In 1996, viewers of The Jerry Springer Show met Zach Strenkert, a 3-foot-tall, 17-month-old baby who weighed staggering 70lbs.
His parents, Laurie and Chris, searched for answers why their baby was growing rapidly and sought help from the media.
Zach was growing an inch and gaining 2 and a half pounds every two weeks.
During the appearance on the show, Laurie told host Jerry Springer, “He’s not a big eater. That’s one of the most frequently asked questions.
“And that is also why we’re so concerned. Where is the growing coming from?”
Finally, after Springer connected them with a geneticist, it was discovered that Zach had Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome (SGBS).
According to Rare Diseases, the syndrome represents an overgrowth disorder, “meaning that people with the disease are larger than average at birth (macrosomia) and continue to grow and gain weight at an unusual rate.” It primarily affects males.
Growing up in Port Jervis, New York, Zach often appeared on shows like Oprah, Maury, and Inside Edition.
Looking back, he explains that while his mother’s intention was to find help, the experience left him feeling isolated.
“They presented me as different, which only separated me further from everyone else,” Zach, now 29, told The Mirror. “I was known as the kid that was on TV.
“Nowadays, people ask me what it was like. They assume my mom was chasing fame or money, but that wasn’t the case.” he continued. “We just wanted help with geneticists, which wasn’t easy to come by with our insurance.”
Zach explained that his family’s goal was to raise awareness about living with SGBS.
“We didn’t really get a lot of take-home pay after all the affairs were done. It was strictly to make sure that her kid was okay,” he said.
Following the release of the Netflix documentary Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera Action, which left viewers horrified at the dark and unethical nature of the show’s production that often exploited guests for shock value, Zach admitted: “It’s just a spin on what’s already out there. It didn’t reveal anything new. It’s the same content, just packaged with bells and whistles.”
Today, Zach is focused on his physical health and overall well-being.
He used to weight 485lbs, but today, he weights around 280 pounds and feels better than ever.
He hopes his story would inspire others to start their health journey.
“If I can do it, anybody can do it,” he told Today. “You have to go at your pace. You’ll get there as long as you stay on the road and keep taking those steps.”
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