Gabriel Ganley was reportedly found dead at his apartment on Saturday, May 25, in São Paulo, Brazil. His cause of death was not determined then, but now, it is out in the open.
The Brazilian bodybuilder died at the age of 22 from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This was confirmed by his death certificate, obtained by the Brazilian news service NSC Total.
As to what HCM means, it happens when the heart muscle thickens, and the heart needs to relax and pump blood properly. This is mostly a genetic heart abnormality and rarely causes sudden death, but at times, death can be inevitable with the very first sign of the condition, with no prior warning.
A friend of Ganley found him lying face down on his kitchen floor on Saturday morning. His friend arrived out of concern, as he had not heard from Ganley since Thursday.
The fitness influencer’s mother rushed down to São Paulo as soon as she received the news. When asked, she had no clue her son was unwell and claimed he seemed fine when she last spoke to him. She also confirmed he had no known history of heart disease.
From Pokémon Champion to Bodybuilding Star: The Life of Gabriel Ganley
Gabriel Ganley was born in Rio de Janeiro, started his weightlifting journey at 15, and went on to pursue Physical Education at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro before relocating to São Paulo
He made this move to fully commit to competitive bodybuilding and content creation. Competitiveness ran in his blood; before earning fame through fitness, he was also a competitive Pokémon Trading Card Game player who represented Brazil at the World Championships.
His content even went viral, in which he was filmed leg-pressing 500kg, roughly 1,100 pounds. With a following of 2.3 million on Instagram, he was recognized as a popular Brazilian fitness figure.
He had a good number of followers on his other social handles as well, attracting a large audience with his fitness and nutrition content.
Ganley was clean in his initial days and even promoted natural bodybuilding in 2023 and 2024, but he announced to his followers about his transition to anabolic steroid use.
2025 hit him with pneumonia, and he had to withdraw from the competitions, and started preparing for Musclecontest Brasil in Curitiba this July at the time of his death.
Ganley’s death adds to a brutal year for bodybuilding, which has already lost Albert Beckles, Craig Monson, Bi Jiaqi, Jason Lowe, Andrea Lorini, and several others in 2026.
Trending slideshow: 10 Famous Fitness Preachers & Timelines of Their Death
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10 Famous Fitness Preachers & Timelines of Their DeathFor years, diet and fitness gurus have claimed to know the secret to a longer, healthier life. Some promoted raw foods, others believed in marathon running or cutting out carbs. The irony is that many of these wellness pioneers died young or from the same diseases they tried to prevent. Let’s explore what happened. YouTube / SMU Jones FilmAdelle Davis promoted whole grains, eating liver weekly, and avoiding processed foods starting in the 1950s. She warned that ultra-processed diets would harm Americans, and today, more than half of the American diet is ultra-processed. Still, in 1974, she died of multiple myeloma at 70, a cancer she thought nutrition could prevent. YouTube / SMU Jones FilmNathan Pritikin created a low-fat, plant-based diet movement in the 1970s, saying his approach could reverse heart disease. His Pritikin Longevity Center drew thousands of people looking for better heart health. He was diagnosed with leukemia at 43 in 1958, and the disease returned later in life. Pritikin believed his diet would cure him, but in 1985, at age 69, he ended his life after his illness got worse and he could not accept his body’s decline. YouTube / Joshua PritikinMichel Montignac, a French diet expert, made the low-glycemic index diet popular in the 1980s and sold millions of books in Europe. He believed that managing blood sugar through food choices was the secret to weight loss and a longer life. In 2010, Montignac died of prostate cancer at 66, a disease he had fought for years even with his strict diet. YouTube / La Méthode MontignacDr. Robert Atkins changed dieting in 1972 with his high-fat, no-carb Atkins Diet, which millions still use. He said carbs were harmful and fat was healthy. In 2003, he slipped on ice in Manhattan, had a serious head injury, and died nine days later at 72. His death certificate mentioned a history of heart disease, which later caused debate. @realpatterns / InstagramJim Fixx wrote “The Complete Book of Running” in 1977, which started America’s jogging trend and sold over a million copies. He ran 80 miles each week and said running saved his life after he lost 60 pounds. In 1984, Fixx died of a heart attack during his daily run in Vermont at just 52, surprising the fitness community. YouTube / FactoidsPaavo Nurmi, a Finnish distance runner, won nine Olympic gold medals in the 1920s and became known worldwide for his endurance and discipline. He supported strict training and a simple lifestyle for top performance. In 1973, Nurmi died at 76 after dealing with heart disease in his later years, despite his famous fitness. YouTube / Buenos Aires 2018Euell Gibbons became well known in the 1960s for foraging wild foods and avoiding modern farming. He wrote “Stalking the Wild Asparagus” and appeared in Grape-Nuts commercials, asking if people had ever eaten a pine tree. In 1975, Gibbons died suddenly of a ruptured aortic aneurysm at 64, shocking his followers. YouTube / Our Nostalgic MemoriesJerome Rodale started “Prevention” magazine in 1950 and supported organic farming long before it became popular. On “The Dick Cavett Show” in 1971, he said he would “live to be 100.” Just minutes after the show was taped, while still on stage, Rodale had a fatal heart attack at 72, and the episode never aired. @thescibabe / InstagramMichio Kushi introduced the macrobiotic diet, which focuses on whole grains, vegetables, and balance, to America in the 1960s. He said it could prevent cancer and started the Kushi Institute in Massachusetts, influencing many people. In 2014, Kushi died of pancreatic cancer at 88, the same disease his diet was meant to prevent, causing his followers to question his advice. YouTube / Phiya KushiJack LaLanne was a pioneer of American fitness, starting the first TV exercise show in 1951 and doing impressive stunts into his 70s, such as towing 70 boats while handcuffed at age 70. He promoted daily exercise, whole foods, and avoiding sugar. In 2011, LaLanne died of respiratory failure from pneumonia at 96, making him the oldest guru on this list. YouTube / jacklalanneofficial
