The Viral 70LB Baby That Was Featured On Jerry Springer Is All Grown Up, And You Better Sit Down Before Seeing Him Today
In 1996, a one-year-old Zach Strenkert appeared on The Jerry Springer Show. At just 17 months old, he weighed 70 pounds, making him a topic of widespread discussion. The segment from the show has even resurfaced and gone viral in the social media era.
Zach, now 29, has a rare genetic condition called Simpson-Golabi-Behmel Syndrome (SGBS). This disorder caused him to gain 2.5 pounds every two weeks and grow an inch during his infancy.
A new Netflix documentary, “Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action,” recently highlighted the bizarre nature of the show. Zach also made appearances on other programs like Oprah and Inside Edition.
Reflecting on that time, Zach said he “felt like a circus act.” He told The Mirror, “They presented me as different, which only separated me further from everyone else.” He was known as the “TV kid” in his hometown.
Zach clarified that his family’s motive was not fame or money. Their goal was to find medical help and raise awareness about SGBS. They struggled to get geneticist support through their insurance.
He expressed that the new Netflix documentary did not reveal anything new. Zach described it as a repackaging of old content with “bells and whistles.”
Today, Zach is focusing on his health after previously weighing 485 pounds. Jerry Springer, who hosted his famous show for 27 years, passed away in 2023 from pancreatic cancer. He was remembered as an irreplaceable personality with a great ability to connect with people.
