“I never thought I would be where I am today,” she says.
A survivor before stardom
To really get to know Granny Guns, you need to know more about it Marleen Bloementhe person behind the personality. If you told her younger self about the life and celebrity she has in 2025, she would probably be in disbelief.
“If you knew me as a child, you wouldn’t see anyone as I am now, because I was a very shy and introverted girl.”
Before Flowers became part of her larger fitness family, she was the oldest of seven children and did her best to be the example for the younger siblings to follow. Flowers acknowledged that she strived to get good grades to gain the approval of her parents and teachers.
“Six of us were girls, and there was competition for attention. Being the oldest of seven, you don’t get much. I was looking for recognition and recognition.”
Despite getting good grades, doing odd jobs and excelling as a swimmer and diver, her biggest critic was her own mother. Flowers chose to focus on the praise and recognition of her teachers and coaches, and that fueled her drive to be the best.
“I enjoyed the performance.”
After college, Flowers married twice. Her first marriage was to a former footballer turned lawyer, and they had two boys together. Unfortunately, her relationship went from hope to control. Her husband, who was much older, became very controlling and abusive to her. After seven years in that relationship, Flowers realized she had to move on.
“I lived in real fear for several months,” Flowers recalls. “After I tried to stand on my own two feet, he literally started threatening my life. Out of fear, I packed up my boys and left.”
Flowers took her boys and moved to a shelter for four months to try to start over. Many victims of domestic violence will confirm that an abusive situation can become even more dangerous after the abused partner tries to leave. Her now former husband continued to make life difficult for her in the years that followed, both on and off the court. Despite this and with her ultimate focus on her boys, Flowers found the courage to leave.
“I had two boys to raise. That was my main concern and what kept me going. I had no choice. Ultimately, it made me stronger.”
Years later and after her children grew up, Flowers remarried, but again found herself in an abusive situation. She reported that this partner was much more physically violent. Ultimately, the strength she developed in her first marriage caused her to end that relationship as well.
“I had to find myself.”
Finding yourself
As a result of the struggles she faced, Flowers developed self-esteem issues and suffered from an eating disorder. This resulted in her having to undergo surgery. Then, and with the encouragement of her son Ryan, Flowers took up sports. The journey started when Ryan showed her a DVD of older people exercising. That was what got her going, but Flowers’ own improvements strengthened the decision to continue.
“The physical changes I made had a significant impact on me,” she stated. “That helped me build my confidence and self-image.”
Unfortunately, she was faced with another challenge after she was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. She lives with it now, and the gym does more than improve herself mentally. It helps her stay alive.
Even with that new challenge, Flowers didn’t stop, nor did she let it bother her, because it didn’t get to the point where it needed treatment. The approval and recognition she was looking for now came from the mirror and the weights she moved. Flowers recalled that seeing and noticing the results in the form of images and numbers served her well both physically and emotionally. The then 63-year-old decided to join a gym. The feedback she received from other members kept the new flame she lit alive.
“They were the ones who said they wanted to be like me, and they even suggested I join.”
It was at the gym where she got her new name. Another gym-goer praised her for how she looked, especially her arms.
“She said, ‘I’d like to have weapons like that.’ Even though I wasn’t a grandmother yet, I was already older. So it became Granny Guns, and it stuck.”
Become famous
Two years after she started training, Flowers stepped on stage at a bodybuilding show. Flowers recalled that it was the first time she actually wore a bikini and was the oldest contestant on stage.
“I was nervous, but I did it and I got all kinds of applause,” Flowers said. “I now have six trophies here at home.”
Flowers also joined social media, following many of the fitness industry’s most popular athletes and influencers. They got word that Noel Deyzel would be performing locally, and she and Ryan went to meet him. While they were waiting in line, Deyzel’s videographer recognized her.
“His videographer pulled me to the front of the line and Noel introduced me to everyone there. It was such a phenomenal experience. He gave me a hug that made me feel like I was with my dad again.”
Flowers’ personality continued to grow and more opportunities came her way in the form of sponsorships and opportunities to share her story and inspire others. Now there are people waiting at shows to meet her, just like she was when she met Deyzel.
“I’ve been compared to him, and he’s been compared to me because we put out similar content. I’m still very close to him even though I don’t interact with him as much now. He has a very special place in my heart.”
Flowers may be the star, but her success has now reached a point where she can’t do everything alone. Her son Ryan works behind the scenes to support her, but no matter how much work it takes, he does it with a smile on her face.
“I remember seeing my mother struggle,” he recalled. “I remember her not smiling and having no friends. I saw this community come together and saw that she had a family of supportive people who hugged her and laughed. It’s a lot of work, but this is better than any paycheck.”
What awaits us
Flowers’ past struggles and setbacks indirectly laid the foundation and served as the origins of the personality and inspirational figure her followers are today. Granny Guns isn’t one to look back on often, and she has a lot to look forward to in the months and years to come.
There are more events she will attend, many more people she will likely meet, and projects to be rolled out in 2026. One of these is her book, which tells much more about her experiences, setbacks and her path to get where she is now. Just like her social media posts, the goal is to reach and inspire as many people as possible.
“It’s so satisfying to know that something I started can help so many other people. It makes me feel good to help them by doing something I enjoy.”
To stay informed about Granny Guns and her future plans, you can follow her Instagram.
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