Engelbert Humperdinck, the renowned British singer, shares a poignant memory from his time in the British Army. At 90 years old, he recalls how an untied shoelace played a crucial role in altering his fate.

During a recent episode of “The Engelbert Humperdinck Show,” he recounted his experiences in the military, which began when he enlisted at the age of 18 in 1954. Humperdinck had hoped to be stationed in Cyprus alongside a friend, but circumstances led him elsewhere.

He explained the selection process for assignments in the army. Soldiers stood in ranks of three as officials counted them off for deployment to various locations like Cyprus or Germany. The key moment came for him during this lineup.

“All of a sudden, I looked down and my bootlace had come undone,” Humperdinck said. He tied his shoelace and quickly joined the formation. Just as they counted, he narrowly avoided assignment to Cyprus by one spot, being sent to Germany instead.

Lucky for him, this turned out to be a life-saving twist of fate. He later learned that those assigned to Cyprus faced a tragic ambush on their way to Nicosia.

Reflecting on his service in Germany, Humperdinck described it as “an interesting couple of years.” Born Arnold George Dorsey, he found significant success in the music industry in 1967 with his hit song, “Release Me,” topping the charts in the U.K.

Over his illustrious career, Humperdinck has sold over 140 million records, garnered four Grammy nominations, and earned a Golden Globe for entertainer of the year. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Speaking about his career milestone in 2017, Humperdinck remarked, “I never thought that. I was just happy to have success at that time.” Despite initial uncertainties about his career’s longevity, his music has made a lasting global impact.