He also competed in about 4-5 national level shows. Tragically, Chester Chet Yorton died at the age of 81, just hours after he found his wife dead (cause unknown). Gregs muscle imbalances combined with his bodybuilders gut hampered his placing in every show. Srdoc served some time after being in trouble with the law and subsequently, was also in several media ads due to his tough and vascular look. Loved ones say she was beautiful inside and out. Mendez belonged to the same town as the IFBB pro bodybuilder, Victor Martinez. He had been married less than a year and had a five-month-old baby girl when he was discovered dead. Your email address will not be published. Sportsmen effectively put their lives on the line to come out on top. Until 1971, NABBA Mr. Universe rivaled Mr. Olympia in terms of prestige. It is believed that this injury / issue is what ultimately caused his heart attack. Piana ran a YouTube channel where he gave inspirational speeches, workout advice, day in the life content and more. Mendez had health issues and suffered a stroke at 49 years old which resulted in his death. She won the NPC National Championships and made a name for herself. A Secaucus, NJ native, Draper won the Mr. New Jersey bodybuilding championship title at the age of 21. Ranking! The incident was captured on video where the 23-year-old attempted the backflip in front of a crowd and landed on his neck. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); At FitnessVolt.com Our mission is to help our readers to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where youre at on your journey, we are on a mission to educate You with the latest from strength and fitness space. The past few years have been rough for the bodybuilding and fitness community with the loss of many great individuals. Rhondas closest friends announced her passing on her personal Instagram account, sharing the following sentiments. About one week prior to his passing, Shawn shared a series of pictures of his daughter Cora from Halloween to his personal Instagram account. People who think the dehydrated bodybuilders with 4% body fat on the Olympia stage are healthy, probably do not understand the words meaning. As a result, Scott stopped competing and instead focused his efforts on helping others train. Email: sm(at)fitnessvolt.com Disclosure: FitnessVolt.com has an affiliate relationship with different brands and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Rich Piana was an icon in the industry. After retiring from teaching, Andy went on to pursue a career in bodybuilding as a super heavyweight. He turned Pro in 2016 and had his best finish at the 2019 Arnold Classic Ohio. Required fields are marked *. Heres a piece of what Martinez wrote about Mendez on Instagram following his passing. Know as The Sardinian Strongman, Columbu was also well-known for his strength, having PRs that included a 750-pound deadlift, 665-pound squat, 525-pound bench press, and 400-pound clean and jerk. The highlight of his career there was winning the Arnold Classic in 2019. 10 Best Preacher Curl Benches in 2023 (Review & Ranked), 6 Best Ancheer Treadmills in 2023 (Review & Ranked). I was with him and it was calm and peaceful. Make no mistake, this article is not about dissing the pro bodybuilders or their choices. Man, woman, old, young death is no respecter of persons. Greg Kovac was not really an aesthetically appealing bodybuilder, especially towards the end of his career. It was unbelievable to hear the saddening news that Canadian IFBB Pro Melissa Coates has passed away, just 5 days after her 50th birthday. Related:Shawn Ray Calls Out Chad Nicholls For Steroids & Having Blood All Over His Hands. His death was said to be due to natural causes. Popular female bodybuilder Odalis Santos Mena died during a procedure to reduce underarm sweat at a clinic in Guadalajara, Mexico. 1980 was the year when the Governator made his comeback and won the Sandow. Kovacs died of a heart attack in 2013 at the age of 44. 10 Best Preacher Curl Benches in 2023 (Review & Ranked), 6 Best Ancheer Treadmills in 2023 (Review & Ranked). On the other hand, if your goal is to step on a stage and go head to head with the best bodybuilders in the world, things can spiral out of control too fast too soon, especially if you have no idea what you are doing. