A triple-amputee known online as ‘One Limb Tim’ has opened up about facing trolling after posting videos of himself running and dancing on a treadmill.
Timur Mason, 28, started sharing his workouts in 2022, hoping to inspire others with his determination and positivity.
His first treadmill dance clip went viral, racking up a staggering 39 million views, but along with the praise came a flood of cruel comments from strangers online.
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Born in Moscow, Russia, Timur is a congenital triple amputee who was adopted at the age of three.
Despite the challenges he has faced from an early age, he has fought to live independently and carve out a life on his own terms.
“My biological mother gave me up for adoption,” he told What’s The Jam.
“She gave away her rights to me, saying that ‘this baby is a monster.’
“I have no feelings of resentment towards her.”
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Growing up in the United States, Timur, who now works as Social Media and Operations Coordinator at Napa Valley Wine Academy, quickly learned to navigate life independently and described his childhood as largely carefree.
He said: “I never really cared about my disabilities growing up – I didn’t see myself as any different from any other kids on the playground.
“I loved to hop around and be independent.”
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But Timur’s confidence took a hit as he got older.
He said: “As I got older and entered freshman year, I started to become less confident with my disabilities – particularly in high school, when it felt like my disabilities were the first thing people saw.”
While studying at the University of Connecticut, Timur’s adoptive mother was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia.
The news coincided with a period of depression, and Timur struggled with his health and independence.
He said, “I had noticed a huge shift in my ability to move around.
“I was having trouble getting in and out of my wheelchair and became very sedentary.
“I decided it was time for a change and started working out.”
At his heaviest, Timur weighed 188 pounds.
But through consistent workouts and lifestyle changes, he lost 80 pounds, regaining both physical independence and confidence.
Timur, who now lives in California, first stepped onto a treadmill in 2021.
At the start, he couldn’t last more than two minutes without a break.
By 2022, he was filming himself dancing on it.
Since sharing the videos online, Timur has faced a mix of praise and trolling.
Supporters have hailed his dedication, but the negative comments have been brutal, with people cruelly asking, “Why is bro on the treadmill? He has no legs?” or writing, “The Jean Paul Gualitier bottle is on the move again”, and “Give up, that looks pointless, you’re a vegetable.”
Others even joked, “Why is my chicken nugget running on the treadmill?” and “Doesn’t bro’s private parts hurt?”
Timur said: “I’ve seen so many negative comments, and the thing I have to remind myself is that I’m bettering myself for me.
“It’s honestly alarming how many people don’t understand how necessary exercise and movement are for the human body, missing limbs or not.
“I just want to be seen as someone trying to better himself, like anyone else.”
Timur has also found that going to the gym helps him socially.
He said, “I used to be shy and nervous, thinking people were looking at me.
“But the more I showed up, the less I cared what anyone thought.
“I was showing up for myself, and that’s all that mattered.”
Now, Timur can spend more than 30 minutes on the treadmill at high speed and lift weights regularly.
His workouts have improved not only his fitness, but also his independence and confidence.
He hopes sharing his journey will inspire others to focus on themselves instead of others’ opinions.
Timur said: “We are all a project, and the energy, time and love we invest in ourselves will always come to fruition, as long as we are consistent and believe.”
Social media users were astounded, calling him “incredible” and “insanely impressive.”
One said, “You are so inspiring!!!! I love your personality,” while another added, “The definition of no excuses,u are an inspiration, my guy.”
One viewer summed it up simply: “SLAYYYY.”
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