A firefighter and powerlifter from Adelaide has revealed he was ghosted by Australian fitness influencer Tammy Hembrow after a promising in-flight meeting, with AFL star Bailey Smith appearing to be the reason the connection went cold.
A Kind Gesture That Started It All
Max Blanck was travelling to Queensland for a powerlifting competition with his children when he found himself seated next to Hembrow. Unaware of her social media fame, Max was struck by a simple act of kindness. After the food cart had passed, his youngest child was hungry. He explained that Hembrow, whom he thought was going to the toilet, returned with an extra sandwich for his child.
"It was just a good mother thing that stole my attention," Max said. "I had no idea who she was." This gesture prompted him to introduce himself, leading to a conversation that lasted the entire flight.
From Numbers to Radio Silence
The pair reportedly hit it off. Max revealed they exchanged phone numbers and made plans for her to show his children around the Gold Coast and to meet for coffee. "Everything was good, and then abruptly just stopped," Max stated, "and next thing you know there's Bailey Smith."
Earlier this year, Hembrow and Western Bulldogs player Bailey Smith were linked in a highly publicised dating stint that fuelled weeks of speculation. In December, the pair officially announced they were just friends in a Tinder promotional campaign that was widely mocked online.
Proving the Story Was Real
Max admitted he faced disbelief from friends and had to provide proof of the encounter. Captioning a social media clip, he said he spent days proving to his mates he wasn't lying after they showed him her picture on their phones.
When one follower online accused him of fabricating the story, Max shared a screenshot of his phone contacts, which clearly listed Tammy Hembrow's number. "Don’t be sorry. I would have thought the same as you," he commented on the post. "It's only by randomness that she was seated with me."
While philosophical about the ghosting himself, Max expressed disappointment for his children. "I'm only peed off that my kids were looking forward to seeing her again. For me, I’m just a man from a small country town so it doesn’t really matter."
