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He did it! Los Angeles Police Department Detective Gus Martinez, nearly 20 years on the force, has set a new Guinness World Record for riding a Ferris wheel for 25 continuous hours.
The record was set at 8:30 this morning, after Martinez spent the past day going round and round on the Pacific Wheel at the Santa Monica Pier. The new record will replace the prior one of 24 hours and 30 minutes set in Dublin, Ireland, last year.
Martinez's pursuit wasn't folly, though. He did the record-breaking endeavor as a fundraiser for the Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC); his 23-year-old son, Jason, is a participant.
After setting the record, father and son participated in a ceremony to light the official Southern California Law Enforcement Torch, held by a Santa Monica officer and a Special Olympics Southern California athlete, notes City News Service.
The Special Olympics Summer Games will be at Cal State Long Beach this month.