Former American bodybuilder has won various titles, Mr. Universe, Mr. America, and IFBB Mr. World being some of them. In his mid-fifties Robinson was still going strong, competing at every bodybuilding event he could. However, a bout of sickness combined with steroids forced him to hang up his boots once and for all. Here’s how the bodybuilder suffered from it and how it made him realize that it was time to call it quits.

In a YouTube clip shared by ‘Generation Iron, Fitness and Bodybuilding Network’ 2020, Robinson talked about a life-altering moment. He was training in Golds Gym Venice, California, and had taken a shot of steroids. Soon, he felt his muscles popping out. However, the steroid left him seriously ill as it exacerbated another condition, which left Robinson unconscious at his doorstep.

Sickle Cell combined with steroids almost proved fatal for Robby Robinson

He said, “First shot I took of a drug, as I say, I walked from Golds Gym right down the street here, back to my apartment right on the corner in Venice. And by the time I got in my door, I collapse”. Robinson recalls the first time, he severely felt the impact of his disease. He continued, “I walked from Golds Gym after getting that shot and I could feel my body pumping up like a helium bag. By the time I got in my apartment in Venice, I collapse in the door”.

The sickle cell crisis had made him suffer a few times before. But around the age of mid-fifty, Robinson started to get bouts of the disease more frequently. He started getting them while prepping for contests more often, and finally decided to stop competing when the steroids made him collapse in front of his door.

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Explaining the fundamental medical process behind his collapse, Robinson said, “I hadn’t got blood work done yet to see, and in that process, that blood work increased the size of my……” gesturing with his hand the larger, swollen blood droplets. The sickle cells get their name due to their crescent-like shape or the namesake agricultural tool. Therefore they cling on to each other, causing further damage during blood swelling.

The biology behind the sickle cell attack, and Robinson’s eternal gratitude to his friend.

Robinson continued to explain, “And with me having the sickle cell, sickle cells go through the bloodstream…. they are sickle right? Like a half-moon”, once again gesturing to the shape of a sickle. He continued, “So what they do is they hang on to each other and they block the blood flow that gets to the heart, kidneys, the liver, and things like that. And so I collapse, and I am shaking and as black, as I am, I turned grey”.

Robinson had his lady friend at the time to thank for his survival after he collapsed. She inquired about what happened but couldn’t get him to talk at that point in time. She wrapped him in a sheet, took him inside, put him in a bathtub, and put cold water on him. This act of kindness saved him that day.

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What do you think was Robinson’s biggest learning from that day and how must he have appreciated life beyond bodybuilding post that near-fatal incident? Let us know in the comments.