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); At FitnessVolt.com Our mission is to help our readers to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where youre at on your journey, we are on a mission to educate You with the latest from strength and fitness space. Legendary promoter and gym ownerBob Bonham passed away on October 3rd, 2021. Mentzer was a legendary bodybuilder from the golden era of bodybuilding. IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Nicole Pftzenreuter. He suffered from many illnesses throughout his life and near the end, his heart health got worst of which pneumonia caused serious complications. Scott Wilson first found his passion for bodybuilding after entering (and winning) a show on a dare. His good friend, Canadian bodybuilding champion John Robert Cardillo, had this to say: Frank was one of my bodybuilding mentors. @aleksandar.srdoc, Posted by Petar Klanir IFBB Pro onThursday, April 23, 2020. Read more. The 62 Italian bodybuilder reportedly suffered from a heart condition that resulted in a heart attack. Columbu was a legend and probably the strongest pound-for-pound bodybuilder of all time. Tom had many health issues over the years including kidney failure in 2003 which had him on dialysis until he received a kidney transplant in 2012. Eduardo Kawak won the NABBA Mr. Universe five times in the early and mid-80s. The news about the death of Laura was confirmed by fellow pro female bodybuilder Tonya Knight. The first signs of Dallas frailing health were on public display whenhe collapsed while posing at the Arnold Classic in Australia. Heres what Arnold had to say on the passing of George: It's extremely heartbreaking to share the news that John Mountain Dog Meadows passed away on August 8, 2021, at the age of 49. In July, female bodybuilder Odalis Santos Mena, 23, suffered cardiac arrest and died following a botched operation to stop her excess underarm sweat. Coroner Eric Armstrong said: "He was proud of his body but became 'overproud' and in attempting to make the most of his body, began to use steroids. While initially, the passings were brushed aside by blaming rookies for their inexplicit drug use, things turned on their heads when pro bodybuilders, people at the top of the food chain (read: Mr. Olympia), started losing their lives to cardiac arrests. Reportedly, George was found with blood around his nose which suggests that his passing could be related to an aneurysm. Joanna Thomas was a very promising bodybuilder who was also one of the youngest female bodybuilder to earn her Pro Card in 1998 at age 21. Prince's death comes just days after the bodybuilding community was rocked by the passing of Ashley Gearhart. The mother-of-two's passing in April came shortly after the deaths of fellow stars Cedric McMillan, Tom Prince and Ashley Gearhart. Watch:Calum Von Moger Shares His Experience With Using Steroids. Mike Matarazzo was a legendary bodybuilder who frequently ended in the top 10 positions in his pro showings. He is most known for his iconic imagery of the bodybuilding greats from the Golden Era of the industry. The man needs no introduction. Art Atwood 13. Frank was also very well known for his onstage presence. They were aged 54, 37, and 49 respectively. Known as a Bodybuilder, a Soldier, a Friend, a Mentor, and someone who had a direct impact on so many lives in and out of the Fitness and Bodybuilding Industry. Her husband announced her death on social media. Sagnik Bagchi. Drapers wife, Laree Draper, confirmed his passing in a post on social media that day. While both men did suffer cardiac related deaths, I would speculate that their age had more to do with it than their past body building careers. Not only was he a loyal and committed soldier in the trenches, he was also a loyal and devoted bodybuilder to our sport, contributing and supporting it through bursaries, donations, and giving back to the sport in so many ways. His coach, hotel staff, and later the EMTs tried to revive him with CPR, but to no avail, as it appeared that he had been gone for several hours. Born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Melissa began bodybuilding at the age of 15 to pursue her goal of becoming a pro tennis player! Sadly, Shawn Rhoden was banned from competing at the 2019 Mr. Olympia contest due to a sexual