Christmas joy for homeless strongman

A HOMELESS bodybuilder was reunited with his son and two grandchildren at Christmas after an internet video of him working out on the streets of Paris went viral.

Jacques Sayagh has lived on the streets of the capital’s 16th arrondissement for years, where he maintains his physique using street furniture - but he spent the holiday with his family after meeting his son for the first time since the early 2000s on Canal+ show Salut les Terriens.

Speaking on the show, son Rémi said: “I was amazed by what I saw on that video. I also wanted to tell you that ... I'm proud of you.”

Mr Sayagh became a web sensation when director Julien Goudichaud’s six-minute film was posted on Youtube early in December and viewed more than four-million times in a matter of weeks.

He spoke of his family in the video, saying: ““I have grandchildren ... I want them to be proud of me. That’s all I want.”

Remi has since launched an online fundraising campaign to help his father, saying that he wants his father to follow his passion for bodybuilding, but without having to live on the streets.

Photo: Screengrab / Julien Goudichaud