53-year-old single dad lost 30kg in 18 months: The reason behind his fitness journey will move you | Today’s news
No one can love you as much as your parents. This is indeed what 53-year-old Devang Gandhi did, and his story deserves everyone’s attention. Single dad Gandhi recently took part in a fitness event at Mumbai’s Hyrox and dedicated it to his specially-abled son. Gandhi lost 30 kg in just 18 months to take care of his son.
Meet Devang Gandhi, who went from 115kg to 85kg for his son
Gandhi believes that he must take care of himself to take care of his son. In fact, he wants his son to ‘survive’. Talk about true love.
Devang Gandhi’s heartwarming fitness story was recently shared online by Sports Lab of Masters’ Union.
In the now-viral video, a seemingly emotional Gandhi opened up about the personal reason behind his fitness journey, which began in 2024 when he weighed 115 kg. He said he lost 30 kg in 18 months for his son Rudra, who has special needs. “I did this for my son Rudra,” he said in the video, followed by an emotional pause.
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‘I have to survive my son’
Gandhi said he wanted to get fit because he needed to become Rudra’s primary caregiver for life. “I have to outlive him. I have to outlive him to take care of him. This fitness journey is not for me, it’s for my son Rudra,” said the father from India, fighting back tears on camera.
At the event, Gandhi was seen jogging, participating in a battle rope exercise and push-ups.
During the fitness event, Devang Gandhi was suffering from severe spasms and was seen heading to the medical room. However, the 53-year-old returned to complete his first Hyrox race.
“But he had a really, really bad leg cramp and had to go to the doctor’s room. I thought he was going to give up.”
“He was advised not to continue. It seemed impossible for him to finish. I really thought he was going to give up. And when I watched him being extremely tired, in great pain and on the verge of giving up… he drew all his strength for this one reason alone. He finished everything for his son Rudra,” the narrator said in the video.
Towards the end, Gandhi credited his son with the victory.
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Internet cheers for Indian father
In response to the video on Instagram, a user wrote in the comments: “Crying for strangers on the internet again.” “Wishing your child to survive is perhaps one of the most painful things a parent can endure. I wish you a long, healthy, happy and deeply blessed life. May Rudra continue to be showered with abundant blessings, love and happiness,” added another.
Someone else commented: “Fathers love, gentlemen. Don’t underestimate how far a father can go.”
Gandhi responds
Meanwhile, Gandhi reacted to the warm response in the comments. He shared, “Thank you so much! You’ve captured this journey beautifully. This video means a lot to me – not just for HYROX, but for everything that went into getting here. I really appreciate the time, effort and thought you put into making this for me.”
Disclaimer: This article is based on social media generated content and is for informational and educational purposes only. Live Mint could not independently verify its claims and does not endorse them.
