A wacky strongman believes he has become the first person in the world to pull a car with his penis — while on fire. And he insists the fantastical phallic stunt was a bid to raise awareness for prostate cancer.
John Stephenson, 50, hauled a 2-ton French police car 131 feet along a residential street using his manhood after being set ablaze.
He completed the bizarre challenge in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England on Thursday, April 30 as baffled residents watched on.
Using a tow rope attached to his penis, Stephenson was able to pull the Renault Clio RS along the road — and despite admitting it hurt “quite a bit,” the dad of three said “everything was still in tact.”
The martial arts expert and former bare knuckle fighter has previously hit the headlines for pulling a car using his testicles and pulling a car while his head was on fire.
So he decided to combine the both to raise awareness of men’s health issues — and believes he is the only person in the world to have achieved such a feat.
“I’ve pulled a car with my testicles before and I’ve pulled a car on fire, so I thought why not combine the both? But this time do it with my penis,” said the painter and decorator.
“I won’t lie, it did hurt quite a bit,” he said. “But my mind was focused on being on fire and I just plowed on and pulled it for around 40 meters [131.234]
“I doused myself in lighter fuel and the wind was against me a bit, so it took a couple of attempts. I’ve got a few marks down there but everything is still in tact so hopefully no harm done.
“People think I’m a bit mad, but I like to set myself challenges.”
He said he’d done research and no one in the world had ever made such an attempt before. But it was all for a good cause.
“There is a serious side to it too: I’m raising awareness of prostate cancer and bullying in schools,” he said.
Excluding skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the US — and the second-leading cause of male cancer deaths. A whopping 1 in 6 men will get a prostate cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes.
Risk factors include obesity, family history of cancer, plus factors like high blood pressure, lack of exercise and being taller than average.
When it’s detected early, the five-year survival rate of prostate cancer is over 99% according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Unfortunately, it shows no warning signs in early stages.
Early-stage prostate cancer often has no warning signs because the tumor is small and hasn’t spread — a PSA test can help detect potential problems before symptoms develop.
Most men are recommended to start routine screening for prostate-specific antigen at age 50, though African-American men and those with a family history or other risk factors should start around age 45.
Stephenson is also raising money for Ruddis Retreat in Huddersfield, which gives vacations to families of children with cancer.
He is also a world record holder for reeling off 300 punches in 30 seconds, all while holding 1 kg. (2 lb.) dumbbells in each hand.
Other records to his name through Official Record Breakers involve performing six martial arts kicking techniques in less than five-and-a-half seconds and a number involving pulling or lifting vehicles.
Stephenson is also an author and has previously been inducted into a number of Martial Arts Halls of Fame.
