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Powerlifter Otis Perkins, Known Online as “Black Tom Cruise,” Dies At 39 Years Old

The powerlifter succumbed to injuries due to a recent car accident..

Otis Perkins, best known in the powerlifting community as “ Black Tom Cruise ,” died at the age of 39 after a car accident earlier this month. He became widely known as one of Larry “Wheels” Williams first training partners while he was on his rise to fame in the sport. Williams shared the news himself in an Instagram post on July 24, 2021.

            View this post on Instagram                         A post shared by Larry (@larrywheels)

“R.I.P @black_tom_cruise. The man brought laughs everywhere he went. Funniest man I ever met. He possessed all the traits of a GREAT friend,” Williams said. “I love him and hold him closer to almost anyone I know. It hurts to accept he’s gone. No matter what life threw at him he kept a smile and his head held high. Otis Perkins you will be missed.”

Wheels doesn’t state when Perkins passed away. On Sunday, July 11, 2021, Perkins was in a car accident that resulted in his car being flipped while he was inside. The top of the convertible was down, resulting in Perkins suffering injuries to his back and right eye that required surgery. Specifics regarding those injuries have not yet been reported.

At the time of the accident, people close to him believed he would survive, but his future in powerlifting was in serious question. While it’s believed that Perkins died as a result of the accident, an official cause of death had yet to be reported as of this writing. Comments and condolences filled Williams’ comment section from various members of the strength sports community once he shared the news.

“I am so sorry to hear brother.” – Jay Cutler, four-time Mr. Olympia

“Sorry to hear this. You and his family will be in our thoughts and prayers.” – Nick Best, strongman and powerlifter

“Damn!!! No words!! He was a solid one and I’m going to miss chopping it up about cars with him.” – KC Mitchell , a.k.a. “That 1 Leg Monster”

About Otis Perkins

Perkins was born on May 22, 1982 and lived in Brooklyn, New York. He had competed in powerlifting since 2015. According to Open Powerlifting, his last meet was the 2020 Heatwave Dead Weight competition as a part of the 140 kilogram class. He only competed in the deadlift portion of the meet and lifted 342.5 kilograms (755 pounds). His career best lifts are below.

Squat  — 281 kilograms (620 pounds) Bench Press  — 195 kilograms (430 pounds) Deadlift — 356 kilograms (785 pounds) Career Total — 832 kilograms (1,835 pounds)

While he was a competitor himself, Perkins’ recognition in the sport was often as one of Williams’ earliest training partners and friends. Perkins was also sponsored by Williams’ “Personal Record” brand. Williams had relocated to New York City from Dubai recently with the focus on preparing for his return to powerlifting competition this coming September.

Everyone at BarBend sends their condolences to Perkins’ family, friends, and fans.

Featured image: @black_tom_cruise on Instagram

About Roger Lockridge

Roger "Rock" Lockridge has been writing professionally for 10 years and has been training for 20. His work in the fitness industry has been seen in numerous outlets and has been a part of coverage for several events including the Mr. Olympia, Arnold Classic, the CrossFit Games, and the Olympics. He's also shared his own personal success story in several interviews and articles. Lockridge lives in West Virginia with his wife and son.

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BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

Otis Perkins death: Black Tom Cruise dies in car accident at 39

Powerlifter Otis Perkins, best known as Black Tom Cruise (BTC), has died at age 39.

Perkins was in a major car accident on July 11 and underwent surgery on his back and right eye as family and friends hoped for his recovery.

According to a GoFundMe set up to support Perkins, a high fever and lung complications related to his pneumonia caused a fatal cardiac event.

“Friends, at 7:37 am this morning, Otis Perkins aka BTC passed away and went home to be with the Lord. He had sustained major injuries due to a car accident on 7/11 but due to a high fever and lung complications from pneumonia he couldn’t get enough oxygen to his lungs and his heart gave out. I’m here at the hospital making preparations and will update on services shortly.”

Otis was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was a college football player.

After getting injured, Otis joined the NYPD but developed a passion for powerlifting after meeting Larry Wheeler and Kevin Oak.

According to his official website, as a competitive powerlifter , he performed a 785-pound deadlift, 430-pound bench press, and 635-pound squat.

Otis Perkins was a famous powerlifter on social media with over 100,000 followers on Instagram, where he was better known as Black Tom Cruise. He also had a large following on YouTube and was known for his collaborative videos with Larry Wheeler.

Otis Perkins car reportedly flipped

According to BarBend , Perkins was reportedly in a convertible car that flipped while he was inside. However, there is little detail about the number of vehicles involved in the car accident or whether other people were harmed.

Tributes pour in for Black Tom Cruise

Powerlifter Larry Wheels led tributes to Otis Perkins on Instagram with the following:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Larry (@larrywheels)

“R.I.P Black Tom Cruise,” he wrote. “The man brought laughs everywhere he went. Funniest man I ever met. He possessed all the traits of a GREAT friend. I love him and hold him closer to almost anyone I know. It hurts to accept he’s gone.No matter what life threw at him he kept a smile and his head held high. Otis Perkins you will be missed.”

