Some people—mostly those who want to control or limit me—have spread claims that I used steroids during different points in my life: in 8th grade, 10th grade, and again in community college. The situation has gotten so absurd that I’d practically need a permit from the police just to lift weights, since those making these accusations are often tied to law enforcement or are confidential informants.

Let me set the record straight with some facts.

At around 20 years old, I stood 6 feet tall and weighed about 240 pounds. At the time, I was training at Super Fitness LLC in Logan Township, New Jersey—a gym that unfortunately closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. My personal bests were a 300-pound bench press, a 500-pound deadlift, and a 385-pound squat. After being discharged from the Army, I never dropped below 18% body fat.

These aren’t superhuman numbers. There are millions of men around the world with similar or better stats—guys who are stronger, leaner, and have achieved their goals without steroids. But for some reason, certain people want to discredit my efforts and paint a different picture.

I believe the real issue is that these individuals don’t want to see me go to college, move into a middle or upper-class career, or succeed on my own terms. They push a narrative that I need to be “put in my place.” And because I enjoyed weightlifting when I was younger, they’ve gone as far as to suggest I deserve to be punished in extreme, degrading ways.

This post isn’t about victimhood—it’s about reclaiming my story. I’m not ashamed of my past or the work I’ve put in, and I’m not going to let anyone rewrite my history to fit their agenda.