Page 21 - NGA NATURALmag 2017 WINTER Issue
P. 21
Winter 2017
Muscle Man
C April 9th 2016 show in the the the heart of the the the Anthracite Coal Region Pottsville Penn- sylvania He had a a a a a a a a difficult time winning the title and not with training diet or aerobics I mean surviving to even be on stage in in in any bodybuilding show hadwick Thomas is the new 2016 Mr Anthracite Natural winner He also won his Pro NGA card at at the the the well in in his life until shortly after he graduated from high school He He was in in in in a a a a a a a bad motorcycle accident in in in 2005 He He lost 10% of his his skin when he he he slid along the roadway and and his his his his gas tank burst into flames He tore his his his his ACL in in in his his his his left knee and and suffered two slipped discs in in in in in his his his his lower back A subsequent infection in in in in his his knee turned a a a 4-month recovery recovery into a a a 10-month recovery recovery He ballooned from 188 pounds pounds to to 265 pounds pounds While working out to take off the the weight he he he he discovered he he he loved the the gym and lifting He became interested in in in in in bodybuilding in in in in in 2007 His good friend Renee Blackburn encouraged and inspired him him to enter a a a a a a a bodybuilding com- petition and and and taught him him about nutrition and and and training He trained without use of steroids and and and won the the Novice competition at at the the 2010 NGA Mr Natural Philadelphia Bodybuilding competi- tion He went into two more shows and this year he he won the NGA Mr Anthracite Natural title (a regional Pro Qualifier show show in its fourth year of existence ) The show show is is open to to those who work live or go to to school in the the five county region region known as the the the Anthracite Coal region region Ironically he he he he he he lives in in Minersville PA When he he he he he he won the the the contest the the the local Pottsville Republican - Herald newspaper used the the headline “Minersville Man
wins Mr Anthracite Natural title ” He trains at at Champ’s Gym in in in Minersville Chadwick works at Hexcell in St Clair PA which makes helicopter and and airplane parts Last year he he he he and and and his mother went to the the Geisinger Hospital Miracle Network weekend in in June and and helped with the the event He plans to to to to be on on the the telethon next year to to to to tell his amazing story to to to to inspire parents of preemie babies that their future can be bright n n n n Thomas Thomas was born twenty-eight years ago in Northeast Pennsylvania Thomas Thomas weighed just over 3 pounds at birth He was born 12 weeks early Penny Copeland his mother said she she was was working three jobs in in 1987 when she she was was was preg- nant with with Chadwick She was was away from home and with with a a a a a a a a a a a friend when her water broke Doc- tors tors held off labor for two days but finally the the doctors determined the the baby had had to to to to come out Thomas had had to to to to be resuscitated and underwent emergency blood transfusion He was sent to to the regional Geisinger Medical Center in in in Dan- ville PA He He spent many days days in in in in isolation with tubes and and wires everywhere He He was was 45 days days in in in Geisinger Hospital and and was was allowed to go home at just over 4 pounds He was was so small that his mother dressed
him in doll clothes Chadwick was was on on a a a a a a a a a a a cardio respirator for 21 months and also had had other com- plications He was severely allergic to to milk citrus cocoa soy pineapple and cranberries She had to read the the labels on everything she offered him for meals He also underwent physical therapy just so so that he he could hold his head up By 2 he he he was was a a a a a strapping toddler and by 8 his allergies diminished At At one point he he he he he was was was even pudgy for a a a a a a a a a a a time At At 14 he he he he he was was was a a a a a a a a a a a head taller than the rest of his youth football team All was was going
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