NaN:NaN
- ABC News
- April 4, 2016
Powerlifter and Girl with Rare Disease Help Each Other
The two became fast friends at a fundraiser last year.
NaN:NaN
Ratcliffe suffers from Progeria, a rare disease that ages those affected by six to eight times the normal rate, as well as stunts growth, and hardens arteries. Douglas, an ex-Marine and powerlifter, says meeting her has been life-changing and inspiring -- in part because of how strong the little girl is, despite her condition.
“Lindsay became my little sis since day one,” Douglas told ABC News. He posts on his Facebook every year for her birthday and even surprised her and her family recently with an unexpected visit to Detroit.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/HT_power_lifter_rare_disease2_floating_cf_160404_4x3t_384.jpg\")
But that wasn’t the first time the two surprised each other. Just before going into surgery for his bicep in 2014, the Ratcliffe’s showed up to the hospital for Douglas with a shark pillow and a lot of love. “The best gift [was] just having [Lindsay] there with me,” he said.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/HT_power_lifter_rare_disease5_floating_cf_160404_4x3t_384.jpg\")
Despite living in different states, they always find a way to see each other. Douglas takes Lindsay out to eat, they go on roller coasters, and of course, they frequently video chat. Douglas, who represents Relentless, says this is just one of the many relationships that comes out of the competition. But Ratcliffe is special.
“I’m just another guy that lifts weights, she lifts spirits,\" he said. “She puts smiles on people’s faces and pumps love into their hearts.”
","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/marine-powerlifter-girl-rare-disease/story?id=38143739","legacySlug":"/news/story/marine-powerlifter-girl-rare-disease-38143739","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"21:14","publishDate":"04-04-2016","updatedTime":"14:17","updatedDate":"04-05-2016","socialImage":{"alt":"Best friends Lindsay Ratcliffe and David Douglas have an unbreakable bond.","credit":"David Douglas","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/HT_power_lifter_rare_disease4_floating_cf_160404_16x9_992.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"4/4/2016 21:14:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":38143739,"headline":"Powerlifter and Girl with Rare Disease Help Each Other","mediaAssetTitle":"MarineHelpsGirl_040416","description":"The two became fast friends at a fundraiser last year.","duration":"NaN:NaN","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{},"playlist":["132306053","132266872","132055565"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Powerlifter and Girl with Rare Disease Help Each Other","description":"The two became fast friends at a fundraiser last year.","duration":"NaN:NaN","uploadDate":"04-04-2016","publication":"04-04-2016","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/marine-powerlifter-girl-rare-disease-38143739"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Powerlifter and Girl with Rare Disease Help Each Other","pubTime":"17:14","pubDate":"04-04-2016","modTime":"10:17","modDate":"04-05-2016","taxonomyTags":"none","id":38143739,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Powerlifter and Girl with Rare Disease Help Each Other","mediaAssetTitle":"MarineHelpsGirl_040416","videoId":38143739,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/marine-powerlifter-girl-rare-disease-38143739"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/38143739","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/38143739","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};