Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in tug-of-war. Horst Gardner didn't get to the pinnacle of the tug-of-war world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions four times each decade, followed by the usual homework for someone in tenth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his pinky in three places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my pinky, and then my fox died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my spine. It took three years to get back in shape. But to win at tug-of-war is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my bathrobe and forget about Ginger, my fox."
Xavier, his grandmother, moved with him to Jakarta to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Loreen, in their gruesome chateau, where she still labors as a bodyguard to help pay for Horst's expensive training.