Scott Switzer was sitting in his living room in Columbus, Ohio, when he watched his gazebo get picked up by the wind and thrown into his neighbor’s yard.
The windstorm may have been bad for neighborhood property values, but it turned out to be great for Switzer’s health.
A former swimmer and football player, Switzer had put on weight since he stopped playing sports. He explains that going from 175 to 200 lb. was normal between the swimming and football seasons, so after he stopped swimming, “the first 25 lb. seemed natural.”
But the weight gain continued, and Switzer was over 500 lb. and numbing himself with alcohol by the time the gazebo took its fatal flight into the side of the neighbor’s house.
That neighbor was Marcus Creaturo, owner of Shred CrossFit.
After the storm, Switzer and Creaturo’s families started spending time together, and during one night around a Halloween bonfire, Switzer learned about Creaturo’s work — and he suddenly became reluctant to talk to him. It took until July of the following year for Switzer to ask Creaturo for help.
“It took that long to get up the guts to do that,” Switzer recalls.
Creaturo started by giving Switzer nutrition guidance and small goals, like walking to the end of the block and swinging the propane tank for his grill. Once in the gym, Creaturo noticed Switzer would light up while working out.
“I told [Creaturo] that I wanted to be an athlete again, and he said, ‘You are an athlete. We just gotta bring it out,’” Switzer says.
Since rediscovering his inner athlete, Switzer has encountered some setbacks. Sciatica and a battle with leg disease sent him spiraling back toward weight gain and ill health. But mental fortitude and support from his community have kept him on track for long-term happiness and health. He keeps moving forward.
Switzer now has a podcast called the Clydesdale Fitness & Friends Podcast, where he interviews athletes and tells the stories of people like him, people who have overcome tremendous obstacles to get where they are.
Wind of Change: The Magic of the Movement