Teen bodybuilder dies aged simply 19 after actually astonishing physique transformation

A teenage bodybuilder who had a “brilliant future” ahead of him has been found dead at his home.

Matheus Pavlak, 19, had transformed his body in just five years after taking up the gruelling sport to overcome struggles with obesity. The police officer’s son was a regular competitor in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina where he lived and last year won an U23 contest to become Mr Blumenau in his home city of the same name. In May this year, he finished fourth and sixth in other regional competitions.

He was found dead at his home after suffering a reported heart attack on Sunday afternoon. Ex-trainer Lucas Chegatti posted an emotional tribute to the teenager after news of his death emerged, alongside photos of his former star pupil celebrating one of his competition triumphs. He wrote: “Today ends in a sad day with the loss of a great friend, a spectacular boy who leaves us early, a tragedy that took us by surprise.

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“He had a brilliant future ahead of him as a respected athlete. God has his plans but it’s hard to understand, I don’t have the words to explain the weight I feel in my heart. I was Matheus’ first coach and I’m very proud to have had the opportunity to have cared for him like a son.

“I promised him that one day he would beat me and said and done, the first time we competed together against each other, he ended up winning. He was no longer a part of my team, but I know I managed to form a great athlete. May God comfort his family and take care of our boy.”

He went on to reveal Matheus decided to take up bodybuilding to overcome his childhood weight problems, saying: “He started training harder around the year 2019 due to obesity. In 2022 when we met, we aligned our training and started aiming at making him a champion.”

Matheus himself had posted pictures and video footage of his remarkable body transformation on his own social media, showing how he went from a youngster battling weight issues to a finely-honed athlete in just a few years. He wrote alongside the images: “It doesn’t matter how difficult or impossible your dream is. If you really want to to you’ll make it come true. I DID.”

Critics have alleged that anabolic steroids are behind Matheus’ untimely death, though this has not been confirmed. One wrote on his Instagram: “It’s impossible to get that sort of muscle definition aged just 19. If anyone is to blame here it’s the person who prescribed this torrent of steroids.” Another responded: “It’s not the fault of those who sell but those who decide to use them.”

But an acquaintance of the tragic teenager raged: “How can human beings exist that are capable of offending the memory of a boy who is no longer here to defend himself! Lots of strength to Matheus’ family. And a message to the authors of these toxic and inhumane comments, be careful. What goes around comes around.”

Matheus’ death is the latest in a string of high-profile tragedies involving bodybuilders. In May a Majorcan bodybuilder who survived cancer and life-threatening peritonitis died aged 50. Xisco Serra’s premature death was attributed locally at the time to natural causes after he suffered stomach problems.

The sports science graduate, who started lifting weights as a 16-year-old, began competing three decades ago and went on take part in around 90 contests. His most notable wins on the international stage have included Mr World IBFA in Rome in 2011 and Mr Universe IBFA in the 40-plus category in 2014, the same year he was voted overall Musclebeach Champion after competing in Venice, California. He was still competing last year when he was crowned champion of a competition held in Tenerife.

In April, a Brazilian bodybuilder and fitness instructor died aged 29 after losing his battle against Covid. Jonas Filho, known as Jonas Big, had left his 10,400 Instagram followers worried after publishing pictures of him on a respirator in hospital in the city of Fortaleza soon after he was admitted. He wrote alongside the snaps: “Only God knows the pain and tears of the clown.”

In a previous post, referring to his humble upbringing in the north-east Brazilian state of Ceara, he wrote alongside a photo of him in the gym during a workout: “Whoever comes from a poor family has only one option and one chance. The option to work to have the opportunity to turn the game around. And I don’t think about anything else.”

Days before his death it emerged a Portuguese bodybuilder had died aged 46 in Cologne in Germany. Marco Luis, better-known by his nickname of Monster or Monstro in his native language, worked as an online coach and motivator. His Canadian-born wife Mariza Luis confirmed the sad news, saying he was “in his ‘paradise’ doing what he loved”.

Marco Luis, who hailed from the volcanic island of Terceira in the Azores archipelago, had nearly 25,000 followers on Instagram alone as well as his own YouTube channel. He called bodybuilding “his life and passion” and had referred to himself online in the past as the “most shredded bodybuilder ever”.