assault accusation. The death of his beloved brother was too much to bear for Ray. Dallas McCarvers autopsy explicitly stated that he passed due to an un-witnessed acute cardiac event, putting the food choking theory to rest. He qualified for the Olympia thanks to his third place finish in 2020. Atwoods first competition was in 2000. Check Out:Larry Wheels Details Start Of Anabolic Steroids Before Arnold Sports Festival. As a result, Mentzer boycotted the 1981 Olympia and retired soon after at the age of 29. He was the Tampa Pro Classic Physique winner in 2017, and he won the 212 title in 2020. We managed to dig up an old interview we did with John back in 2019 at the Granite Supplements booth during the Vancouver Pro/Am. A short time later, he moved to Santa Monica, CA, and began training alongside some of bodybuildings greats at the Mecca of Golds Gym. Hans Hopstaken 17. Daryl Stafford 8. Follow Us. It was a tragic loss that his sister, Vicki Gray, believes could have been prevented as there were some symptoms that Mike was experiencing before the heart attack that claimed his life. Sometimes I find myself scratching my head in amazement. With their bulging muscles and toned physique, many could be forgiven for thinking the athletes' bodies are in good health. On November 26, 2021, after fighting Colon cancer for three years, Canadian Women's Physique IFBB Pro, Rhonda Lee Quaresma passed away at 52 years of age. In a 2010 interview, Scott had expressed that a major influence on his desire to compete in bodybuilding came from none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. Known in the Canadian Bodybuilding industry as a national competitor and contest-prep coach, Dustin was responsible for coaching and guiding countless clients to reach their fitness goals, which resulted in many trophies and awards in recognition of his clients achievements. However, our reviews are based on well research backed analysis. 7 on the IFBB Pro Women's Bodybuilding Ranking List, Monique Jones, inspire female athletes of all ages. She touched so many people with her kindness and she had this intrinsic ability to see people, really see them and she took the time to understand them. It came as a crushing blow to our Muscle Insider team and so many others in the industry when we heard the news that IFBB Pro Bodybuilder turned actor Andy Haman had passed away at the age of 55. Matthew's other passions include learning about mindfulness, strolling through nature, traveling, and always working to improve overall. Mike Mentzers death was directly related to steroids, and he readily admitted both use of them and the damage they did to his body. Daryl Stafford started bodybuilding at age 25 in 1984 and earned his Pro card in 1993. While I do agree that the majority of people on this list clearly died far before they should have and there is an issue to be discussed, two of the individuals listed really shouldnt be on here in terms of analyzing what is going wrong in the sport. The athlete died after suffering a pulmonary embolism. Daniele Seccarecci died at the age of 33 from a heart attack in 2013. Sources close to Dustin say he wasnt feeling well, decided to lie down, and passed away in his sleep. Attending bodybuilding contests and expos these days is not the same, without having the chance to catch up with John to share stories and learn whats new. By today's standards his physique would be considered small but his symmetry, round full muscle bellies and superb muscularity made him a worthy competitor and threat in every show he competed in. On top of that, Chet had a short stint as an actor in the films, Muscle Beach Party and Dont Make Waves. Lonniereminiscedthat at the 1991 Nationals in Pittsburgh, regarded by some as the greatest line-up of all time, saw Mendendall land in a distant fifth behind winner Kevin Levrone, runner-up Flex Wheeler, third place Paul "Quadzilla" DeMayo and fourth place Ronnie Coleman. We regret to report that IFBB Pro Tom Prince has died of cancer, leaving behind his wife and two kids. He'll always be remembered as a great husband to Bec, father, uncle, brother and friend. After retiring from competitive bodybuilding, Melissa went on to compete in the WWE and other independent wrestling federations, where she was known to fans as Super Genie. Here are 21 bodybuilders