Body Of Work

Lori Kurtzman: Mike Francois doesn't go to bodybuilding competitions anymore, not even to watch. There's a part of him that still can't let go. In 1995, Francois was hamming it up under the stage lights, all bronzed and glistening and popping those enormous thighs that Arnold Schwarzenegger himself couldn't stop talking about. It was Francois' first shot at the Arnold Classic, and he took home the trophy. The crowd roared. He flexed.

Three years later, Francois clung to life in a hospital bed. Those fantastic muscles were gone. He was 100 pounds lighter, an ostomy bag hanging from his body.

"It was pretty demoralizing," Francois said.

Now, he's 47 and happy. He's alive. He has a wife he loves and two boys he appreciates more than any bodybuilding title. He's a personal trainer and still in excellent shape.Francois says he's a boring guy living in Galena — someone who watches kid's movies and considers a fat-free cheese pizza a splurge — but he's content.

Still …

"I never got to finish what I started."