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Kenneth ‘Flex’ Wheeler once talked about how he developed his alter ego ‘Flex’ to help him fight bullies. He recalled an instance of being in high school and taking a shower when someone who used to bully him crossed the line. Wheeler forgave him at the time, but a year later, when they met again, he didn’t show any mercy. He explained how this was a deed of ‘Flex’, who he believes only exists to fight, as opposed to Kenneth, who is a humble and kind person.

In an interview with Arnold Sports Festival UK last year, Wheeler talked about his journey to bodybuilding, martial arts, leg amputation, and his life since. He also mentioned that his martial arts training, combined with bodybuilding, helped him stand up to bullies.

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The bullying incident that changed Flex Wheeler forever

The 4x Arnold Classic Winner said, “All the way through high school, I was just tremendously bullied,” setting the tone for his humble nature, and how others took advantage of his niceness. He told the story, “One bully used to bully me all the time, and we are in the shower and he literally peed on me. You know there’s no one around”. Wheeler just stood there, stunned, and simply washed it off later. He didn’t even lay a finger on him then.

It is worthwhile learning that Wheeler was already a Martial Artist by that time. He was an extreme fighter and had already fought over 600 fights, without even conceding a single score. Wheeler, however, retained a calm, composed, and forgiving nature. This all changed a year later.

READ MORE – “I Will Not Be Denied”: A Year After His Leg Amputation in 2019, Bodybuilding Legend Flex Wheeler Was in the Gym Doing Leg Press

It was at the end of that year when something changed in him. “Something clicked mentally”, he said. He was tired and fed up with everyone taking advantage of his benevolence, and decided to stand up for himself. Unbeknownst to him, this is when the ‘Flex’ Wheeler character started evolving.

How Flex Wheeler got back at the bully and learned an important lesson in life

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He said, “This Flex Wheeler character, not knowing it, became my alter ego”. With this new-found personality, he met the bully again, this time running up to him, seemingly without any memories of his previous abuse. Wheeler said, “Oh yeah! I remember you”, just moments before his series of blows. Wheeler enacted the punches on stage, that he had rolled on that guy. “Bing, bing, bing….”, he kept saying.

He continued, “I picked him up and slammed him over his head”, saying to the guy, “I’m here now”. Wheeler only adopted this violent nature to protect himself and to stand up for what was wrong. He lost his right leg to amputation in 2019, as a result of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis that started affecting his kidney in 1999.

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Flex Wheeler is an advocate for amputees around the world and travels around motivating people to achieve their dreams without tolerating any sort of bullying or abuse from anyone.