who lost their lives to a heart attack: November 6, 2021 The day the bodybuilding and fitness world was jolted by pro bodybuilder and 2018 Mr. Olympia winner Shawn Rhodens sudden passing, reportedly owing to a heart attack. Bill manufactured and sold more Olympic bars and plates than anyone in history during his ownership of York Barbell. During that time, he had disappeared from the bodybuilding scene and instead focussed on running a real estate business with his wife. Monique Jones (born March 12, 1979) is an American professional female bodybuilder. But, the star was forced to retire in 2002 due to kidney issues that were caused by a genetic blood condition. . Mike Matarazzo (Died Age 48) Mike Matarazzo is one of the well-known bodybuilders of all time, remembered for his impressive calves and arms. The one I remember most clearly was moderated by Chad Nicholls [the husband of four-time Ms. Olympia Kim Chizevsky and the "contest prep guru" for Dallas McCarver, a bodybuilding star who died . Greg Kovacs 18. Michael Bekoev was a Ukrainian bodybuilder who died of a heart attack at age 54. Unfortunately, it seems that Nicole Pftzenreuter has passed away at the young age of just 51 years old. Mike Horn 5. Coroners pointed to a lethal combination of the steroid Mena was taking and the anesthetic, The New York Post reports. Women's Physique bodybuilder Amy Richardson has passed away at 49 years old. He passed away in 2001 at 49-years-old. 2/26/2019 10:29 AM PT. She spent the last few years living in California and simply loved it, but she was as Canadian as they come. Not only was John a wealth of information when it came to training and supplements, but he was a dear friend of ours here at Muscle Insider. As a young teenage aspiring bodybuilder, I travelled to Tampa, Florida to meet him. He died of a heart attack at 45. "In Austria, I kept his cover of Muscle Builder magazine on the wall above my bed for motivation, and when I saw him starring in 'Don't Make Waves', I thought, 'My dreams are possible.'". He was named the The RockN Roll Wild Child which McMahon felt was suitable for his personality. Next Read:Samir Bannout Blames Bodybuilder George Peterson Death On New Coaching System. Frank Calta has passed away. George Peterson 4. Known for his symmetry and some of the best calves during his era, Dickerson dies at the age of 82. To keep up with the latest fitness industry news and product releases, subscribe to our FREEnewsletter. banned from competing at the 2019 Mr. Olympia, he collapsed while posing at the Arnold Classic in Australia, Bodybuilding Community Reacts To Tragic Loss Of Franco Columbu, Remembering 28 Bodybuilders Who Passed Away (2017-2020), Jay Cutler Talks Mike Mentzer Quitting After losing to Arnold Schwarzenegger at 1980 Mr. Olympia, Bodybuilder Joe Mackey Scores 800-lb (362.9-kg) Raw Deadlift For Four-Rep PR, 1950s Bodybuilder Ed Fury Passes Away in California Home at 94, Powerlifting & Bodybuilding Veteran Dawn Whitham Passes Away at 57, Arnold Schwarzeneggers Coach And Austrian Bodybuilder Kurt Marnul Passes Away, 45-Degree Hyperextension Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Variations, The Best Supraspinatus Stretching and Strengthening Exercises, Hunter Labrada Shares Tips for Growing Weaker Calves: Big Difference in Training to Pain & True Failure, Sylvester Stallone Cautions Against Working Out Too Hard with Bruce Lee Reference: Will Kill You, Cable Superset Workout: More Muscle in Less Time. Sadly, bodybuilding legend Matt Mendenhall has died at age 61. Mariola Sabanovic-Suarez 11. He was a great man and friend. A post shared by Dan Alexander (@ifbbpro_dandan). Leaving us at 82, Chris now joins former Mr Olympians Larry Scott, Shawn Rhoden, and Sergio Oliva. Frank competed in the AAU during the first part of his career and later moved over to compete in the NPC, where his highest placing was 12th at the 1982 NPC Nationals in the Light-Heavyweight division. Coroners pointed to a lethal combination of the steroid Mena was taking and the anesthetic, The New York Post reports. Dallas McCarver 3. 