With a little help from Princess Elsa, a group of powerlifters are using their physical strength to bring hope and emotional strength to kids with life threatening diseases. Powerlifter Kayla Heal teamed up with Minnesota’s HopeKids, Inc., and through events and activities, they are creating a unique support group for kids and families dealing with childhood illness.
Dubbed Relentless Kickoff, the two-day powerlifting event was held the second weekend in April and served not only as a fundraiser, but a competition as well. Each lifter was paired with a Hope Kid, creating a bond that (the organizers hope) reaches beyond the events of the weekend.
While Heal has been spearheading these events for a few years, this year she added a twist by integrating her love of cosplay. Kayla traded in her spandex for a corset and a blonde wig, and deadlifted an impressive 405…in full Rapunzel gear. She doesn’t seem too bothered by the long blonde braid, and the kids clearly love it.
Samantha Boyer joined in on the fun as well, also deadlifting 405.
As a recent qualifier to the WPC World Championships, Heal is no stranger to powerlifting meets. She boasts a 425lb squat, 435lb deadlift, and a 193lb bench press, but it’s her big heart that caught our attention. Learn more about Kayla and HopeKids here. Don’t forget to follow Kayla on social media under her username @GirlsThatLift_, and check out her 2nd place 2015 Senior WPC Nationals performance here!
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If you know of anyone else using their lifting talents to better the community, we want to hear about it! Email us at info@barbend.com to get in touch with our editorial team.
