Czech bodybuilder Illia Golem has reportedly passed away at the age of 36. The Instagram account @whoisthebestbb originally broke the news and was later reported on by Nick’s Strength and Power on YouTube. As of the morning of Sep. 11, 2024, no official cause of death has been made available to the public.
Illia Yefimchyk, known more prominently as Illia Golem or “the Mutant,” was a bodybuilder and online fitness personality who had dreams of inspiring others through building as much muscle mass as possible.
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I wanted to be The Hulk, to be so big that everybody would notice.”
Illia Yefimchyk
Speaking to Muscular Development in 2020, Golem, who stood at 6’1″ and weighed nearly 350 pounds, said he started his bodybuilding journey as a teenager with a desire to follow in the footsteps of the greats:
- “All I knew was that I wanted to have a chest and biceps like Arnold Schwarzenegger,” Golem said.
Golem reportedly wanted to weigh over 360 pounds and have low body fat. His “mass monster” diet, in some cases, clocked in at over 15,000 calories per day.
The Community Reacts
Golem’s passing marks the latest in a series of tragedies that have rocked the fitness and bodybuilding communities in 2024. On social media, fans expressed their condolences for Golem:
- “That is no age to be taken whatever the scenario. Sad to hear of anybody leaving that early,” one user wrote on Instagram.
Other bodybuilders who have passed away during the year include Men’s Open pros Kristoffer Berner and Doug Fruchey, NPC bodybuilder Daniel Broadhurst, Figure Pro Cintia Goldani, and Kevin Gebhardt.
Featured Image: @illiagolemfans / Instagram
