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World champion bodybuilder unexpectedly dies at 38 as tributes pour in

Jason Lowe, from Florida, appeared on both the Arnold Classic stage and the Mr. Olympia stage during a successful career and had more than 100,000 Instagram followers

World champion bodybuilder Jason Lowe has tragically died at the age of just 38, his devastated wife confirmed. Ashley Lowe broke the news in a series of emotional Instagram posts on January 22.

She has since been posting photos of the couple in memory of him. She wrote: “Today will be the hardest day of my life.

“I don’t know if words will ever be enough to hold what you meant to me, because they all feel so small in comparison. You made me a better version of myself, and you were going to be the absolute best dad.

“Saying that I’m devastated doesn’t even begin to touch the depth of this loss.”

It went on: “I’m sitting here in our backyard writing this in your Olympia jacket, trying to feel close to you, trying to make sense of a world that already feels different without you in it.” One Instagram user commented: “You were more like a friend to me than a bodybuilder.

“I commented [on] every post and watched every YouTube video. You will be always remembered by me and I will do this bodybuilding journey and make you proud.”

Another added: “Jason could carry a room. If you walked in stressed, he pulled you out of it.

“If you were down, he lifted you up. If you were quiet, he pulled you in.”

Jason, from Florida, was a superstar in the bodybuilding world. He regularly competed in contests between 2015 and 2022 and earned his IFBB Pro Card in 2017, going on to claim major wins including the 2018 San Antonio Pro. He also made multiple appearances at the prestigious Mr. Olympia stage.

His incredible feats in the gym earned him a huge following online, with more than 104,000 fans on Instagram alone. A friend who started a GoFundMe page on behalf of Ashley and the rest of the Lowe family described his passing as “unexpected”.

The post went on: “Nothing can prepare you for the loss of a loved one. At an early age, Jason developed a love for bodybuilding.

“He earned his pro card at NPC Jr USAs 2017 in Classic Physique and, in a few years’ time, earned his spot on not just the Arnold Classic stage, but also the Mr. Olympia stage. His wife, Ashley, shared a love for fitness and supported him throughout his career as an athlete and coach.

“They were always present at various NPC and IFBB events, supporting their local gyms and fellow bodybuilding enthusiasts.” More than $28,000 (£20,400) has been raised at the time of writing out of a $40,000 (£29,200) target.

The news comes after a bodybuilding influencer died suddenly in his sleep at the age of 26. Bi Jiaqi, who was known among his online followers for his gruelling workouts and physique, had been messaging his friends just hours before his untimely death.

The Chinese content creator died on Friday morning (January 30) and had been making plans to renovate his new house. His pals said they noticed he didn’t seem right in the days leading up to his death but just put it down to training fatigue. His body is due an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death.

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