The strongest boy in the world ‘Little Hercules’ makes heartbreaking approval 25 years later – community

Warning: This article contains a discussion about child abuse, which some readers may feel stressful.

Richard Sandrak, once known as “Little Hercules” around the world, made a heartbreaking admission 25 years later.

The boy earned the title at the age of only eight when he was tipped over as the “strongest boy in the world”. But after it stopped lifting weights as an adult, there have long been theories about what Sandrak’s life really looks like.

After he had trained every day since he was five, he was able to become a global phenomenon three times three times because the media reported the history of the young bodybuilder.

And during this time Sandrak says he was abused.

Sandrak in 2004. (Paul Harris/Getty Images)

The childhood of the 32-year-old was anything but normal, but it was not quite something he was used to because he had “nothing to compare”.

After Sandrak had to struggle with alcoholism, he is now sober and free of the controlling influences with which he grew up for over a year.

“When people talk about childhood memory, it is usually associated with something positive. I can’t really tell. For me it was a daily event where I was used physically and emotionally by my father, ”he said to Metro.

The former body farmer said that his physique was “trained eight hours a day, constant strength training and a diet with pure food”.

The parents of Sandrak, Lena and Pavel taught him at home and he grew up without friends and at that time experienced a completely different upbringing for other children.

“My father often went to tantrums and what started as normal training, I had a triple separation for 12 hours (three consecutive kicks in one application),” he said.

“I will never forget it because it was just extremely exhausting and emotionally difficult. And there were more often than I can count where a simple training session transformed into a really intensive hostage situation. “

He has now talked about being abused by his father. (Michael Bezjian/Wirmage)

At the age of eight or nine, he remembered that he had undertaken uninterrupted squats during a film.

“It was something I got used to because it was all my childhood. So I was brought up. I had nothing to compare. I had no friend who told me that this is not what we are doing, ”he said.

“I was physically pounded. My father was very abusive. I learned early on not to ask. You criticized your teeth and continue what you said. “

To be in the spotlight and meet celebrities produced some positive aspects, including the fact that his father had to treat him correctly in public.

“It was a very confusing childhood. I don’t remember too many pleasant memories until my father went, ”he added.

Sandrak has been bodybuilding since then (YouTube/Insider Edition)

Sandrak called his father after a particularly violent attack on his mother in 2003 911.

He said he was always too anxious to take “this dramatic step”, but with the abuse worse, he made the jump: “And I called her, told them they shouldn’t sound their sirens and they came And they took him away. Since then it has been a hint of fresh air. “

Pavel was locked up for abuse and deported to his home country of Ukraine.

The former ‘little Hercules’ has not seen him since then, without interest in the re -connection and without apology from the father.

“I will always annoy him against him. They say ‘forgive and forget’. I may be ready to forgive, but I will never forget, ”said Sandrak.

If you were affected by one of these problems and want to talk to someone with someone in relation to the well -being of a child, contact the NSPCC Monday to Friday at 0808 800 5000, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are a child who is looking for advice and support, call Childline for free at 0800 1111, 24/7.