In early 19th century Belgium, there was a boy named Adolphe Sax.

At age 2, he fell out of the window of a two-story building and fractured his skull.

When he was 6 years old, he accidentally drank acid.

At about age 9 he fell down a flight of stairs, toppled onto a burning stove.

When he was 11 years old, he contracted measles and was in a coma for 9 days.

At age 14, he broke his arm and got caught in a carriage door.

When he was 19 years old, a brick fell right on his head.

He is on record to also have swallowed a needle.

When he was 23 years old, he almost killed himself by drinking tainted wine.

And at 29, Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone.

Adolphe Sax, pictured ca. 1842 ullstein bild / Getty Images