A Celebration of Life

Last night was Andrew’s celebration of life, and I had the honor of watching via live stream as the service took place in Australia. Two words come to mind: beautiful and accurate. It was the first time I saw Andrew’s daughter speak, and what a presence she has.

Lorna, I have never met you before, but I want you to know—your dad loved you and was so incredibly proud of you. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know or haven’t heard a hundred times, but as a girl dad myself, I bet it’s making him even more comfortable than usual, seeing your maturity and strength. He would be proud of how you commanded the stage, honored him, and spoke with boldness—just as he raised you to. I hope we meet one day.

Julie then shared the impact Andrew had on her life, with complete fearlessness, glowing with gratitude that she had the time with Andrew that she did. It was all over her face—it was amazing.

Reflecting on Andrew’s Journey

I believe it’s only at the end that we start to think about the beginning. Andrew’s passing was heartbreaking, but not shocking after all he had endured—though you would never know it just by talking to him. He refused to let on that he was in any pain and insisted that he was winning this battle. And he was winning—but not in the way we typically think from a carnal standpoint, but spiritually. More on this later.

After knowing such a great man, you find yourself looking back. You wish you had asked more questions, spent more time, and made more of an effort to connect. I want to take that lesson forward—cherishing the people I love, telling them more often, and not wasting time on things that don’t truly matter. Andrew understood that. He made every effort to live his last days, weeks, months, and years to the fullest, focusing on what truly counted while letting go of the distractions and worries that weren’t worth his time.

I am so grateful I had one last conversation with him in late December 2024, which I’m going to attach to this blog. We talked for two hours, and as always, it was incredible.

Andrew’s Philosophy on Life

When I first started writing this two weeks ago, I felt an overwhelming mix of emotions—sadness, happiness, and everything in between. But I know one thing for sure: Andrew would not want anyone grieving over him. I can hear him now—”Super Brian, move on! You have a great life to live. I’ve lived mine. I cannot complain. Now move forward! My time here is done—go do something great!”

So, naturally, I changed the music in my truck from somber Police songs to Pantera in his honor. That’s what he would want—to do something big, with no more wasted time.

Our First Meeting

I first met Andrew Lock in 2018 at SWIS in Toronto, Canada. Stuart McGill introduced me to him when I was struggling with a shoulder issue—what turned out to be a torn subscapularis and supraspinatus.

At first glance, I wasn’t sure if he was Andy Bolton—they looked a bit alike. But then I noticed the padlock around his neck and his blonde hair, and I knew he was someone different. From the start, we hit it off. Andrew helped me rehab my shoulder, teaching me more than I ever thought I’d learn about the shoulder, thoracic mobility, and rehabilitation. Over time, our conversations grew beyond rehab, and we became close friends.

A Man of Faith and Knowledge

One day, faith came up in our discussions. Andrew was fascinated with the story of Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32:24-28—the man who wrestled with God and won. He believed this was the first recorded sciatic nerve injury. I bet this was his first question in heaven, quickly followed by similar discussions about why God created the perfect spine and how He did it—all while Andrew had three more questions lined up. This makes me smile because I know it’s true.

We often discussed the battle between good and evil, the physical and the spiritual, and how those forces shape everything around us. It can be a touchy subject, but Andrew and I saw eye to eye. I truly believe this life is just the beginning of something far greater, with eternity to follow, and Andrew understood that.

Andrew’s USA Tour

We kept in touch regularly, chatting on Instagram and Skype. In 2023, Andrew embarked on what I’d call his USA tour. He loved the United States (he boasted a Statue of Liberty tattoo on his shoulder) and was incredibly proud of his daughter and her athletic achievements—he spoke about her with such admiration. As he traveled across the country with Julie, he made stops up and down both coasts.

In August, he visited Florida, spending time with our mutual friend MDLP before heading to Jacksonville to see me. We filmed, coached, drank some whiskey, and had some incredible conversations. I had the pleasure of meeting his wife, Julie, and we all had a wonderful time. Andrew wouldn’t stop talking about how much he loved the BBQ afterward. We talked about everything—spines, rebuilding spines, Ronnie Coleman, training, PEDs, cannabis, whiskey, drugs, squatting 1300 lbs, fertility—it was marvelous.

His Final Speech and Legacy

As his USA tour wrapped up, he finished at SWIS in October 2023, reuniting with his closest friends and colleagues—Ken Kinakin, McGill, Dave Tate, Eric Serrano, and so many others. That weekend, Andrew received the well-deserved SWIS Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in shoulder and spine rehabilitation and his contributions to athletes around the world. After accepting the award, he took the microphone and delivered one of the most powerful speeches I’ve ever heard. In hindsight, it was not a speech, but a declaration that he had lived a life that he only could have dreamed up.

His career was skyrocketing, working with top athletes, having a training session with RFK Jr. (he loved Venice Beach), and getting to see all of his friends in this great country; this was the last time I got to see Andrew, but what a delivery!

I didn’t realize it at the time, but after MDLP and I looked at each other, I said, “WTF was that? Amazing.” He nodded and said, “Yes, that’s our favorite song.” At that moment, I realized Andrew was quoting his favorite song—The Impossible Dream (The Quest).

To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.

To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.

This is my quest,
To follow that star,
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.

To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.

And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest,
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest.

And the world will be better for this,
That one man scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.

As the funeral stream faded to black last night, this very song played, carrying Andrew on his final journey to rest.

Honoring Andrew’s Memory

It was clear to me then, and even more so now—Andrew had accomplished everything he set out to do in his life. I don’t think he knew his time was short, but in some way, something was stirring inside him. He lived his life with purpose and passion. One thing he never told me, no matter how many times I asked, tricked, or even tried to get him to admit under the influence, was his age. That secret, he took with him.

Andrew was unique in every way. He will be missed, but never forgotten. One thing is certain—he wouldn’t want us to be sad. So let’s celebrate his life the way he did—with humor, education, coaching, a cigar, an occasional whiskey or joint, eating some meat, lifting some heavy weight, mastering performance enhancement, fixing spines, and never forgetting the impact he had on us.

Andrew, thank you for your help, your generosity, and your unwavering truthfulness—even when it was not popular or part of the culture. Most of all, thank you for your friendship, brother.

Until we meet again—cheers, my friend. See you soon—but not yet.

My Last Text From Andrew Lock

Hey, Super Brian!!!!!

Got news for you, those prayers are working!

Thanks for your thoughts.

I feel better than ever.

I actually had no symptoms prior to the surgery that I noticed, it was a fluke that Julie thought she saw something wrong and insisted I go to the ER.

I’m feeling stronger than ever and I’ve set a goal to hit a 300kg squat to define my endpoint of rehab.

I’m thinking smarter and more creatively since the surgery. It was as if I needed this surgery to unleash the real me.

I always remember Job! I can never resent the beautiful life I live and the wonderful people I have met.

And I now see this experience as a gift, an opportunity to be better than before the tumor was discovered. I am the luckiest man on earth, I can resent nothing. I give thanks and am grateful for the grace that is given to me.

Hope all is wonderful with you and your fantastic family!

How you doing? What’s new?