Nick Scott discusses his car accident at age 16, the depression that followed, and finding the motivation to become a pro bodybuilder.
Nick Scott’s life completely transformed when he fell victim to a car accident at age 16 that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Shortly after he fell into depression and gained weight up to 300 pounds. He had lost hope. But then suddenly Nick turned everything around. He became obsessed with the bench press, lost weight, gained muscle, and discovered the world of bodybuilding.
Fast forward to today and Nick has been the primary proponent of the pro wheelchair division. He helped grow the category and bring it to the main stages of both the Arnold Classic and the Mr. Olympia. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Nick Scott details his near-fatal car accident and how he found the motivation to transform his life.
Any fan of bodybuilding will recognize Nick Scott. He is an iconic personality at both the Arnold Classic and the Mr. Olympia. Dressed up with a sparkling gold tie and speaking with passion and vigor – he is the main pillar and MC for the Pro Wheelchair division. But it didn’t always used to be that way. The Pro Wheelchair division was much smaller and didn’t even appear at most major competitions. Nick Scott dedicated his life to not only competing as a pro wheelchair competitor – but also to bring more attention to the division as a whole.
Nick Scott posing on stage (above).
We connected with Nick Scott via video chat to discuss his past, present, and future – while also getting his thoughts on the current trending topics in the sport. Most importantly, we spoke with Nick about how he dealt with and overcame depression after his accident. With the world in crises due to a pandemic, there are many with their backs agains the wall suffering from depression. We dive into Nick’s story and how he found the power to go from a depressed 300 pound man to a pro wheelchair bodybuilder.
At age 16, Nick Scott found himself in a freak car accident that left him tumbling down a ditch off the side of the road. The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, changing his life forever. It was a truly traumatic event and Nick originally did not take to his new lifestyle well.
He fell into depression, gain up to 300 pounds and found little hope of what to do with his life. Food was his comfort. So how did Nick suddenly find the motivation to turn everything around? It’s not an easy answer, but Nick provides some advice to help each individual find motivation in their own way.
“You got to find your purpose in life,” Nick Scott states in our interview. Nick understands it’s not always easy to find the answer. Finding your purpose in life can be challenging regardless of your life situation. So how does Nick recommend finding your purpose? By finding your “why factor.”
Again, this all might sound vague. That’s because unfortunately there is no “trick” to finding your “why factor.” It involves a lot of soul searching and analysis of who you are and why you enjoy things. But Nick stresses that it’s important to try. Far too often, those in tragic accidents point fingers (at other people, situations, even God) in order to compensate for becoming paralyzed or disabled.
Nick Scott stresses that pointing fingers won’t solve anything. Instead, hard work on soul searching will help you find your purpose in life. For Nick, it was his mother. She was a woman who never had much in life – and Nick wanted to work hard to help provide for her. To give her a better life. This became his driving factor and allowed him to not only become a pro bodybuilder – but to spearhead the Pro Wheelchair division.
It’s a story that can help anyone in this world who is feeling stuck or depressed. You can watch Nick Scott’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview above.
