Former Royal Marine has cheated death 10 times, including stabbing and a faulty parachute

A former Royal Marine has cheated death 10 times, surviving being stabbed, set on fire, carjacked, a serious bicycle crash, and a faulty parachute.

Wes Grant, 37, was shot at by the Taliban during two tours of Afghanistan and by pirates while out on duty at sea, and has also pulled through a stroke. 

The tough guy has also served as a close protection officer, and has been security for A-list celebrities as well as members of the Royal Family.

Regarding himself as ‘the luckiest man alive’, Mr Grant is now a world champion bodybuilder, and lives in Plymouth with his wife and two children.

He remarked: ‘I can definitely agree I have had luck on my side and I hope that continues. I have had a lot of close calls and escaped death many times. 

Wes Grant (pictured) was shot at by the Taliban during two tours of Afghanistan and by pirates while out on duty at sea, and has also pulled through a stroke

‘I am a survivor and although things haven’t always gone smoothly I am still here.

‘My wife Holly is my absolute rock and she has gone grey because of my lifestyle. But what happens in my life has just become the new normal.’

The former Marine’s catalogue of near-misses began while growing up in Apartheid South Africa, when he was ‘scraped off the tarmac’ in a bicycle crash. 

Aged 16, he suffered injuries in a field fire while on a school camp rowing trip, which ‘melted’ his feet and forced him to learn how to walk again. 

One year later, Mr Grant he emptied a can of deodorant in a changing room locker and a back-draft inadvertently set his whole face on fire.

Mr Grant pictured as a boy, who survived a bicycle crash and a serious field fire on a school camping trip

He is now a professional bodybuilder

The former Marine’s catalogue of near-misses began while growing up in Apartheid South Africa (pictured left as a boy), when he was ‘scraped off the tarmac’ in a bicycle crash

Aged 16, he suffered injuries in a field fire while on a school camp rowing trip, which 'melted' his feet and forced him to learn how to walk again

Aged 16, he suffered injuries in a field fire while on a school camp rowing trip, which ‘melted’ his feet and forced him to learn how to walk again

Joining the Royal Marines in 2006 with just £100 in his pocket, his close encounters with death escalated, including to being shot at by the Taliban

Joining the Royal Marines in 2006 with just £100 in his pocket, his close encounters with death escalated, including to being shot at by the Taliban

More lives than a cat: Wes Grant’s many brushes with death

Wes Grant pictured as a Royal Marine

Wes Grant pictured as a Royal Marine

South Africa

  • As a schoolboy, he survived a bicycle accident when knocked out by handlebars and left in road;
  • Aged 16, he survived a field fire that left him learning to walk again;
  • Aged 17, a can of deodorant set on fire – burning his entire face.
  • Between 18 and 24, he was shot, survived a stabbing during a car-jacking, and set himself alight while handling a flamethrower. 

Moving to the UK:

  • On Herrick 9 and Herrick 14, he was shot at by the Taliban;
  • In 2013, he suffered a stroke and heart attack. Doctors gave him a 50 percent chance of survival;
  • In 2014, he was shot at by pirates

While in South Africa, he also survived a near-fatal stabbing with an Allen key during a car-jacking, and set himself alight as he handled a flamethrower.   

Joining the Royal Marines in 2006 with just £100 in his pocket, his close encounters with death escalated, including being shot at by the Taliban.

Serving two tours of Helmand province, tough guy Mr Grant remarked: ‘You’re trained to be this fighting machine. 

‘The first one was quite a rough tour.

‘I remember being on a post during my first contact and the area was covered in bullet holes just below me. The second tour was more focused on training and mentoring the Afghan forces but there were still injuries and deaths.’

As a Marine, he suffered a stroke from a heart attack, and temporarily went blind. Doctors at the time gave him a 50 percent chance of survival.  

Returning to his unit after treatment in Derriford Hospital, where he met his future wife, Mr Grant was nearly killed while parachuting.

He explained: ‘I returned back to the unit and for the last year of my career was an airfield adventurous training instructor. 

‘I was basically part of the sky diving instructor team – and probably did about 260 jumps. On one occasion there was a parachute malfunction when I snapped two of the 900lbs breaking strain lines. 

‘That could have ended in disaster.’  

After leaving the military in 2013, he joined as a maritime security sector protecting ships and cargo against raiding pirates that fired at him.  

Now he is a champion bodybuilder, with a universe championship, world championship title, and a UK championship title all to his name. 

Tough guy Mr Grant here is pictured on his wedding day with his bride Holly

Tough guy Mr Grant here is pictured on his wedding day with his bride Holly 

He remarked: 'I can definitely agree I have had luck on my side and I hope that continues. I have had a lot of close calls and escaped death many times' (pictured with his family)

He remarked: ‘I can definitely agree I have had luck on my side and I hope that continues. I have had a lot of close calls and escaped death many times’ (pictured with his family)

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