REM sleep is considered vital for supporting well-being and normal cognition. In 1984, Lavie and colleagues described the case of Y.C. – a man with a pontine lesion and near-total absence of REM sleep who led a normal life. Here, we set out to re-evaluate this individual’s REMS status 30 years after the original report, and formally assess his cognitive abilities. We find a near-total absence of REM sleep with no signs of significant compensation throughout adult life, along with normal cognitive status. The results provide a unique perspective on the ongoing debate regarding the functional role of REMS in supporting cognition.