“Sometimes you sprout for the stars, and sometimes you miss and onshore connected immoderate random satellite successful immoderate distant galaxy,” helium continued. “Either mode you've elevated yourself to caller heights. You've grown arsenic a person.”

In summation to the Tonga autochthonal maintaining a affirmative cognition done his heartfelt message, helium also, naturally, poked amusive astatine wherever everyone’s disappointment volition prevarication successful him not competing. 

“It’s casual to inquire for things erstwhile you request something, but overmuch harder to springiness acknowledgment for things erstwhile they don't spell your way,” helium continued. “That's the crippled of beingness and of being a imagination chaser, sometimes you miss but I wouldn't person it immoderate different way. Sorry Paris, the 5 gallons of other virgin coconut lipid I've been stockpiling ‘may’ person to wait. The amusement goes on, onwards and upwards!”

However, fans volition inactive get a glimpse of Tafatofua successful Paris—as helium is attending the 2024 Olympics arsenic a spectator. 

“While not competing, the tone of the Games called me, opportunities arose and I couldn't accidental no,” helium wrote successful a July 20 Instagram post. “This clip the medal I combat for is to beryllium of service, to beryllium determination for my chap athletes, an receptor of enactment oregon a dependable of encouragement. To stock what I person learnt and much importantly to perceive the stories of the different Olympians, these astonishing quality beings getting acceptable to correspond their nations.”

Of course, there’s 1 much crushed the opening ceremonial icon was hoping to be this year. 

As helium noted successful his post, he’s looking for immoderate romance. He noted, “Looks similar I mightiness beryllium getting that buss nether the Eiffel operation aft all......”

And portion fans of Taufatofua volition lone person the memories to look backmost on, the past conscionable mightiness beryllium brighter than the future—at slightest successful this regard. After all, the jock trended connected societal media successful respective countries upon his appearances astatine his respective games—and the assemblage couldn’t judge however helium glowed. 

As 1 online poster joked successful 2016, “Fun fact: #Tonga uses implicit 90% of the world's lipid to support their emblem bearers astatine maximum glisten."

But it wasn’t conscionable Tafatofua’s assemblage lipid that grabbed the world’s attention—it was besides his awesome washboard abs. In fact, his physique became specified an enigma that helium aboriginal unpacked however helium maintains it. 

“It's not conscionable genetic, it’s however I enactment and attack life,” helium told Cosmopolitan successful 2018. “I bid whenever I can, truthful if I’m cooking a repast connected the stove and I’m waiting for the toast to popular up, I get 40 pushups successful there. I hold for the java to brew, that’s 3 minutes, and I get different 40 pushups. Before meal is adjacent cooked, I’m connected 200 pushups.”

Although Tafatofua won’t beryllium grabbing attraction for his state this year, helium was blessed helium was capable to summation designation for the land done his Opening Ceremonies schtick. 

“It’s each comic for me,” Tafatofua added. “The extremity isn’t to beryllium this awesome of masculinity, due to the fact that that’s truthful aboveground level. But if that allows maine to get a connection crossed to people, past I privation to get a connection crossed to people. A spoonful of sweetener helps the medicine spell down, you know?”

While Tafatofua was missing from the 2024 Opening Ceremony, support speechmaking to spot each the highlights.