COLLINSVILLE, Okla. — A local strongman is launching his 2026 tour with a powerful message of perseverance, hoping to inspire kids and adults dealing with serious health challenges.
Ruben Ryan, a strongman, powerlifter and actor, recently kicked off his tour in Collinsville, showcasing feats of strength while sharing the life story behind his personal motto: “Never Quit.”
Ryan has been competing in strongman events for about three years, but his journey began long before he ever stepped into a gym.
Years ago, Ryan faced a series of severe health issues that nearly cost him his life. He lost half of his esophagus, had part of his stomach reconstructed and suffered from a rare blood sugar disorder that caused dangerous swings in his glucose levels. At one point, he dropped nearly 50 pounds in a single week and experienced two transient ischemic attacks (TIAs).
“I lost half my esophagus, they had to fold half my stomach over,” said Ryan. “I couldn’t eat, and I went down to about 145 pounds. I was very sick and very fragile.”
Ryan also dealt with a serious stomach infection and eventually required a knee replacement. He frequently traveled from Collinsville to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for treatment. During one of those visits, Ryan said he nearly gave up.
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“I just didn’t want to continue to fight,” he said. “But my wife told me, ‘You’ve got to keep fighting that fight.’ That’s where ‘never quit’ came from.”
That mindset pushed Ryan to begin working out at a local YMCA roughly three years ago. What started as a way to rebuild his strength quickly turned into competitive success. Ryan began powerlifting, earning multiple state and national titles, along with a world record. From there, he set his sights on strongman competitions.
Now, Ryan travels the country performing feats of strength such as lifting wagon wheels, bending frying pans, tearing license plates in half and even driving nails through boards using only his hands.
Beyond strongman competitions, Ryan has also worked as an actor, appearing in The Lowdown with Ethan Hawke and recently wrapping another film set to be released later this year.
Ryan says his goal is bigger than lifting heavy objects, it’s about showing others what’s possible.
“If I’m never going to quit, I’m never going to give up,” said Ryan. “Then I want to go anywhere I can to make sure every kid and every adult knows they don’t have to quit either.”
Ryan’s 2026 tour will take him to Louisiana and Chicago later this month. He’ll also return to Green Country this fall for two events, including the Talala Fall Festival, where he plans to lift a car.
You can find more information on Ruben Ryan and his 2026 tour by clicking here.
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