82-year-old female bodybuilder goes viral after recounting the moment a man broke into her home. Video / @sethpalmer3
An 82-year-old grandma has gone viral after recounting the moment a man broke into her home.
Willie Murphy, who is also an award-wining bodybuilder, was getting ready for bed at about 11pm on Thursday when she heard a loud bang on her front door.
A man declared he was sick and demanded Ms Murphy call an ambulance, reports News.com.au.
Instead, the bodybuilder called the police and refused to let him in, and that's when he allegedly got angry and broke her door, forcing himself inside.
"I hear a loud noise," she told ABC 13. "I'm thinking, 'What the heck was that?' The young man is in my home. He broke the door.
Ms Murphy, who trains at her local YMCA in New York every day, explained how she then grabbed a table and "went to working on him".
"And guess what? The table broke, and it had metal legs. And when he's down, I'm jumping on him," she said while re-enacting her movements.
Ms Murphy, who still had 911 on the phone, then ran into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of shampoo, pouring it all over the man's face.
The man then tried to get up, pulling on the broom Ms Murphy was holding.
"He's pulling the broom. I'm hitting him with the broom," she said.
"He wants to get the heck out, and I'm trying to help him get out of the house, but he's too heavy, I can't move him — he's dead weight," My Murphy said while laughing.
She holds the prestigious title of 2014 World Natural Powerlifting Federation Lifter of the Year and various other national titles. Photo / Supplied
That's when the police arrived to Ms Murphy's home.
The man was taken to a nearby hospital, and Ms Murphy was applauded by paramedics. It is unknown if the man was charged.
"The officers that came wanted to go on my front porch and take selfies with me," she told ABC 13.
Ms Murphy, who can dead lift 100kg, returned to her local YMCA the next day, where she received a hero's welcome.
She hopes her story inspires people of all ages — and it has, with her interview since going viral.
"This makes me want to start bodybuilding ASAP. Willie Murphy, you're my hero!" one woman posted on Twitter.
"WATCH: STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING and watch this woman. Willie Murphy is my spirit animal. You hear me? I mean it," another Twitter user said, "She is everything I want to be when I'm 82. Who's fool enough to mess with her?"
A third commented: "I love this lady!! Taking care of business Willie Murphy!"
Willie Murphy, a professional bodybuilder, has gone viral after recounting the moment she fought off a home intruder. Photo / Twitter
"82-year olds are TOUGH! Congratulations, Willie Murphy, for showing us old ain't weak!" said another impressed Twitter user.
WNPF vice-president Ron DeAmicis told ESPN last year he had never met another powerlifter like Ms Murphy.
"I've had other seniors competing in their low 70s or middle 70s, but Willie's my first 80-year-and-older. And as far as her personality, there's no one that can beat Willie."
Ms Murphy started competitively powerlifting about 10 years ago. Her reason? "Just to maintain myself," she said.
She also holds New York State records and national records across multiple WNPF age brackets.
We hear you Ms Murphy – moral of the story – age has no limits.
