feeling discouraged, remember the story of Curtis Scott, the man who never sleeps.
And if you happen to see him at a coffee shop late at night, be sure to buy him a cup of joe. He's earned it.