Matt Kramer

Matt has the support of a wide network of family and friends.

It wasn’t until he attended a Chicago Blackhawks game with his nephew that Matt Kramer, 47, began to really think about his health. The next day, his brother called to thank him.

“He said my nephew had a great time, but his concern was that I looked really heavy. He asked his dad, ‘Is Uncle Matt going to die?’” the Elk Grove Village man says. “I took that to heart. It makes you think your health doesn’t affect only yourself.”

It spurred Kramer, at 6 feet, 1 inch and 372 pounds, to commit to change. A sucker for pizza, soda pop and beer, Kramer says he began gaining weight when he moved to the suburbs from the city. Add in a stressful job as a branch manager at Hershey’s Ice Cream in Chicago, and the pounds piled on.

Over the years, he also developed sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Being chosen for the contest feels like “winning the lottery,” Kramer says. For the first time in his life, he’ll have a chance to learn about nutrition and a personal trainer to show him the ropes in the gym. “There’s a big room with a heck of a lot of machines, but unless you really understand what they can do for your body and how to use them properly, it doesn’t make a lot of sense,” he says.

Along with a new job as vice president of sales with a different company, and the support of his wife and extended family — including 25 nieces and nephews — Kramer says he’s ready to change his life for good. “Yes, I want to win, but most importantly I’m in it for the health benefits,” he says. “This will be an incredible learning curve for me.”