Successful 19-Year-Old Bodybuilder Who Exercised to Escape Obesity Dies Suddenly from Heart Attack

Found Dead at Home at Age 19
Started Exercising to Overcome Obesity
Steroid Use Suspected?..."Insult to the Deceased" Sparks Outrage

A childhood photo of Mateus Pavlak (left) and his bodybuilding days (right). [Image source=Mateus Pavlak SNS]

A teenage boy who became a bodybuilder through relentless effort after being obese suddenly passed away.

According to foreign media such as CNN Brazil and the New York Post on the 3rd (local time), Mateus Pavlak (19), a famous Brazilian bodybuilder, was found dead at his home on the 1st. The cause of death is reported to be a heart attack. His former coach, Lucas Chegati, posted a tribute saying, "A sad day losing a precious boy," and "He had a bright future as an athlete, but I don't know what plan God had to take him away. There are no words to express the weight of my grief." He first met Mateus in 2022 and worked on bodybuilding together.

Mateus began his grueling effort in 2019 to overcome obesity. Through exercise, he lost weight and built muscles, creating a completely different body from before. At that time, he posted photos and videos showing his physical transformation on his social media, saying, "It doesn't matter how difficult your dream is," and "If you sincerely want to achieve your dream, you can make it happen. I did it."

He frequently participated in bodybuilding competitions held in Santa Catarina state. Last year, he competed in the bodybuilding U23 competition held in his hometown Blumenau and won the Mr. Blumenau title. In May of this year, he also placed 4th and 6th in competitions in other regions.

Some have pointed to the well-known 'anabolic steroids' among bodybuilders as the cause of Mateus's death. Anabolic steroids, muscle-enhancing drugs, mimic the male hormone testosterone to help muscle growth and performance improvement. However, excessive use can cause various side effects such as liver damage and cardiovascular diseases. One netizen claimed, "It is impossible to have such muscles at the young age of nineteen," and "The person who should be blamed is the one who prescribed the steroids." However, Mateus's acquaintances requested to refrain from premature speculation, saying, "Do not insult the deceased."