Many have pushed the envelope in pursuit of their own goals. Dreams remain dreams till you take action, then they become a goal, but some actions have consequences.
If my gym was a living organism, Munga would be its heart. Never baited or drawn into gym politics or rivalry. Munga had only one goal ?one more plate?.
Old school to the last, hard core and a true ?pit-bull? of the gym. Munga didn’t care for diets, getting cut and therefore smaller was the utmost in stupidity to him, however he was first to kick your ass when you fall off your competition diet. Hell he?d even hide the choccies and buiscuts in his house when you visit so not to make it tough. That was Munga always there to spot you, I wondered so many times if he ever went home. You got on cos of Munga. Munga was the guy who organised a minibus of guys to go see your show and who shouted the loudest ?Abs Jonny Abs, lock out your tri?s son? He was also the guy to keep you level. After your best ever squat he would say ?So what you gonna lift after your warm up? Hell he has even fake tanned my ass for me backstage.
On the 3rd September I got a phone call that will never leave me. Sharon, Munga?s long time girlfriend is screaming down the phone ?I cant wake Mung up?he wont wake up?help me?
I called an Ambulance and rushed to their house.
Medics were on site before me but I guessed the worst, low trace heart rate and very low BP, dilated pupils. Just over 2 weeks before this day I had a long argument about his insulin dosage. But like I said, he was in pursuit of a dream, monster size.
Mark “Munga” Barry was pronounced dead late Friday 3rd September 04 from an infection as the result of brain injuries caused by a suspected insulin overdose. High doses of the hormone can lead to coma when too much sugar is dumped from the blood-stream, starving the brain of oxygen. He leaves Sharon, Mia and Martin his children.
I cant believe I will never see his crappy town drapped over a bench as a ?occupied? I will never again not let him train till he puts trainers on. I will never hear his booming laugh or him shout at some kid getting it all wrong. I aint cried so much since I was a little kid…
R.I.P. Munga 1972 - 2004
Tomorrow I will lift that extra plate you wanted