A SCHOOLBOY has been hailed a hero after he lifted twice his own body weight to save his blind grandfather’s life after he became trapped under an 85kg bar bell.
What started out as a regular after school training session for 81-year-old former world champion power lifter Keith Clark and his 12-year-old grandson Philip Snowden quickly turned into a life threatening ordeal.
The pair were training in Keith’s garage, on Greenlands, in Driffield, when the weight Keith was bench-pressing came down onto his chest and rolled onto his neck trapping him by the throat.
A panic stricken Philip, who weighs just over 45kg and has never lifted more than 30kg, grabbed hold of the bar, lifted it up and threw it onto the floor freeing his grandfather who underwent major heart surgery just seven months ago.
Keith said: “He’s my hero. I still don’t know how he got it off me. I just cannot believe it.”
“I thought I was a goner, I really did,” said Keith who lost his sight completely to Retinitis Pigmentosa 18 years ago.
Driffield School pupil Phil added: “I was really worried. I panicked so I did the first thing that came into mind that I thought would help. I just lifted it off and threw it onto the floor.”
Keith has been power lifting since 1958 and is a former world record holder in the sport which has seen him compete in Canada, Peru, USA, Norway and Spain.
Keith said: “It was only the second time I have ever been frightened while lifting. I went to Peru for the World Championships and came out from my first lift, fell over and went backwards and that frightened me.”
At the height of his power lifting career Keith could squat 242.5kg, bench press 150kg and dead-lift 255kg.
But after having a valve replaced in his heart last August he has only been back in training since the New Year.
Phil’s mum Deborah Snowden believes it was a burst of adrenaline that helped Philip save her dad’s life.
“My dad was amazed and relieved that Philip managed it and is convinced he saved his life,” Deborah said.
But the ordeal has not deterred the pair from training together, with Phil determined to follow in his grandfather’s championship footsteps.
“I’m an addict, it’s like a drug,” Keith added.