The Viral 70LB Baby That Was Featured On Jerry Springer Is All Grown Up, And You Better Sit Down Before Seeing Him Today

Zach Strenkert first appeared on The Jerry Springer Show in 1996, when he was just 17 months old and already weighed 70 pounds. At the time, his story caught national attention, and the episode has resurfaced in recent years, gaining viral traction online.

What many people don’t realize is that Zach was living with Simpson-Golabi-Behmel Syndrome (SGBS), a rare genetic condition. The illness caused him to gain about 2.5 pounds every two weeks and grow an inch at a rapid pace, making him one of the heaviest toddlers in the country.

His appearance on Springer wasn’t the only one. As a child growing up in Port Jervis, New York, Zach was also featured on programs like Oprah and Inside Edition. But instead of feeling celebrated, he often felt like a spectacle. “They presented me as different, which only separated me further,” he told The Mirror. “I was referred to as the TV kid.”

Zach explained that people today assume his family sought fame, but the truth was simpler: they were searching for medical help. “We just wanted access to geneticists, which wasn’t easy with our insurance,” he said, adding that his mother never earned much from the appearances.

The release of the Netflix documentary Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action has renewed interest in his story, though Zach admitted it didn’t offer much new insight. “It’s the same content, just with bells and whistles,” he remarked.

Once weighing 485 pounds, Zach now focuses on improving his health and well-being.

Meanwhile, Jerry Springer, who hosted his show from 1991 to 2018, passed away in 2023 at his Chicago home from pancreatic cancer. His family praised his unique ability to connect with people, calling him “irreplaceable.”