I saw something that made hundreds of bodybuilders bink back tears at the 2002 British Grand Prix in London. The promoter (Kerry Keyes) came up on the stage after the pre-judgeing round and announced that there would be a special guest poser appearing that night.
He explained that a friend of his: a promising young black British amateur bodybuilder had been involved in a terrible road accident and that Kerry had been with him in the hospital when he finally awoke from the coma. He had broken litterally dozens of bones, and punctured a lung as well as lost more blood than the human body can hold.
The young man's family had asked Kerry to break the news to him that: whilst he was comatose, they had removed his leg. Apparently he broke down, but Kerry asked him to be strong for when his family saw him, and that was the last time he cried.
Kerry then announced that at the following GP, he had watched the the show in a wheelchair. The year later, he was able to walk on crutches. The year after that he was walking on an artificial limb...
and tonight he was guest posing onstage!
The place went crazy when he came out, he was ripped and symetrical and a confident, carismatic poser, and with the exception of his artificial leg, looked like a contender for the British amateur championships that were held earlier that night. He came out into the crowd which was a 100% standing ovation for him. I'm honoured that he shook my hand on his way past. Then Chris Cormier, Dexter Jackson and Denis James came out on the stage and posed down against him!
It has to be one of the most memorable bodybuilding moments that I can remember, as important as benching 135lbs for the first time or gulping my first protein shake and looking down at my arms to see if they grow.