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Flex Wheeler has had a lot of ups and downs in his life but also found glory through his career in bodybuilding. He won the Arnold Classic four times and the Iron Man Pro 5 times even with the kidney disorder and injuries. Wheeler, who discovered that he had Focal Glomerulosclerosis in 1999, also had a leg amputation in 2019 due to escalating circulation difficulties in his right leg.  

Terrell Owens holding Dude Wipes XL

Battling such major issues, Wheeler even went on to receive a lifetime achievement award at the 2023 Arnold Sports Festival. Now, as the new year begins, Wheeler not only reminisced about his long career and life but also motivated others to start their year from scratch.

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Flex Wheeler’s unique New Year’s greeting 

Taking to Instagram, Wheeler posted a serene picture of himself where he was smiling and looking into the distance. The caption below the post, however, was long and bittersweet. It started with the expression of how his life has been after 58 years of hard work and perseverance. He described how, even after the harsh challenges he had faced, he would not change a single moment from the past.

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Wheeler wrote how he wanted to start they New Year as well. “It’s a clean slate, a chance to set new goals, dream new dreams, and turn our aspirations into reality. My heartfelt prayer is that each one of you finds peace, joy, and prosperity in abundance in the coming year,” he penned.

He not only spoke about his journey but asked fans about their own goals and memories till the new year. He urged the fans to share their aspirations and goals in the comments.

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Earlier, Wheeler had given an update after his recent surgery to fans. According to him silently suffering through pain in his left shoulder might have led to him getting nerve damage. He had hoped that he would get full mobility back on his joints, but the result was not what he had expected. Wheeler hence mentioned, “The outcome has been nothing short of devastating, leaving me disheartened and disillusioned. The emotional and financial investment I poured into this endeavor now feels like a futile expenditure, compounding the weight of my anguish.”

Read More: Unfortunately, New Year’s Resolutions Fail”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Helps the World to Make New Year Resolutions a Success

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The Sultan of Symmetry feared more injuries and pain after the latest surgery because he had already gone through numerous dislocations. Even so, he is recovering from the pain right now and seems to be positive about the future again.

Wheeler’s resolve to keep going forward no matter what, therefore, serves as an inspiration to many, not just for their fitness journeys, but for their lives as well. 

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Watch this story | “Bible of Bodybuilding”–7x Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger Once Explained the Book that Got Him Into Bodybuilding  

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Written by

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Tanushree Bhowmick

2,841 Articles

Tanushree Bhowmick is a Senior Olympic Sports Writer at EssentiallySports with over five years of experience in sports and lifestyle journalism. Having covered UFC and MMA extensively, she now brings that lens to Olympic wrestling—highlighting how traditional combat disciplines echo through modern fighting. With a keen eye for technique and storytelling, her work explores how champions are shaped across both worlds.

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Abhishek Manikandan

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