Athlete, 39, dies as tributes paid to mum-of-three who ‘smiled with all mild’

An athlete-turned-reality-TV-star has died aged 39. Roxana Moise was a former professional handball player and later a fitness instructor.

During her handball career, she turned out for Oltchim Ramnicu Valcea. However, her playing days were cut short after a knee injury in 20212, but the Romanian didn’t want to turn her back on exercise just yet after a brief spell as a referee.

Instead, she found fame on the first series of an endurance reality TV show based on the American version of Survivor, called Exatlon Romania. The married mum-of-three was a member of the Warriors team and finished fifth overall.

Her family have not officially announced her cause of death. However, in recent months, the Romanian athlete was pictured wearing a headscarf over her very short hair, as reported by NeedToKnow.

And Nicoleta Lazar, Moise’s former coach, said she had been “very sick”. She said: “I spoke to her about three months ago, when she organised a meeting at the restaurant with my first generation of kids that I trained.

“Roxana was my first generation. When we got there in the evening, she texted us that she couldn’t come anymore, that she was feeling very sick.

“I had talked to her before, I think for at least an hour. And she said, ‘Ma’am, I’m going to be fine. You’ll see,’ but you could see she had already forgotten what she was talking about. She was very optimistic.

“Her best friend literally stayed by her side. She stayed by her side non-stop. She texted me at half past seven in the morning and said, ‘Madam, I lost Roxana’. She slept with her in bed every night.”

Roxana also became a Kangoo Jumps instructor – a low-impact, high-energy fitness activity that uses specially designed rebound shoes with spring-loaded platforms – and a sports teacher at a high school in Râmnicu Vâlcea, north west of Bucharest.

She opened her own fitness centre in the city, dedicated exclusively to women.

In her last post on Facebook at the end of August, Roxana was pictured with her family members. Her Instagram feed is also full of pictures with her three kids.

One friend said: “You went to heaven after a hard fight and left behind a void that no one can fill.

“You left too soon, but your love, kindness and light will always remain with us.”

Another friend added: “We climbed the Moldoveanu Peak together, the roof of Romania, without knowing then that that day would remain forever in my heart.

“There, above the world, you smiled with all the light you carried within you. You were a rare, kind, gentle and strong woman with a kindness that I have rarely encountered.”

Romanian newspaper Vocea Valcii said: “With sorrow in our hearts, we announce the unexpected passing of Roxana Moise, former performance handball player, Kangoo Jumps instructor and former Exatlon warrior.

“At just 39 years old, she left behind three children and an entire community that loved her.”