Celebrated wrestler dies after sudden cardiac arrest
Cuban-American wrestler Alan Vera died Monday after a two-month health battle since his sudden cardiac arrest this summer.
Vera, 33, was playing soccer with his friends on July 29th when he suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest. He remained hospitalized until last week when he came down with a sudden infection. He died on Monday.
“After an unexpected infection took hold over the weekend, his body, despite fighting with every ounce of strength for the past two months, could no longer endure the battle,” a GoFundMe page set up for his family said. “While his passing brings a sense of peace knowing he is no longer suffering, the void left behind is immeasurable.”
After winning the title of Cuban national champion four times, Vera competed for the US in the 2021 and 2022 world wrestling championships. In 2023, he took home the bronze for Greco-Roman wrestling in the Pan American Championships. In 2024, he won the silver. He nearly made it to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, according to the New York Post.
“Our hearts have been broken,” USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender said of Vera’s death. “Our sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Elena, Alina and all of Alan’s family, as well as those who have known Alan. The wrestling community mourns the loss of a great champion, whose incredible life impacted so many within USA Wrestling and around the world.”
Healthy young wrestlers, bodybuilders, and fitness gurus are dying suddenly
Vera, who is survived by his wife, Olympian pro wrestler Elena Pirozhkova, is one of several young wrestlers, bodybuilders, and fitness influencers to die suddenly over the last couple years.
A day before Vera’s death, a 17-year-old wrestling student in Massachusetts, Freddy Espinal, died from a sudden “medical emergency” during practice, according to Sports Illustrated. No cause of death has been announced.
Last year, professional wrestler and WWE champion Bray Wyatt shocked fans when he died suddenly from a cardiac arrest at 36.
In December, bodybuilding legend Shaun “Dinosaur” Davis died suddenly at 57. Davis, who weighed 336 lbs, won the prestigious Mr. Universe title in 1996. He had also been crowned Mr. UK, Mr. Britain, Mr. Europe, and Mr. Pro Universe. He was the fifth bodybuilder under the age of 60 to die suddenly in 2023.
Last October, popular New Zealand fitness influencer and mother of five Raechelle Chase also died suddenly.
No cause of death was revealed for Chase, who regularly posted about fitness and relationships for her 1.4 million Facebook followers. She was featured on 14 magazine covers and was the first Kiwi woman to compete in the annual Olympia bodybuilding event.
The month prior, world-renowned bodybuilder Neil Currey died at 34, which his trainer Milo Sarcev called “absolutely shocking.” Currey was a professional bodybuilder who won the gold medal at the 2022 New York Pro. He then went on to compete in Mr. Olympia, the international contest that launched the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He finished 16th in the Classic Physique category.
Two months before, bodybuilding veteran Gustavo “The Freakin’ Rican” Badell died at 50 from a sudden stroke. Like Davis, Badell had also previously experienced kidney issues that were not life-threatening.
The month before, famed bodybuilding influencer Jo Lindner died suddenly from an aneurysm at 30.
Lindner, who was known under the nom de guerre Joesthetics, had revealed just weeks before that he had been “peer-pressured” into taking four COVID-19 vaccine shots, which he did not want to do.
Bodybuilder issues challenge to unvaccinated
In 2022, award-winning bodybuilding and fitness icon Doug Brignole died suddenly after issuing a public challenge to those who refused the COVID-19 injections.
“I have enough confidence in the vaccine, based on my research, to get it done,” Brignole posted to Facebook in April 2021. “Those of you who think the vaccine kills people can use me as a test. If I die, you were right. If I don’t die, and have no ill effects, you were wrong, and should admit it (at least to yourselves). Better yet, you should admit that you were misled, and tell the world who misled you, so other people can benefit by avoiding those fearmongers.”
Brignole died 18 months later at the age of 63. He was in good health and preparing to guest pose at the AAU Mr. Universe in Las Vegas on October 22nd. A coroner report listed Brignole’s cause of death as COVID-19 with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease — hardened arteries.
Brignole had been vaccinated twice with the Moderna shots.
