# Shoelace Saved Engelbert Humperdinck's Life

> Engelbert Humperdinck reveals how an undone shoelace saved his life during British Army service.
- Title: Shoelace Saved Engelbert Humperdinck's Life · Fox News
- Summary: Engelbert Humperdinck reveals how an undone shoelace saved his life during British Army service. Engelbert Humperdinck says an undone shoelace saved his life…
- Keywords: engelbert humperdinck, british army, shoelace, germany, cyprus, british army service, 1954, news, politics, Saved, Engelbert, Humperdinck's
- Source: Fox News — https://foxnews.com/entertainment/engelbert-humperdinck-reveals-untied-shoelace-saved-life-british-army-service
- Author: Lori Bashian
- Published: 2026-09-19T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: engelbert humperdinck, british army, shoelace, germany, cyprus, british army service, 1954, news, politics
## Shoelace Unraveled
Engelbert Humperdinck, 90, recalls how an undone shoelace saved his life during British Army service in 1954.

> all of a sudden, i looked down and my bootlace had came undone
## Missed Cyprus by One
Humperdinck was assigned to Germany after missing Cyprus by one person in the army's random selection.

> i went to germany . i was just i just missed cyprus by one
## Why He Was Saved
Humperdinck says all the people sent to Cyprus died in an ambush on the way to Nicosia.

> i think god was watching over me because, later on, i found out all the people that went to cyprus never got there. they got killed in an ambush on the way to nicosia
## Military Assignment
Humperdinck was in training in 1954 when the army randomly assigned people to countries like Cyprus or Germany.

> the way they choose people and when you're in training, you form a rank of threes, and the adjutant goes around with the sergeant major, and he goes counts out 24 people. and they'll say hit cyprus, germany, belgium or whatever it is, wherever you're going to
## Career Success
Humperdinck released his hit song 'Release Me' in 1967, selling over 140 million records worldwide.

> i was just happy to have success at that time
## Longevity of Music
Humperdinck says his music has been his passport to the world, selling over 150 million records over 50 years.

> if you don’t put out material that’s going to last, you’re not going to last. over the years, i sold over 150 million records
## Key takeaway

Engelbert Humperdinck says an undone shoelace saved his life during British Army service in 1954, missing Cyprus by one.