“He’s not a big eater. That’s one of the most common questions we get,” his mother, Laurie, said during his appearance on Jerry Springer. “And that’s exactly why we’re so concerned. Where is all this growth coming from?”
These public appearances eventually led Strenkert to a geneticist, who diagnosed him with Simpson-Golabi-Behmel Syndrome—a rare condition primarily affecting males. The disorder is characterized by excessive growth before and after birth, congenital abnormalities, and an increased risk of tumors.
Looking back on his childhood, Strenkert acknowledged that his time in the media made him stand out.
“People often ask what it was like, assuming my mom was after fame or money, but that wasn’t the case. We just wanted help from geneticists, which wasn’t easy to access with our insurance,” he told The Mirror.
Despite the hardships, Strenkert credits Jerry Springer with changing his life, helping his family find the answers they desperately needed. Even after the cameras stopped rolling, the talk show host continued to check in. “He genuinely cared,” Strenkert shared in an interview with Daily Mail ahead of the Netflix documentary Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action.
In 2017, Strenkert returned to Jerry Springer to personally thank the late host, who passed away in 2023, for his unwavering support.
In recent years, Strenkert has faced new challenges related to his condition. At the start of the pandemic, his weight reached nearly 500 pounds.
“I became very sedentary due to my condition and various related physical and mental struggles,” he explained in a Reddit post. “I focused on gaming, which I got pretty good at.”
However, his obsessive approach to fitness later pushed him to the brink of anorexia. Reflecting on his journey, he said: “Now, I don’t track every detail, but I push myself while making more good choices than bad. I still feel like I’m 500 pounds—the pain and limitations are still there—but mentally, I feel freer than ever, and for that, I’m forever grateful.”
By December 2023, Strenkert shared a breakthrough—he had started strength training at a gym, and his doctor was “really impressed” with his progress. “Told me I look better than I did at both my heaviest and my thinnest,” he said.
Strenkert believes his condition has contributed to his muscle growth. “I’ve only been going to a commercial gym since December, LOL. I’m excited to keep transforming—I love lifting,” he said.
By October 2024, Strenkert reached 361 pounds, marking a dramatic transformation.
“The last time I was 361 pounds, I looked completely different! I’ve come such a long way to get here,” he wrote, adding that he “never thought” he’d see his obliques and abs.
