It's always devastating to hear of another bodybuilder passing away unexpectedly. Bodybuilding is a sport where the athletes must make sacrifices to achieve glory. However, it never gets easier to hear of another athlete passing. News broke that UK Bodybuilding Champion Tony Ellett passed, Dec.22nd. At the time of writing, the cause of death is still not clear, but one thing is clear, Tony will be missed.
Tony was a famous bodybuilder from the UK who competed in the National Amateur Bodybuilding Association or NABBA. Tony first stepped on stage in the 2009 England Champions, NABBA. But it wasn't until 2016 that he won the Tall Class division at the NABBA UK championships. However, the last time Tony would step on stage would be in 2017 at the Mr. Britain championships finishing third in the Tall Class division. There is overwhelming love for Tony from fans, friends, and family as his Facebook is filled with condolences. Another bodybuilder gone too soon at the age of 55.
He isn’t the only member of the bodybuilding community; we have lost this year. We wanted to reflect on some other notable passing’s of bodybuilders in 2021.
Shawn Rhoden
Shawn Rhoden AKA “Flexatron”, the man to unseat Phil Heath as Mr. Olympia in 2018 died of a heart attack earlier this year at the young age of 46. This wasn’t Rhoden’s first heart attack and he had previously battled some other health issues. The bodybuilding community was devastated by his passing, at 43 Rhoden was the oldest person to with the Mr. Olympia title. He had started in bodybuilding career in 1999 as an amateur and had his first pro debut at 2010 Europa Pro where he placed 16th. His first pro bodybuilding win came at the Tampa Pro in 2012 which earned him the chance to participate in Mr. Olympia. His monstrous win over Heath 6 years later, shocked the world.
John Meadows
A bodybuilder close to the hearts of many within the bodybuilding community in the US. John Meadows passed away earlier this year at the young age of 49. He died on August 8th, 2021; he was a shining light in the bodybuilding community. John had over five hundred thousand subscribers on his Youtube channel, where he gave out so much valuable information on training, nutrition, and supplements. Meadows coached and trained many great athletes such as Jeff Nippard, Missy Truscott, and Shaun Clarida. John Meadows suffered a heart attack in May of 2020 caused by blood clots from a rare colon disease called idiopathic myointimal hyperplasia. After some time in the hospital, he recovered though the doctor said his heart wasn't working correctly anymore. Meadows still decided to go back to coaching and training because it was his joy. Another soul gone too early.
Dave Draper
Dave Draper, AKA the "blonde bomber," died on the morning of Nov.30, 2021, at the old age of 71. It's always a blessing when bodybuilders can make it to old age but nonetheless sad in their passing. Dave was not only a bodybuilder; Dave was an actor, author, entrepreneur, and husband. Dave started his bodybuilding career in New Jersey by winning the Mr. New Jersey bodybuilding title at 21. He later moved across the country to Santa Monica and began training alongside some of bodybuilding's greats at Gold's gym in Venice. He went on to win multiple bodybuilding titles such as Mr. America and Mr. Universe. As an actor, he starred in a popular movie in 1967 called "Don't Make Waves" He also eventually went on to own the Gold's Gym in Santa Monica. Dave pushed bodybuilding forward in his time, and it was sad to see him go.
Karen Pang
Karen Pang was a 3x National Canadian Bikini Champion, owner of KaBling Designs which creates custom crystal posing suits for athletes. She was a personal trainer and fitness model and launched her podcast: The WuPang Clan: Ain't Nuthin' to Flex With. Sadly, news of Karen Pang's death came from her close friend Whitney Johns. Karen Pang had died in a tragic snowmobile accident near the end of March 2021. The death was a shock to all; her friends and fans overwhelmed her social media with condolences.
George Peterson
George Peterson, AKA "Da Bull," another bodybuilder who passed away unexpectedly at 37 in his hotel room, no other details on his death could be confirmed. It is devastating to see such young athletes losing their lives so soon. George was a constant face in the bodybuilding circuit. He would compete in shows across the US, including the Olympia 4 times. In 2019, George even managed to win the Classic Physique competition at the Arnold Classic. We are sad to hear of another bodybuilder dying so young.
Jenny Lynn
Jenny Lynn was a 2x time Ms. Olympia Figure Winner, and she also won 11 other professional figure wins. According to her husband, Jenny Lynn had a seizure in her sleep, which caused her to flatline, and he was unable to resuscitate her. Jenny had a competitive streak throughout her life. Initially, she was a cheerleader but decided she enjoyed fitness more than cheerleading. Jenny decided to try her luck with the IFBB Pro in the Fitness division but did not do well. She later decided to switch over to Figure, and that's where Jenny really shined. Jenny went on a winning streak in the IFBB figure class from 2004-2007 because of her well-balanced physique.
Rhonda Lee Quaresma
Another good soul lost this year was Rhonda Lee Quaresma. Rhonda was a Canadian IFBB Pro Women's Physique Bodybuilder. Unfortunately, Rhonda passed away on Nov. 26th, 2021, due to losing her battle with stage 4 colon cancer. Rhonda started her bodybuilding career in 1989 in Kingston, Ontario, and then eventually retired in 2016 due to health issues. In that time, she went on to win her IFBB Pro-Card at the 1995 Canadian Nationals naming her "Miss Canada" that year. She also went on to win the Jan Tana Classic in 1998 and finally competed in her last show in 2016. Her final competition was the 2016 IFBB Pro Ferrigno Legacy. After her last show, she retired and became a personal trainer helping others build their physiques.
FINAL THOUGHT
2021 was a rough year for many including the bodybuilding community. Bodybuilding pushes the human body to the absolute edge; we should take some time to appreciate the hard work and sacrifices that so many of these athletes dedicate to the sport.
We wanted to send our condolences to everyone who lost a loved one this year. Wishing everyone a brighter year ahead.
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Kiel DiGiovanni
Author