9 Biggest Female Bodybuilders of All Time 1) Chyna Born as Joan Marie Laurer, Chyna was a famous professional wrestler from the late 90's and early 2000's. She quickly became popular because of her huge frame and freakish strength. Wilkosz passed away at age 71 due to causes unknown at the time. RIP my sweet soul.. Although they were able to revive him and call paramedics, Atwood passed away at a nearby hospital at the age of 37. He won his first title at the age of 24. A popular Mexican fitfluencer and bodybuilder tragically died July 7 after apparently undergoing a botched operation to remedy her profuse perspiration. Daryl Stafford started his bodybuilding journey at age 25 in 1984. Of special note was in 2013 at the Atlantic Classic Championships, where he captured the Heavyweight title and later on competed at the 2018 Atlantic Classic Championships. Later in 2020, John coached Missy Truscott to her Fitness Olympia victory, as well as Shaun Clarida to a 212 Olympia title. Tonya confirmed that Laura has been suffering with depression for a number of years. Bill was a friend and a great human being. He was 78 years old. The mass monsters passing came as a shock to the bodybuilding community as he was one of the best in business at the time. During the 90s and 2000s, Bob promoted some of the largest NPC events as well as the Mr. America contest,The Womans Extravaganza and the Ms. Olympiain the early 2000s. Tributes are pouring in for a professional bodybuilder who died suddenly this week. Scott Milne 9. Pumping Iron Filmmaker George Butler has died. He had a great career competing in NABBA, WABBA, and AAU and for several years before retiring in 1980. Susanne Bock. But more importantly, Pumping Iron and Pumping Iron 2 helped popularize bodybuilding and weight training to the masses. Vince Comerford 15. Dallas Big Country McCarver was an up and coming Open division bodybuilder who placed 8th at the 2016 Olympia and 2nd at the 2017 Arnold Classic Ohio to name his most notable achievements. We hope pro bodybuilding federations take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of pro athletes. Your email address will not be published. George Peterson was a nice guy and a great ambassador for the sport. Peterson was found in his hotel room earlier that day. Not long before Luke Sandows death, Polish bodybuilder/international champion Miroslaw Daszkiewicz died of hereditary disease. Greg Kovacs is probably the biggest bodybuilder on this list. Rest in peace George. He placed first in the super-heavyweight class of the Junior USA. Most people remember Mike Mentzer from the 1980 Olympia where they felt he got an unfair fifth placing. You are wise beyond your 6yrs and always know just what to do to make your daddy smile or laugh. Mike Horn passed away due to a cardiac arrest. Croatian bodybuilder Aleksandar Srdoc made a name for himself in his native land having competed for more than a decade. Vidur is a writer and editor at FitnessVolt.com. Today, we remember several names some you may know of, and some you may not. As he explained to me, after 25 years of steroid use, his bodys connective tissue was essentially coming apart at the seams. On 15 August, 2021, Alena Hatvani Kosinov died just hours before stepping on stage to compete at the 2021 Europa Pro. Many paid their respects including the Arnold Sports Festival via Instagram. Questions still need to be answered. On 6th November 2021, news broke that Shawn Rhoden, the 2018 Mr. Olympia, had passed away due to a heart attack. We just cant seem to comprehend the devastation the bodybuilding industry has been feeling from so many of our brothers and sisters in iron who have passed away this past year. She became interested in the sport at age 14 when she saw a bodybuilding magazine that belonged to a college student staying with her family. Studying female bodybuilders For over a decade, sociologist Dr. Tanya Bunsell has been researching female bodybuilders. He also had a few acting gigs in a Canadian TV show. Dearth had an accident with a horse at age 56 which resulted in a shoulder cuff and biceps injury. But the British bodybuilder would eventually suffer from Osteoarthritis that ultimately meant the end of her career and it also made life very challenging for her up until her death. Matthew is an ACE (American Council On Exercise) certified fitness professional who has had a passion for fitness since elementary school and continues to research and learn how to build muscle effectively through training and diet. This came as a result of her dealing with