Powerlifters and bodybuilders such as Jay Cutler, Blessing Awodibu, Simeon Panda, Hafthor Björnsson, Zac Aynsley, and Flex Wheeler paid their respects to Perkins on Wheeler’s Instagram page.

To many friends and family have passed away this year and I’ve just heard the sad news of another loss. RIP Black Tom Cruise aka Otis Perkins ? #blacktomcruise #otisperkins pic.twitter.com/6vCpgbGhW7 — Jason Rhoden (@W1Z4RD001) July 24, 2021

Several fan tributes describe Perkins as an inspirational, funny, and talented powerlifter.

RIP Otis "Black Tom Cruise" Perkins. Me and my workout partner almost always imitate his motivational shouts and mannerisms while training. Only 39. Lost a good influence in the fitness community. pic.twitter.com/9vFBgoq2PW — AstroZombie (@VillianStrong) July 24, 2021

Perkins was known for his motivational catchphrases and as a positive role model in the powerlifting community.

RIP Otis Perkins aka Black Tom Cruise aka BTC, really fun lifter. I will always think of him shouting "MORNING PAPER" as an easy deadlift goes up. https://t.co/vXnfyGMPOw — Keith Ó Gealbháin (@KeithGalvin) July 24, 2021

Otis Perkins is survived by his fiancé and contributions to the powerlifting community.

Bodybuilding

“Rip Black Tom Cruise”: Fitness World Grieves With Larry Wheels as He Still Misses His Training Partner Who Died in a Tragic Car Accident 2 Years Ago

The world of  fitness  and bodybuilding has witnessed countless deaths in the past couple of years. The recent tragedy that the realm of bodybuilding faced was of female  bodybuilding icon Lisa Lyon. Back in 2021, in a shocking turn of events, renowned power lifter Otis Perkins suffered a horrific car accident that led to his death at the age of 39 years old.

Known in the powerlifting community as ‘Black Tom Cruise,’ Perkins made sure to leave a lasting impact on his fans and the powerlifting sphere with his tremendous lifts. Larry Wheels, who was a close friend of Perkins, recently shared an old video where Perkins was spotting and hyping Wheels. As the video resurfaced, the fitness community expressed their grief over Otis’ death in the comments.

Larry Wheels pays his tribute to ‘Black Tom Cruise’

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Born in 1982, Perkins was a celebrated name in the world of strength sports. After getting involved in a car crash in 2021, Otis sustained severe injuries, caught up with fever, and experienced lung complications. Unfortunately, Perkins died of pneumonia later in the hospital. Back when his death took place, Wheels wrote on his Instagram ,  “The man brought laughs everywhere he went. Funniest man I ever met. He possessed all the traits of a GREAT friend.”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Larry (@larrywheels)

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After more than 2 years of his death, Wheels shared an old video of him training with Perkins and wrote in the caption of the video,  “600lb/271kg bench on the incline! @teampersonalrecord wraps back in stock.”  As Wheels shared the throwback video, Larry as well as the people associated with the fitness and powerlifting community wished that Perkins’ soul rest in peace.

How did the fans react to Wheels’ video?

Commenting on his own reel, Wheels wrote,  “BTC was always there for my biggest lifts. RIP the greatest hype man.” Coming a cross the post, boxing sensation Omer Sastim reacted to the post by writing,  “Rip black Tom Cruise.”  Another comment on the post read,  “Fight the grim reaper Larry! I miss the days of you, BTC, Kiger, and Oak!”

Read More:   “To Be Fat and 82 Is Truly Pathetic”: Harry Potter Famed Actress Who Still Hasn’t Forgiven Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Gross Act Curses Bad Food Choices for Her Poor Health

Paying tributes to the powerlifter, a user stated,  “Gone but not forgotten, rest in peace BTC,”  while multiple comments from people simply read,  “RIP BTC.” A fan also pointed out the heavyweight as well as Wheels’ previous injuries as he wrote,  “Man those lil tendons holding on for dear life.”

Watch This Story:  From Young Age to Becoming a Beast Bodybuilding Legend Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Insane Transformation

While the death of Otis Perkins came as a shock to many, people from the lifting community joined hands to pay their homage to the ‘Black Tom Cruise.’ What are your views on this? Let us know in the comments.

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Powerlifter dies after sports car overturns on…

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Powerlifter dies after sports car overturns on manhattan’s henry hudson parkway.

Otis Perkins, 39, was speeding south on the parkway when he lost control of his Dodge Viper convertible near the Dyckman St. exit ramp in Inwood just before 3 p.m. July 11, cops and friends said.

The muscular motorist clipped a Subaru Crosstrek heading in the same direction then veered onto the shoulder, where he mounted a jersey barrier and struck a protruding boulder, officials said.

