"I'm devastated" - Arnold Schwarzenegger issues heartfelt statement on the tragic passing of mentor Jim Lorimer
Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most successful bodybuilders ever to compete in bodybuilding. He won the Mr. Olympia title seven times in his career. Only Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman have won more Mr. Olympia titles than Arnold.
On November 25, 2020, Arnold Schwarzenegger released a heartfelt statement on Instagram about the passing of his mentor Jim Lorimer. Arnold posted a photo of himself and Jim and wrote a long heartfelt message. He continued his statement further in the comments section.
Arnold wrote:
"Jim Lorimer will live forever through the millions of people he inspired to join our fitness crusade and tune into this little niche sport called bodybuilding. I am devastated that I won’t sit with him again and hear his wisdom, or critique bodybuilders together, or just laugh and laugh."
The Austrian Oak claimed that Jim Lorimer would live on forever. He also said his thoughts are with Jim's family, Bob, Kathy, and Jeff. Arnold Schwarzenegger also claimed that the only reason he wouldn't call himself self-made is because of Jim.
Arnold Schwarzenegger opened up about Jim Lorimer
Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke about how he and Jim Lorimer met 52 years ago at the Mr. World Bodybuilding Championship. The Governator further added:
"When I met him 52 years ago at the Mr. World bodybuilding championship he organized so fantastically in Columbus, Ohio, I immediately knew Jim would be a big part of my life. I told him when I retired from competing, we would be partners and promote bodybuilding together."
"And starting in 1976, we did just that with a handshake agreement for more than 50 years, expanding from a bodybuilding show that drew 2,000 people to a sports festival with over 200,000 visitors and more athletes than the Olympics (more than 20,000), while we branched out from Ohio to inspire people on every continent except Antarctica."
Arnold claimed that when he was appointed as the Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports by President Bush in 1990, he knew that he needed Jim by his side. Arnie stated that Jim made the impossible possible with his brilliant legal mind when he and Jim worked with all the federal agencies and hundreds of bureaucrats to organize the Great American Workout at the White House Lawn.
Schwarzenegger added:
"Jim also lives on in every single person he inspired to live a healthier life. Some people assume Jim started promoting sports with me – that couldn’t be further from the truth. His sports and fitness crusade started much earlier, when he was lifting up women’s track and field. In the 50’s and 60’s, when promoting women’s sports wasn’t as popular as it is now, Jim was a pioneer."
The Governator stated that Lorimer founded the Ohio Track Club women's team and later became the chair of the US Olympic Committee for Women's Sports. Arnold claimed that Jim worked as an FBI agent and an executive at Nationwide Insurance. Arnold further continued:
"He became so legendary for his promotion of sports that he was asked to host the 1970 World Weightlifting Championships. He decided to host the Mr. World competition to sell more tickets, and the rest is history. To Jim, the Mr. World was just a way to pack the theater, but to me, winning that title changed my life. I beat Sergio Oliva for the first time, and I saw how well Jim treated the athletes and made the commitment then and there to work together to elevate the sport of bodybuilding."
Schwarzenegger claimed that it was destiny that he and Jim met. Still, regardless of destiny, Jim's passionate commitment to sports and fitness laid the foundation for their fate, according to the former bodybuilder. Arnold said he would miss Lorimer's wisdom, mentorship, kind heart, sense of humor, and desire to make the world a better place. The Austrian Oak stated that he would miss Jim's friendship. He also said that Jim made him the person he is today.
Arnold Schwarzenegger further continued:
"He’ll always be with all of us. So while I grieve today, I will also remember how lucky I was - how lucky the world was - to have so much of this wonderful man’s time. This Thanksgiving, I remember Jim Lorimer, and I am so, so grateful he was such a big part of my life. Thank you, Jim."
At the end of his heartfelt message, Arnold Schwarzenegger thanked Jim Lorimer. It would definitely take some time for Arnold to recover from the demise of his longtime friend and mentor, Jim Lorimer.