BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — For 25-year-old Jalen Fray, the gym became more than a place to build muscle. It became a place to rebuild himself.
After losing his older brother, Mazino, in 2018, Fray was searching for a way to cope, trying everything from therapy to new hobbies.
“I would do whatever, I would try to distract myself. Anything I could just not to feel that pain anymore,” Fray said.
During the pandemic, a workout changed everything. What started as a distraction quickly became a lifeline.
“It was something I wanted to keep experiencing every day. And it was something that, like, I would be scared to miss a day of working out… this feels so good mentally, I don’t want to know what a day without working out feels like,” Fray said.
Fray found a community in the gym.
“I remember meeting them. They had problems, and I realized, you know, like, we all go through things, but when we were working out, we were all suffering together, and we were all motivating and pushing each other to be better,” Fray said.
Just one day after that first workout, Fray was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and was told he would need insulin for the rest of his life. Doctors suggested the trauma of losing his brother may have played a role in the diagnosis.
“I was honestly more, I would say, insecure about it, and I definitely didn’t want to be treated like… like less than,” Fray said.
At first, he tried to hide it, covering his glucose monitor, avoiding questions, and pushing himself harder than ever to prove he was not limited. After years of training, that mindset began to change.
“I think the first time I actually owned up to it was probably my first actual competition,” Fray said.
Stepping onto the bodybuilding stage for the first time in 2024, Fray chose to wear his insulin pod proudly. He was not just competing against others; he was proving something to himself.
“So now that that’s actually possible to do that, then what else can I do?” Fray said.
One year later, he earned his professional bodybuilding card, a milestone many spend decades chasing, with the support of his girlfriend, Rachelle Villa.
“I think he definitely does a good job of showing that nothing should stop you… like everything is limitless,” Villa said.
Now, Fray is using his journey to inspire others, especially those facing their own battles.
“People have been reaching out, and that probably means the most to me, just know that I’m motivating them to even step on stage themselves and push for that goal as well,” Fray said.
Fray’s strength goes far beyond the weight room. From grief to a medical diagnosis to becoming a professional athlete, he is proving that setbacks do not define you.
“Sadness is not forever, even when it feels like it’s on top of the next, on top of the next thing, on top of the next thing. It’s only a matter of time before you are owed that happiness from the world. So, just keep pushing and don’t let it win. Don’t let it win,” Fray said.
Fray has long-term plans to go further in the professional bodybuilding world, but for now, he is looking forward to focusing on other aspects of his life.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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