bladder cancer, a diagnosis that she went public about earlier this year. Stacey Bentley most notably placed fourth at the IFBB Womens World Bodybuilding Championships,in 1979 before going on to win the Frank Zane Pro the same year. FEMALE BODYBUILDER DIED AFTER BOTCHED OPERATION IN JULY In July, female bodybuilder Odalis Santos Mena, 23, suffered cardiac arrest and died following a botched operation to stop her excess underarm sweat. Tom had many health issues over the years including kidney failure in 2003 which had him on dialysis until he received a kidney transplant in 2012. Novoa Mendez was considered one of the strongest men in the Dominican Republic. Daves incredible physique earned him a role alongside starring actress Sharon Tate, in the 1967 comedy Dont Make Waves. Scott Wilson 7. Next Read:Mark Bell Talks Steroid Use During Powerlifting Career, Reveals Current Cycle. Although he had returned to his routine training soon after the incident, he was found unconscious in his home in August 2017. Footage of the last day Russian-born Aziz Shavershian, known as Zyzz, found unconscious in a sauna and died at the age of 22. While he did have a lengthy stay in the hospital, he did recover and was released a short time later. She died in her sleep but her cause of death currently remains unknown. It's extremely heartbreaking to share the news that John Mountain Dog Meadows passed away on August 8, 2021, at the age of 49. Published 12/09/2022, 10:30 AM EST. My dearest friend of 30 years died last evening after a 3 year battle with colon cancer. Comerford passed away at his local gym at the age of 52. Her best showing is easily her 4th place performance in the Jan Tana Classic in 2003. During that time, he had disappeared from the bodybuilding scene and instead focussed on running a real estate business with his wife. The bodybuilder had been delaying his return to competitive bodybuilding over health issues, but had appeared optimistic about being able to come back in recent months. Peterson was considered a top competitorin the 212 division this year. The coroners report showed that Atwood died of a massive heart attack. Competing at 165 on her 5'5 frame, she gives herself an extra ten pounds in the off-season. It all went downhill from here. Pit Trenz was a veteran of the sport from Germany and was the trainer of well-known bodybuilders Dennis Wolf and Markus Ruhl. The Canadian Moose as he was known will be missed but not forgotten., Next Read:Spotting Steroid User Eight Signs Impossible To Hide. 1st place - Women's Lightweight Division in the 1997 Marjo . Must Read:IFBB Pro Mike Wheels Shares Details Of Heart Damage Caused By Steroid Abuse, Aside from being a top-ranked bodybuilder from Europe, Daniele was also a holder of the Guinness Book of Records as the man with the largest arms in the world (55cm/21.65 inches) and the heaviest competitive male bodybuilder with a competition weight of 135 kg (297.62 lbs.). Hawaiian bodybuilder Ed Corney also appeared in the movie Pumping Iron with Arnold Schwarzenegger and other popular bodybuilders from the 70s. Attending bodybuilding contests and expos these days is not the same, without having the chance to catch up with John to share stories and learn whats new. She ran a gym with her boyfriend and looked forward to competing as an IFBB pro. Record-breaking female powerlifter, 18, dies within 24 hours of developing severe infection, months after she was crowned Belgian champion. Charles Durr reportedly died of a heart attack in 2005 at the age of 44. Who are 15 of the . He was also one of the very few bodybuilders to have defeated Arnold Schwarzenegger. By . Shawn continued with, "Every day you teach me something new princess. She was named "6-pack granny" by Ripley's . Famous Austrian bodybuilder Kurt Marnul has passed away. Scott Milne had some controversial legal issues in his lifetime, with trafficking drugs and steroids, but the 63 250 lbs big-hearted giant was nonetheless loved by the bodybuilding community. McCarvers heart weighed around 833 gms, almost three times the size of a normal human heart (300 gms). An expert at giving unsolicited advice, his writings benefit the readers and infuriate the bros. Vidur's work has appeared in leading publications such as BarBend and Generation Iron. The 61 300 lb mass monster was an upcoming bodybuilding star, and gurus believed that he was destined to be a future Mr. Olympia champ. Related:Chris Bumstead Gives Advice On Starting Steroids: The Answer Is Already No. Sources tell us the cause of death was complications from the virus COVID-19. She nearly died of kidney failure in her adolescence because she used alcohol as a coping strategy. Coroners pointed to a lethal combination of the steroid Mena was taking and the anesthetic,The New York Postreports. