What happened to Bill Kazmaier? World’s Strongest Man champion launches GoFundMe for medical expenses

Bill Kazmaier, a three-time World’s Strongest Man winner, has launched a fundraiser in an effort to raise money to cover his medical expenses. In the GoFUndMe page created on Tuesday, January 7, 2024, Kazmiaer revealed he was in desperate need of medical funds for a heart valve replacement, stents, and a pacemaker.

Kazmiaer (71) revealed he was in the Philippines without healthcare and unable to travel as he battles a life-threatening heart condition that required immediate surgery. He added:

“Without this medical intervention, my days will be few. But I’ve never fought alone. Together, we can clear this hurdle so I can return to serving others.”

Bill Kazmaier's plea for help touched hundreds of people who swarmed the GoFundMe page to donate what they could. At the time of writing this article, the fundraiser, with a target of $40,000, has raised over $26,000 as donations continue to pour in from fans across the world.

A donor, Dan Miner, who donated $50, penned a touching message in the comment section of the GoFundMe page. He wrote:

“I wish you well Bill. We have more competitions to spend time with each other at. You are an inspiration. Get well soon my friend.”

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All we know about three-time World’s Strongest Man champion Bill Kazmaier

Bill Kazmaier, a Wisconsin Burlington native, was a star footballer at the University of Wisconsin before he achieved meteoric success by winning powerlifting titles in 1979.

In 1978, Kazmaier entered his first national powerlifting championship and in 1979, he won the World Powerlifting Championship in Dayton, Ohio, setting a world record in the bench press with a 622 lb press. In 1981, while participating in the Georgia Open Powerlifting Championships, he became the first human to bench press 300 kg (661.4 lbs). The same year he was recognised as one of the few lifters in history to hold world records in three of the four powerlifting events.

Bill Kazmaier won the title of World’s strongest man in 1980, 1981, and 1982, prompting David Webster OBE, one of WSM's founding fathers, to describe him as “the greatest American strength athlete of all time.”

Webster, who died in 2023 at the age of 95, was a Scottish sports administrator known for promoting strength sports such as weightlifting, strongman competitions, and bodybuilding. In 1982, Kazmaier, who won three events at the World’s Strongest Man competition, stated:

“I am the strongest man who ever lived.”

After retiring from active competition in the 1990s, Bill Kazmaier was hired as a co-commentator for the ESPN broadcast of the annual World’s Strongest Man competition. He was also the owner of a Gym which closed in 2005.

In the GoFundMe, Bill Kazmaier said he had been mentoring at-risk youth and needs the community’s help to pay his medical expenses so he can continue his mission.