Naz Thomas is making a comeback more than 10 years after retiring, this time he faces a nearly impossible challenge while fighting prostate cancer.
DALLAS — For Naz Thomas, looking back on his glory days is an exercise in exercise.
Thomas was once a champion bodybuilder and almost turned pro.
But about a decade ago, Thomas quit bodybuilding to focus on his career as a personal trainer at Life Time in Plano.
Things were going just fine until a few months ago on Thomas’ birthday.
“I wanted to get back on stage,” he said. “That was where my heart was. The sport. Bodybuilding.”
On his 50th birthday, after 12 years away, Thomas returned to bodybuilding.
It was a crazy decision, not because of his seniority, but because of his fragility.
Naz is dying. Three years ago, he was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer. At this point, there’s nothing doctors can do except try to contain it. The treatment is aggressive, which makes bodybuilding nearly impossible and highly remarkable.
That treatment he’s on kills virtually all of his testosterone, the building blocks of building muscle.
“I know it’ll be tough, but I’ll find a way,” Thomas said. “I’ll find a way.”
His first competition isn’t until September.
Even with time to train, it may not make a difference. So why even try?
“That’s the word,” he said. “You try. You don’t give up.”
More importantly, Thomas said this time around, he carries a heavier burden.
He wants his clients to dream big and push past their own limitations, and believe that hard things are possible.
“I got a chance to change another life,” Thomas said. “Which, I believe, is going to be the best reward because this journey is for awareness. And hope. And inspiration.”
And proof that real strength isn’t measured by how much weight you can lift, but how you can lift the lives of others.
