Ben Bibler of Indiana —  “My name is Keith Reinholt, and I’m submitting this letter, along with photos of my friend Ben Bibler. He completed the 12-week Program but tragically died on August 23, a day after he was injured in a diving accident.” Keith promised Ben, as he lay in the hospital critical care unit, that he would make sure Bill Phillips knew he finished the Challenge and in the process, became an inspiration to everyone in the community. “During his Program Ben completely rebuilt his body,” Keith says. “On the ‘inside’ Ben transformed even more. He discovered a new faith in life. Once a late-night ‘party guy,’ Ben joined our morning crew for 5 a.m. workouts. He never let us down. He helped us all feel good about ourselves. His bright smile and words of encouragement are what we miss the most.” During the Challenge, Ben and Keith helped each other. They would work out together and take turns bringing lunch to work for the two of them. “Looking back on the last day I had with Ben, I see it may have been Ben’s best. He was so excited about life, and he was looking forward to staring college on Monday. He showed a friend his ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos, smiled at her, and told her how his life has changed. His friend responded saying, “I always knew you were a great person. Ben, I’m so happy you now know too.” I can assure you that Ben’s transformation of body, mind and spirit was a success. It was an honor for me to be his training partner, co-worker and friend.”

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