AS A newborn, Andrew Wain's heart was a ticking time-bomb.
Born with the left side of his heart not properly formed, doctors said Andrew would die if he wasn't operated on within 48 hours.The tiny baby underwent open heart surgery when he was just 36 hours old, saving his life.
Two decades,
two open-heart surgeries and several near-death experiences later, Andrew is a champion bodybuilder heading off to Australia in October to compete at the Natural Olympia bodybuilding competition.
The Pyes Pa man won the 23 and under junior men division at the South Pacific Natural Championships in Taupo at the weekend.
Muscles bulging, with a gold medal round his neck, he's come a long way from being the boy "with the bung heart" who couldn't keep up with his mates at cross-country.
After being operated on as a newborn, Andrew returned to hospital for operations and treatments throughout his childhood, having open-heart surgery again at age 4.
The 20-year-old was "wrapped in cotton wool" as a child and couldn't do all the sports he loved.
"I had a lot of chest infections when I was a young fella," Andrew recalled.
"I couldn't do as much as other kids, and couldn't keep up with my mates.
"I remember I was never fit. I like to get out there and do stuff, I played sports, but I was never fit. Especially in things like cross country, I was always at the back of the pack. I was kind of wrapped up in cotton wool. When your parents have a child with a bung heart, they are not going to go 'let's play some rugby!"'
His heart continued to cause him problems, and at age 9 he underwent further treatment was put on medication.
It wasn't until age 14 that his health began to turn around - and he suddenly found he could do the things he loved.
"We used to go for runs around the block. I would start off running at the back, but [suddenly] I was always up the front trying to come first. Things started turning around."
He discovered a passion for the gym in his fifth form year at Tauranga Boys' College. But though he knew lifting weights was what he wanted to do, it wasn't so easy to convince mum Liz, who worried lifting weights would strain Andrew's heart.
Andrew's cardiologist gave him the green light to lift weights - and now he's making a career out of it. Andrew is in his final year of a Bachelor of Sports and Recreation degree at AUT, which he studies through the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic. He hopes to work at a gym helping people with strength and conditioning training.
His heart is now "functioning at 100 per cent" and Andrew sees his cardiologist every two years for a check-up. He's due for his biennial check-up today, and hopes to get another clean bill of health.
When preparing for a competition, Andrew works out every day at Bodyzone Gym - doing five days of weights and seven days of cardio.
But he never worries about his heart, preferring to focus on achieving his goal to go as far as possible in bodybuilding.
"Sometimes I forget about it. The only thing that reminds me is a scar right down there," he said, pointing to his chest.
"I try not to let it hold me back, because I don't want to use it as an excuse. I do all I can.
"It hasn't really sunk in that I should be over the moon I could go from that," he said, pointing at the picture of himself as a baby, "to this."
Mum Liz said she'll always worry about her boy, but she's proud of his achievements. Seeing him on stage winning a medal was "just awesome", she said.
"I know how much he's put into it and how passionate he is about it, and it was like all that hard work has paid off.
"He has been through a lot, but he's the kind of kid that doesn't want it to hold him back - he just gets out there and does it."
Andrew is seeking sponsorship and fundraising to pay for flights, accommodation and entry fee to compete in Australia. Contact louyolympia @hotmail.com
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