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and fans. Sadly, it was her debut show, and she could not realize her full potential. Although, he was acknowledged most for promoting big shows in the 80s including the World Games Bodybuilding Championships. Melissas passing came roughly 8 months after having her leg amputated in October of 2020, due to blood clots obstructing the blood flow to her lower leg. Who knew 2018 would be Shawns last time on the Olympia stage? Sending condolences to the Love Family, Madeline Love & her sister Liz Love. Read more. " Garry Bartlett. Cummings, who was born inFlorida, started in the industry in 2013 and earned her IFBB (International Federation ofBodybuildingand Fitness) pro card in 2016,Generation Ironrevealed. Beate was popular back home and even had McDonald's as a sponsor. Ed Corney 9. Stacey Cummings, 30, was a mom and business owner in McKinney. Even though he was a pro bodybuilder, he did not place well in any shows. Your email address will not be published. Daryl Stafford 11. Ms. Far East (a title she has won 2 years in a row) She has also won the Best Poser award, both times in Okinawa, Japan. He had placed in the top three atthe Olympia in that division three straight seasons. Throughout this past year, weve shared the news far too often of great names in the bodybuilding community that has passed away. Karen Pang was not only a 3x Canadian National Bikini Champion, but also the owner of KaBling Designs, which creates elegant, custom crystal posing suits at an affordable price, a Personal Trainer, fitness model, and had recently launched a new podcast The WuPang Clan: Aint Nuthin to Flex With. A post shared by MUSCLE INSIDER (@muscleinsider). Deaths due to heart attacks have been occurring way too frequently, especially since 2019, and cannot be labeled coincidences or pushed under the rug anymore. Beate Drbing is the most successful female bodybuilder from Austria, and one of the most beautiful women in the sport. In a moving Facebook tribute, her sister Aubree Rhodes said the family is without answers but said she could feel at ease because Ashley was in no pain. While not all of their deaths are related to drug use, they were still members of this great sport and should be remembered as such: Cedric McMillan (44) Bostin Loyd (29) Isaac Ghavidel (35) Tom Prince (52) Shawn Rhoden (46) George Peterson (37) Dallas McCarver (26) Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger Calls For More Testing Or Promoting Smaller Divisions To Stop Bodybuilding Deaths. The 22-year-old Australian Aziz Zyzz died in Thailand. Columbu was 78 years old and had been retired from bodybuilding for quite some time at the point of his passing. Her death was by suicide and this was only days after Luke Sandoe took his own life. His death came just a few days prior to the passing of Rich Piana which marked one of the most devastating weeks in bodybuilding history. Shawn went on to have a very successful competitive career, with his final competition being his greatest victory, when he beat out Phil Heath to win the 2018 Mr. Olympia title. He has also appeared in One Day Removals, City of Hell,and Skyfall. Jusup Wilkosz 16. He won the Mr. Olympia title in 1976 and 1981 and also starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger (his long-time buddy) in the 1977 documentary,Pumping Iron. Just days before the Tampa Pro bodybuilding contest in 2017, Sean Harris fell asleep behind the wheel and died in a pretty tragic accident. Not only was John a wealth of information when it came to training and supplements, but he was a dear friend of ours here at Muscle Insider. Coroners pointed to a lethal combination of the steroid Mena was taking and the anesthetic, The New York Post reports. Our thoughts are with Shawns family, friends, and millions of fans around the world.