Brazilian bodybuilding sensation Antonio Souza has died at the young age of 26 after suffering a shocking medical emergency shortly after earning a trophy in a contest. His wife, Yone Silva, confirmed his passing on Instagram on August 4, 2024, the day after he competed.
“This is how I will remember you my champion 💪🏻 rest in peace from your beloved wife” Souza’s wife shared.
As Souza’s wife navigates the tragedy, multiple reports indicate that he felt a ‘strong pain in his chest’ before competing on Saturday at the Navega Open in Santa Catarina. Despite his apparent health ailments, he was able to contend with the best and find success on stage. In an impressive display, Souza earned a top-three position at the show, which netted him a trophy before succumbing to a traumatic cardiac arrest episode.
The popular Instagram bodybuilding account BrasilBodybuildingNews indicated that Souza died while backstage at the competition.
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“đź–¤Rest in peace: Brazilian amateur athlete@antonio_souza.97died today backstage at a competition. The athlete was going to compete for@spff_fisiculturismoand was very active on social media this morning showing behind the scenes of his painting before competing
.
đź”´According to what Igor reported@culturismodcearlier today, the athlete passed away at Backstage having suffered cardiac arrest and died. The federation@spff_fisiculturismohelped the athlete’s wife with the costs of bringing his body back to his home state, as he was competing far from his hometown” BrasilBodybuildingNews shared.
Brazilian Bodybuilder Antonio Souza Dies at 26 Years Old, His Family Honors His Life
According to a Brazilian news outlet, his wife explained that Souza used diuretics to prepare for bodybuilding events to rid his body of extra fluid and water. Many believe this could have contributed to his death and caused excessive dehydration, including his sister Mary Braz and Yone Silva.
‘He was very dehydrated. Very dry, unfortunately,’ Silva said.
‘This is an addictive and at the same time competitive sport. AntĂ´nio was very focused on this sport,’ she added.
Souza used bodybuilding to provide for his family, having competed in the sport for the past five years. He started training at 15 years old and continued to make strides in his training and physique development, which he shared with fans on social media with workouts and progress updates.
His family won’t forget his loving nature or his desire for wanting to become the best bodybuilder he possibly could.
‘His dream was to be recognized for doing what he loved and to be able to give our mother a better life,’ she said.
‘He was always very focused, he never waited for anyone for anything,’ Braz added.
‘He always knew his goal and he literally gave his life for this sport, he competed until his last breath.’
There have been several deaths that have shaken the bodybuilding landscape in Brazil recently. André Cavalcanti was one of the latest victims, who succumbed to injuries after a 17-year-old took a joyride and smashed into his motorcycle.
As a loving son and partner, Antonio Souza will be sorely missed by his family. Fitness Volt wishes his loved ones strength and peace during this challenging time.
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