Lyle Adams is the living embodiment of that old saying klein maar getrain.
The 27-year-old Mitchells Plain resident has been defying the odds for 27 years, after being born with phocomelia, with doctors telling his mom that he won’t live beyond his sixth birthday.
Today Lyle is not only alive and kicking, but he has also become a father and is engaged to be married.
And he’s become an internet sensation with his fitness.
Phocomelia is a condition characterised by malformation of the arms and legs.
Although operations may improve some abnormalities, many are not surgically treatable due to the lack of nerves and other related structures.
Lyle, who stands at 1.17m tall, was born without arms, but has hands which are directly attached to his shoulders.
“They said I wouldn’t make it, but look how far I’ve come, I’m still doing life, I’m still doing me,” the feisty outjie tells the Daily Voice.
Lyle says keeping fit is all about his health, not vanity.
“I’m not allowed to gain weight as it can put strain on my legs, so it’s not about being bulky and having abs, I just need to keep fit and healthy.
“I used to gym frequently, but when it closed during the lockdown, I had to make my own manoeuvres at home.”
The young man says wedding bells will be ringing soon and he is taking his responsibilities seriously.
But Lyle, who has certificates for project management and banking, says it’s tough as there are no jobs now.
“I feel like I’m failing as a father because I can’t provide for my family. It’s tough, it’s a real challenge for me.
“I also can’t just go out and drop off a CV, I can’t walk far. I try my best to do everything I can.”
Lyle says his engagement to his able-bodied fiancée is amazing and he loves his two-year-old daughter.
“I love being with my family and since I don’t work anymore, I look after my daughter.”
Fiancée Denline Heynes says Lyle laat nie met hom mors nie.
“Lyle is strong-willed; he takes challenges by the horns. Sometimes I feel like hitting him with a hammer because of how stubborn he can be, but it only makes him stronger and the person that he is and that I love,” she says with a smile.