The World’s Strongest man, Tom Stoltman has autism,.  Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder.  How did he receive the title and is it real?  He picked up a spherical mammoth stone weighing almost 463 pounds and lifted it up to his shoulder.  The equivalent of something that weighs 463 pounds is an upright piano!  Imagine having enough strength to lift a piano.. not only two inches, but to the height of one’s shoulders!!  He broke the record several months ago, June 2021, during the final lift of the final event of the World’s Strongest Man contest During this competition, competitors from all over the world competed in events throughout the week designed to test the limits of human strengths.  Imagine the giants who compete against each other.  Some of the events include tossing a 33-pound keg as high as possible and squatting around 705 pounds.  

During the 2020 Strongest Man Competition, Stolman was runner-up.  In this past competition, Stolman, who was from Scotland, competed against four-time former “World’s Strongest Man” Brian Shaw.  When he won, Stroman fell to his knees because he was so excited and exhausted at the same time.  

His 27-year-old brother, Luke, also ranked top ten in the same competition, and when he saw his younger brother fall to the floor, he ran over to Stoltman to give him a big hug..

As a child, Stolman never realized he had autism.  He recognized there was a difference, but he thought that he was the ‘normal’ one, and that the others were different. As he got older, his social issues intensified, and he realized it was he who was a little different.  As soon as he was officially diagnosed, he felt relieved.  He also told everyone that he was autistic and received a lot of support from family and friends. 

Stolman also was a thin child growing up.  Luke, took him to the gym as a young teen and told him to bulk up.  Stolman at first hated every minute of it, but he kept at it and kept pushing himself.  Stolman was always tall, but now strong because of weight lifting.  

In 2016, Stolman’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, and he promised her she would win the “World’s Strongest Man” competition.  Sadly, she died before he won the title, but he knows she would be so proud!