103‑year‑old lifting viral
A 103‑year‑old WWII veteran lifting at a YMCA went viral, racking up roughly 2.7k views and serving as a social proof point that 'people get old because they stop lifting' (x.com). The clip is being shared widely as inspiration across strength communities and has reignited conversations about lifelong resistance training benefits (x.com).
The man in the clip is James Sneed, a World War II Army veteran who was born Sept. 16, 1922 and is a regular at the D.A. Turner YMCA in Columbus, Georgia. (wrbl.com) YMCA staff say Sneed attends Silver Sneakers fitness classes about three times a week and that his presence has become a motivational touchpoint for members decades younger than him. (wrbl.com) Sneed’s daughter, Dr. Janet Sneed, says she moved him into her home and introduced him to the YMCA; the center marked his 102nd birthday on Sept. 16, 2024 with staff and members. (military.com) Physician and commentator Robert Lufkin reposted the footage to his channels, uploading a short titled “103 year old WW2 veteran doing strength training” on his YouTube account, which lists roughly 133,000 subscribers. (youtube.com) After local coverage in mid‑January 2026, the story was republished by national outlets including Military.com and by veteran organizations such as the Combat Infantrymen’s Association. (wrbl.com) (news.cibassoc.org) Local reporting traces Sneed’s life arc — Great Depression childhood, WWII service, a career in the wood and paper industry, raising five children, surviving cancer, and ongoing church involvement — as context for why staff and classmates call him an inspiration. (wrbl.com)
