From a young boy fascinated by world records to a Guinness World Record holder himself, a Canadian man has turned his passion for collecting and statistics into a record-breaking achievement.
A self-confessed collector and completist, he recalls, “I don’t know what to put it down to, but I’ve always been a collector, a completist, a statistician—and maybe a little competitive.”
His fascination began as a schoolboy in Canada, where he was captivated by the Guinness Book of Records and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! “I would memorise the records and amaze my friends by quoting them,” he shared. Little did he know that in 1994, he would earn his own place in the very book he revered as a child, thanks to a unique hobby that started in the playground.
Back in 1965, at the age of 14, he discovered the art of making paper chains from chewing-gum wrappers after watching older kids at school. “I took to it pretty quickly,” he said. “I entered a competition to see who could make the longest in the class. I won that, and then I made the longest one in the school.”
His passion only grew from there. Over the years, he meticulously added to his collection, linking wrapper after wrapper into an ever-lengthening chain. In 1994, he achieved his childhood dream by officially breaking the record for the world’s longest chain of chewing-gum wrappers—a testament to his dedication, patience, and love of quirky statistics.
His story serves as an inspiration for hobbyists and collectors everywhere, proving that even the most unconventional interests can lead to extraordinary accomplishments.
