Tollie’s talents are highlighted in business, philanthropy, and in the media. Tollie’s background is one of personal struggle, overcoming much adversity, and personal greatness. Tollie’s story of growing up as the “Fat Kid” who ballooned to over 500 pounds and then achieving an astounding weight loss of over 300 pounds.
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Tollie has been featured in many national publications, network talk shows, and radio programs across the U.S. Tollie is considered an expert in childhood obesity, eating disorders, and depression. He has used his natural talents to create change for teens struggling with body image issues and is a voice for those living in the darkness of depression.
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Tollie founded a non-profit called Tollie’s Out of the Darkness Project which inspires to allow teens struggling with body image issues, eating disorders, depression and obesity.
Tollie lived with Victor Nikolayevich Okutin who was serving as Russia’s Minister of Finance under Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Tollie’s exposure to International Business was in a hands on and fully emerged experience. During the first part of his days Tollie attended school with his Russian brother Sergey at Moscow’s COMMERCE AND COMMERCIAL COLLEGE Lyceum– 320. Tollie would spend his afternoons as an intern under Paul R Smith Cultural attache to the Russian Federation, U.S. Embassy, Moscow, Russia.“Tollie maintained a solid “C” average in his Honor’s courses when he concentrated and really put his mind to studying. However, Tollie’s strength’s do not lie in learning from a book or the confines of a classroom. Tollie, will go where no one his age would go, he can adjust quickly to any environment, adapt and always exceed all expectations ever placed upon him. Tollie is is known as a leader, and this leadership is seen by his daily actions, bold decisions, and unyielding pursuit of excellence.” -Thomas McBride Center for International Studies.
Tollie became depressed and dealt with his self-inflicted circumstances in a self-destructive way, ballooned to over 500 pounds by the age of 24. The pothole-ridden first few chapters of Tollie’s life viewed by most people as nothing short of inspiring, as seen in various national publications….For almost a year after leaving Oklahoma Tollie felt defeated, his weight was so out of control he confined himself to his house and merely a walk up the driveway would cause him be out of breath and struggle to breathe. Finally, Tollie recognized that he was dead, and gave up on life, which was unacceptable to him. Tollie, took all drastic measures to combat his weight, and studied, and learned how to overcome even 300+ pounds of excess fat.
In a year Tollie went from over 500+ pounds to Under 200 and continues to create lasting empowering change in his mind, body and spirit daily. Tollie is known as a guy who does not believe in personal limits, his creative and artistic nature infused with his natural marketing ability charisma and charm has catapulted him into many new business opportunities. Today, Tollie takes the creative role in new entertainment development projects. His highly anticipated new book, “Inspired Rise 180 Degrees & Magnify the Human Experience“, is a testament to his unique and forward thinking philosophy on creating a body or endless possibilities.
