A Belarusian man dubbed the “world’s most monstrous bodybuilder” has reportedly died of a heart attack at the age of 36.
Illia ‘Golem’ Yefimchyk at seven times a day and consumed 16,500 calories, including 108 pieces of sushi and 2.5 kilos of steak.
He was known as the ‘340lbs beast’ and also known as The Mutant. He was 6’5″ tall, had a 5’1″ chest and 25″ biceps.
He reportedly suffered a heart attack at home on September 6, while his wife Anna was performing chest compressions while waiting for the ambulance.
The bodybuilder was taken to hospital by helicopter.
Illia ‘Golem’ Yefimchyk, better known as The Mutant, has died at the age of 36 after a reported heart attack
He started his bodybuilding adventure as a teenager with the desire to follow in the footsteps of the greats
“I prayed all the time, hoping that Illia would recover,” Anna told local Belarusian media.
“I spent every day by his side with hope, and his heart started beating again for two days, but the doctor gave me the terrible news that his brain had died.”
She said after his death: ‘I thank everyone for their condolences. It is heartwarming to realize that I am not alone in this world and that so many people have offered me help and support.’
The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported: ‘On September 6, the athlete suffered a heart attack and fell into a coma.’
His death was confirmed on September 11.
Yefimchyk was able to impressively perform 600-pound bench presses, 700-pound deadlifts, and 700-pound squats.
Although he did not compete professionally, he became a social media icon with over 300,000 followers on Instagram, and was seen by fans as someone who pushed the boundaries of human ability.
The Belarusian said he always wanted to have a chest and biceps muscle like Arnold Schwarzenegger
He lived in Belarus, followed by the Czech Republic, the US and Dubai
At school in Belarus, he reportedly weighed 70 kg and couldn’t do a single push-up.
“My transformation is the result of years of hard training and discipline, combined with an understanding of exercise physiology and nutrition,” he had said.
“My mission is to instill a work ethic in people so they can overcome their fears and act with confidence to better themselves and those around them.”
In a 2020 interview with Muscular Development, he revealed that he started bodybuilding as a teenager, wanting to follow in the footsteps of the greats.
“All I knew was that I wanted to have the chest and biceps shape of Arnold Schwarzenegger,” he said.
His goal before his death was to weigh 375 pounds.
He lived in Belarus, followed by the Czech Republic, the US and Dubai.
He is not the first bodybuilder to die at a young age recently, and his death is likely to raise questions about the health risks associated with bodybuilding.
Others include 26-year-old Brazilian Antonion Souza and 34-year-old British bodybuilder Neil Currey.