Born in Mont-de-Marsan, Landes, France, in 1939, self-professed anomaly Jean Lafaurie has had so many brushes with death--twenty-two, to be exact--he has long surpassed the nine lives of the proverbial cat.
During his teens, he became involved in classical French theatre and to this day, can recite Molière by heart. A veteran of the Algerian War and incessant world traveller, he is a welder by trade.
He has also been a professional ski instructor, teaching on slopes in Quebec, BC and parts of Europe. He was an 'extreme' skier before the term was coined, choosing to propel himself down the steepest inclines and even manoeuvering his way down ice-covered hills.
It is only natural then, that Jean was also an avid mountain climber who to this day adheres to the adage, "always approach the mountain with the total respect you would accord a very special friend."
Whenever presented with a problem, his restless and creative mind will persist until, if necessary, it invents a solution.
In 1994, when he emerged from a coma resulting from a horrendous automobile accident, Jean tried bowling and discovered that he was a natural at the game. Since then, he has bowled over thirty perfect (300) games.
It is no wonder that almost everyone he meets asks Jean the same question: "When are you going to write the story of your life?"
