Man who attempted suicide says training for Strongman saved him

By Barney Riley via SWNS

A man who once tried to take his own life has said exercise and training for Strongman competitions have given him the strength to keep going.

Jamie Fry, 22, attempted suicide in 2020 but was inspired to improve himself after discovering strength athletics.

He now goes to the gym five times a week and is able to lift weights up to 397 pounds (180 kilograms).

Jamie is now training for his first competition, which will take place in November this year.

He admits he was "in a very dark place," and suffered from anxiety and depression when he tried to end his life.

The pharmaceutical intern had been aware of Strongman events since he was a child, but never really paid much attention.

But weeks before his suicide attempt, Jamie started taking an interest in the sport.

He started watching Strongman competitions on TV and began following famous strongmen, the Stoltman Brothers, on YouTube.

Jamie, from Crawley, England, said: "Leading up to the incident I was in a very dark place and I was extremely hopeless.

"I was also in a place where I ended up making lots of bad decisions and pushing people away and hurting them."

"An example of this is the woman who originally got me into the gym. She meant so much to me and she used to help me a lot with all areas of my life as my friend.

"However, due to the place I was in mentally, I ended up emotionally hurting her due to hurting myself and we no longer speak and she wants nothing to do with me.

"This is a situation I regret every day."

Hitting rock bottom was a turning point for Jamie and he decided he wanted to make changes to himself.

He started exercising and within months his mental health and well-being had significantly improved.

Jamie said: "I’m in a much better place where I have reduced my medication and am looking to come off it.

"Strongman obviously gives me the release of dopamine, but also it helps as it gives me goals to aim for.

"I have found it has given me a feeling of worth.

"I am able to achieve things regularly by achieving personal bests and these can easily improve my mood on a bad day."

Jamie is now follows a strict training schedule, and is planning to take part in the "Strongest in the South 2023" event in November.

He said: "I try to go to the gym five days a week and I am currently training for my first competition, so I am mainly doing lifts, which will be beneficial for that.

"Afterwards I will be looking to do further comps and so will change my training to suit the comp.

"My deadlift is currently 180kg and I am aiming for 200kg by the end of the year.

"This may not seem a lot for some other people, but when I see how far I have come it gives me a sense of joy."

Jamie added: "I have learned that you have to accept the mistakes you have made as you cannot change the past.

"You have to move on and use the lessons you have learned to grow as a person and try and improve yourself every day.

"As one very kind paramedic once told me there is always sunshine above the clouds."