The sports car flipped onto its top after hitting the rock, landing back on the parkway where it struck a Chevrolet Equinox before finally skidding to a stop, cops said.

First responders found Perkins inside the overturned car with serious injuries to his head and body.

Medics rushed the victim to Mount Sinai Morningside, where he died Saturday. The 31-year-old man driving the Crosstrek and the 57-year-old man operating the Equinox were not injured, officials said.

The top of the convertible was down, leaving Perkins with serious injuries to his back and right eye, according to barbend.com .

Perkins was expected to survive the crash but died of complications at the hospital, according to an online fundraiser. He lived in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, cops said.

“He had sustained major injuries due to a car accident on 7/11, but due to a high fever and lung complications from pneumonia he couldn’t get enough oxygen to his lungs and his heart gave out,” wrote Lynn Wilson, who organized the GoFundMe page. “Our collective hearts are broken.”

The GoFundMe page for Perkins’ medical care raised $42,000 before his death. Friends said Perkins lived with his elderly mother.

Perkins was well liked in the powerlifting community and was a training partner to Larry “Wheels” Williams, who announced his buddy’s death on his Instagram page.

“The man brought laughs everywhere he went. Funniest man I ever met,” Williams wrote. “I love him and hold him closer to almost anyone I know. It hurts to accept he’s gone.

“No matter what life threw at him he kept a smile and his head held high,” Williams added. “Otis Perkins you will be missed.”

Friend Jen Marie, 25, said Perkins often helped her with her workouts.

“We first me in 2019. He took me to one of his gyms,” Marie said. “He was super knowledgeable about lifting and working out. He helped me with my workouts and supplements. He was a very outgoing person who cared a lot about his friends.

“I am a nurse and all throughout the pandemic he would check in on me asking how I was doing,” Marie said. “He shared his knowledge of working out and just wanted to help others get better and learn more.”

Susy Oluvele, 26, said she missed the chance to get to know him better.

She said she met Perkins three weeks ago at a Nigerian club, and they exchanged information.

“He told me about his workout and everything. It was a cool interaction,” Oluvele said. “It was just crazy when I then saw my friend post something about his passing. How you can just meet someone right before they pass away?”

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Otis perkins.

Otis Dean Perkins Wikis

Inside Article

Otis Perkins was a powerlifter known as the “Black Tom Cruise.” He was best known as one of Larry “Wheels” Williams first training partners while he was on his rise to fame in the sport. At the age of 39, Perkins died after suffering injuries in a car accident.

Dead, cause of death, funeral, family, parents, and siblings, powerlifting career, engaged, fiancee, and marriage, body measurements: height and weight.

Originally from Flatbush Brooklyn, NY, Otis Dean Perkins was born on 22 May 1982 under the star sign Gemini. He was American by nationality and was of African-American descent.

Known as the “Black Tom Cruise”, Perkins died at the age of 39 on the morning of 24 July 2021. He was in a car accident on 11 July 2021. His car had flipped while he was inside, and he succumbed to severe eye and back injuries.

Though his official cause of death hasn’t been released, he is believed to have died from injuries in that crash. His training partner, Larry “Wheels” Williams confirmed the news of his death in an Instagram post. On 24 July 2021, Williams wrote:

“R.I.P @black_tom_cruise. The man brought laughs everywhere he went. Funniest man I ever met. He possessed all the traits of a GREAT friend.I love him and hold him closer to almost anyone I know. It hurts to accept he’s gone. No matter what life threw at him he kept a smile and his head held high. Otis Perkins you will be missed.”

No details have been released regarding a memorial service for Perkins. His family has requested privacy at the moment.

The powerlifter was the first child and the only son born to his parents Willie and Marie Perkins. He was born into a poor family. He lived with his parents and younger sister in a two-bedroom apartment. His mother worked two jobs, for a disability facility and as domestic help, while his father was a delivery driver at a hardware store.

Perkins was working out for about four years before he started getting serious about Powerlifting. On 22 March 2015, he signed up for his first Powerlifting meeting. As a beginner, he did 690 lbs on the deadlift, 405 lbs on the bench press, and 530 lbs squat for a total PR of 1,625 lbs.

His last meet was the 2020 Heatwave Dead Weight competition as a part of the 140-kilogram class. He competed in the deadlift portion and lifted 342.5 kilograms. He was sponsored by Williams’ “Personal Record” brand.

Perkins was also popular on Instagram for his deadlifts. He used to share reels of his training and promote a healthy lifestyle for others. He also had a YouTube channel and a business under the same name.

Perkins used to keep his personal life to himself. He wasn’t at ease to share his love life with the public. Though he was an unmarried man, he had plans for marriage.

Perkins was engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Lynn Wilson. After his death, his fiancee stated:

Perkin’s lungs could not get enough oxygen and his heart gave out.

Perkins is now survived by his family and fiancee. May his soul rest in Peace!

Perkins had a tall height. He stood above 6 feet. He had a muscular, fit body and weighed 292 pounds.

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