Don Reinhoudt, Former World's Strongest Man, Dead At 78

The weightlifting champion broke 36 world records in powerlifting and was inducted into the World Powerlifting Hall of Fame in 1998

Don Reinhoudt, who won the World’s Strongest Man title in 1979, died this week at age 78.

The former wrestler died on Monday following a car crash in upstate New York, according to officials.

New York State Police said in statement issued on Wednesday that police troopers from SP Fredonia had responded at 10:40 am on Monday to a collision involving one vehicle on Glasgow Road in Pomfret, Chautauqua County. The report said that Reinhoudt was driving a 2019 Jeep and traveling northbound on Glasgow Road, before he exited the west shoulder of the roadway and struck a tree.

He was rushed to Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk, New York, where he was later pronounced dead. The investigation is ongoing, police said.

Reinhoudt set 51 world records during his career and won the World’s Strongest Man contest in 1979 after placing second the previous year. In the 1970s, he won four International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Powerlifting Championships and three AAU US National Powerlifting Championships.

Among other achievements, he was inducted into IPF Hall of Fame in 1980, the World Powerlifting Hall of Fame in 1998, the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 President Ronald Reagan also awarded him the coveted White House Commendation.

He met first wife Cindy Wyatt — also a weightlifter — at a competition in 1966 and they had two children, Molly and Ben. Later, he married Pamela Reinhoudt.

His death sparked an outpouring of tributes from family, friends and the powerlifting community, including a moving tribute from his wife, Pamela, who described him as a man "of true goodness."

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“Don, to me, was always the gentle giant with those hands of his that were like baseball mits,” his wife Pamela told local news outlet Observer Today on Thursday,

“That comes from somewhere so deep inside. I think some people are naturally just born to have that character trait of true goodness and I think Don was one of those rare individuals who had it, and somehow throughout his life he just found a way to enhance it and do it for the better good.”

Reinhoudt — who lived in Chautauqua County and worked with students in the area and county Youth Bureau according to Observer Today — was also remembered by local officials and sports figures.

“I’m saddened to learn the news of Don’s passing. I will remember Don for his heart, which was as big as the rest of his body,” Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel said, according to Spectrum News 1.

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“He was a true ambassador for Chautauqua County. He especially took care in assisting area youth, as demonstrated by his time working with our Youth Bureau from 1984 to 2007. He also served as the division’s director," Wendel added.

Reinhoudt was also remembered by fellow powerlifters, including former powerlifter Laurence Shahlaei, who has won Strongest Man titles in the England, Britain and Europe competitions.

On Wednesday, Shahlaei wrote in an Instagram post that Reinhoudt was “one of the pioneers of the modern sports of Powerlifting and Strongman,” adding “I was lucky enough to talk to Don a couple of times, and he was incredibly kind and a real gentleman with so many stories to share. Our thoughts are with his wife, family and friends."

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