A bodybuilder died at the gym after suffering a sudden heart attack during a grueling training season. Jose Mateus Correia Silva, 28, was reportedly working out with his friends when he unexpectedly suffered a massive cardiac arrest. A firefighter friend who was with him quickly took him to a nearby fire station for help.
However, despite over an hour of resuscitation efforts, they were unable to save him. On November 22, the award-winning bodybuilder died, leaving behind his wife, parents, and siblings, as reported by multiple sources. He was laid to rest in Brazil two days later. Tributes have been pouring in ever since news of his death became public.
Tragic Death
Jose's grieving brother, Tiago, paid tribute to him in a heartfelt social media post, sharing a photo of the late athlete and writing: "You were incredible. Thank you for so much I love you." In an interview with local media, Tiago said that his brother was "in good shape" and had no known health issues, adding, "Heaven has gained an angel. Jose was a much-loved man."
Jose had a notable bodybuilding career, finishing ninth in the Men's Physique Class for competitors up to 179cm at the 2018 South American Championships.
The previous year, he placed eleventh in the Men's Bodybuilding Class for athletes up to 100kg at the Arnold Classic South America.
Although he wasn't competing at the time of his death, Jose remained active in the fitness world by coaching other bodybuilders and running his own online supplements store.
In addition to his athletic pursuits, he was also a qualified lawyer and had completed a nutrition course.
Jose's funeral on Sunday, held two days after his death on Friday—news of which went unreported in his home country for several days—was attended by hundreds of mourners, including his wife, whom he had gotten engaged to in July 2020.
Tiago described the service as a "beautiful farewell, filled with family and friends," noting, "There were so many people that they couldn't all fit inside the chapel."
"We had an evangelical ceremony and a Catholic one. It wasn't a sad ceremony although there was a lot of emotion."
A Lot Still Unclear
The cause of Jose's sudden illness during his training session and the reason behind his death remain unclear. While some of his more recent social media posts have been taken down following his death, older photos still show him proudly posing with the medals he earned during his competitive years.
One person offering their condolences in response to news of Jose's unexpected death wrote alongside the tribute from his brother: "My deepest condolences to you and your family.
"I hope God gives you the comfort you need to overcome the pain you feel at this time."
"What sad news! My heart goes out to you. God comfort you and all your family," another person said.
Some people have speculated that anabolic steroids may have contributed to Jose's early death, though there is no evidence to suggest that he used drugs to enhance his physique or performance.
Cilene Rodrigues de Brito shared a post on Facebook after comparing photos of Jose from his competition days with more recent images, writing: "It's shocking how these bodybuilders age so quickly with the use of anabolic steroids. He was 28 but he looked twice as old. How sad! I hope God looks after him in a good place."
