“Entire Team Knew I Was Hurting”: Fitness Icon Shares Emotional Father’s Day Story From His Football Days

If we talk about the most influential figures in one’s life, a majority of people will name their fathers. It is the fathers who give us the motivation to persevere and dream. And fitness icon Joey Swoll’s dad is no exception. He has been the primary support system for him throughout his career.

On the special occasion of Father’s Day, the CEO of Gym Positivity took some time out to pay a heartfelt tribute to his father, who has been there for him through thick and thin. He narrated an overwhelming incident that made him admire and respect his father all the more.

Joey Swoll recalls an exceptional memory about his pillar of strength

Taking to his Twitter account, the fitness icon shared a memorable picture with his father on Sunday. Joey Swoll began the caption by saying, “This old photo of my father and I is my favorite photo I’ve ever taken. #HappyFathersDay.” He then went down memory lane talking about his football days. He wrote, “I played football for 16 years and my father was at every single game cheering me on.” His father would be sitting there among the audience, being his biggest cheerleader and before every match started, he would hug and kiss his dad and make sure that he told him that he loves him.

He then continued the comment diving into the central story that made him admire his father all the more. He wrote, “No matter what city or state I was playing in, he ALWAYS made it to my game. In 1997 he almost missed ONE…” Joey Swoll’s father had met with a severe accident in his office and had to undergo an emergency surgery. There was no chance that he could make it to the field. This made Swoll nervous and he kept looking over his shoulder for him. “My coaches and entire team knew I was hurting and how much my father meant to me as they saw my tears continue in pre-game,” he added.

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However, his lucky charm managed to turn up for his game and it somehow turned out to be the best game of his football career. He wrote, “A man jumped out went around back, and swung open the doors. He started to roll a man out and as soon as I saw that red hoodie I knew it was my Dad.” Swoll’s hero had turned up for him even in the worst of conditions.

His dad has been a support system through the worst of Swoll’s days when he was bullied as a kid. It was Swoll’s dad that gave him the motivation to do better in life and only that will shut the mouth of others.

Joey Swoll’s unusual entry into the world of bodybuilding

When Swoll was in college, a rather unbelievable fact was that he was tremendously bullied because of his physique. He would spend most of his time in the gym, not because he was passionate about bodybuilding, but because that was his only way of escaping the crowd. He would lift heavy weights in order to get free of the frustrations and anger built inside him.

He then chose to move to California to do better in the sport and earn a name for himself. Not many believed his dream and thought he was just another amateur who would fail. The only person supporting him through it all was his father and probably that is why, his father is his biggest motivator even today!

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