Geez, wtf is going on
Holy shit!!
Thanks for posting this, Vince. My 17th [I think] Facebook ban ends today. I'll be sharing this.
To address your question:
First off, I'm glad you and I agree here. Van Bilderass does not think this year has had more bodybuilder deaths than other years.
I disagree. Also, we've never had this many HIGH PROFILE bodybuilder deaths in one year.
Think about it this way:
This year's expected 212 Olympia champion died. AND arguably, Shawn Rhoden could have been the expected open champion had he been allowed to compete.
Here is a partial list of pro deaths this year [feel free to add to this]:
- Phil Hermon
- Andy Haman
- Brad Hollibaugh
- John Meadows
- Matt Mendenhall
- Leon Brown
- Laura Bass
- Daniel Saxton
- Sophia Graham
- Alina Kosinova
- Orlando Gallucci
- Megan Elizabeth
- Billy Smith
- Sam Roth
- Bob Bonham
- Jennifer Hernandez
- Wolfgang Schober
- Jake Kazmarek
- Jenny Lynn
- Mike Sheridan
- Karen Pang
- George Peterson
- Shawn Rhoden
- Victor Richards
And Melissa Coates from Thunder Bay - although that's a bit of a looser connection.
Vic would have been turning 58 around March or May - is that right, Vince? I think he was born the same year as Ronnie Coleman [1964].
I'm still flabbergasted by this.
Am I missing any of the major deaths there? We could add George Butler as a fitness industry personality, and there was a female competitor who died last month right? I think her name was Kim.
This has been the biggest year for bodybuilder deaths so far.