Just over one year ago, Caleb Rea received some good news when his orthopedic surgeon at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital told Rea he was cleared to start lifting weights.
That might not sound like a big deal until you hear the whole back story. Suddenly, ‘no big deal’ becomes a minor miracle.
Just six months earlier, the 14-year-old Rea broke his neck after he had a seizure while driving a side-by-side on a farm where he worked in the summer.
The seizure wasn’t the first for Rea, the son of Spruce Pine residents Lymann and Hollie Rea. In 2022, Rea was involved in a separate accident on a four-wheeler and suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, which caused him to develop a seizure disorder.
Two major accidents, two significant injuries in less than two years. From July until December of 2023, Rea essentially had to learn how to walk again. His physical therapy routine was grueling. But Rea actually started to enjoy his therapy. That sparked his interest in powerlifting so he began training as soon as his doctor gave Rea the green light.
One year later, Rea, now 15, holds 21 Alabama and nine national records as a result of his meteoric ascent through the competitive powerlifting ranks. And he recently won the Southeastern Powerlifting Federation's World Powerlifting Championship, held earlier this month in Gatlinburg, Tn.
To earn an invite to the world championship, an athlete must finish in the top three among your age and weight division at a sanctioned event.
In the teenage 13-15 age division, Rea won the title after the three-event competition that includes squat, bench and deadlift, with an eye-popping combined total of 1,170 pounds (420 pounds squat, 295 pounds bench and 455 pounds deadlift).
Caleb's success at the World Powerlifting Championship was even more impressive considering Rea had a seizure while attempting 500 pounds on his second squat. Minutes later after he came out of it, he gave his parents two thumbs up and said 'I'm not through. There's still work to be done today.'
Powerlifting competitions involve athletes making three attempts on squat, bench and deadlift. Their score is the weight of their highest attempt. After Caleb's seizure, his father scrubbed his third attempt. With a large number of competitors in Gatlinburg, Caleb was able to rest and regain his strength before the bench press and deadlift events.
At the end of the day, wedged around a seizure, Rea came home with a first-place finish in the pinnacle of Southeastern Powerlifting Federation competition. He came home a world champion.
Since his first competition in February, Caleb has won every meet in which he's competed, sweeping the board in all three events.
But powerlifting's impact on Rea goes well beyond setting records. The sport has helped the 9th grader perform better in school, stay motivated and overcome some mental health issues in the aftermath of two serious accidents in 12 months.
“We've seen Caleb's self-esteem go up tremendously since he started training,” said Lymann Rea, who also began powerlifting with his son. “When he started competing his whole outlook really improved. Powerlifting has given him something to be involved with and to be proud of. Caleb had issues with fitting in and he dealt with some anxiety. Now, he feels like he fits in anywhere. He's thriving. Even at home schooling he's thriving. He even joined the Frog Pond Volunteer Fire Department as a junior firefighter,” Lymann added.
Caleb has trained at Freemon Fitness and No Limit Fitness in Russellville. He's sponsored by Kajun Labz, the company that handles his supplements. Caleb, Lymann and a few others compete as 'Corn Bread Fed' Powerlifting, a very appropriate team name if you've seen the father-son duo in person.
Powerlifting competitions are categorized into divisions, based on the sex, age and weight of the participants. Weighing in at 304 pounds, give or take a piece of cornbread, Caleb competes in the 308-pound class.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association does not have powerlifting as a competitive sport, so competing means lots of travel, often for four or five days at a time across the southeast. That rigorous schedule was the reason the Reas are home schooling Caleb this year. His girlfriend Avery also travels with Caleb's family to most meets.
Prior to his accidents, Caleb's best sport was baseball. But his team of doctors said they could not release him for contact or team sports. And that hit Caleb hard. But it didn't take him long to overcome that obstacle.
“I wasn't happy but the only thing I could do is listen (to his doctors). My sport was baseball. Once I couldn't do that, it took a while to get happy and powerlifting was my only option so I took it and ran,” Caleb said. “I've had football coaches ask me to play and they would get a special helmet (to reduce the risk of concussion), but I just couldn't. So powerlifting just filled the void I had. It was something to do and once you get dedicated to do one thing, you get kind of good at it,” he added.
Lymann describes the competitive powerlifting community as family. And he wants folks to know you don't have to be a certain age or size to get started.
“We really want to raise awareness about powerlifting. I see so many kids stuck behind a video game who they can't do anything else,” Lymann said. “They think they're too heavy or too small, but size doesn't matter. Everybody cheers for each other. When you go to a meet, it may look like a bunch of giants walking around, but it's not just the physical size of someone that counts, because they're all big hearted. People are so nice and supportive and they help each other,” he added
Caleb has to remind himself occasionally to take a moment to reflect on how far he's come in one year. And he wants to take time after 2025 to train and help other powerlifters who are just getting started.
If Rea's success continues, there could be a college scholarship on the table. One school that interests him is Texas A&M, boasting the nation's number one powerlifting team.
Caleb will begin the 2025 competition season in January. When the powerlifting season ends next December, he plans to take a break for a year or so. And he's got something else on his mind after that.
“A few years down the road I'll go away from powerlifting and go to strongman,” Caleb said. “And one day be the world's strongest man.”
And based on his recent history, don't bet against him.
