On May 7th, 2020, the bodybuilding world was shocked to find out that Luke Sandoe had passed away at the age of 31. He was considered one of the next major stars of the sport and had a legion of fans around the world.
On August 3rd, which would’ve been Sandoe’s 32nd birthday, his family posted on the @lukesandoe Instagram account that they would share what they called a “best and final gift” for Luke, his official cause of death.
“There have been many dark days during the last 12 weeks. Losing Luke has left an unimaginable void in our family and we will never be the same again. Luke’s unexpected death sent shockwaves through the bodybuilding fraternity. No official cause of death was released which resulted in unfounded speculation and rumour…Please, we ask of all of you to look after yourselves. This should be even more relevant with the knowledge that we lost Luke to heart failure, not suicide. Through Luke’s podcasts, interviews, posts, videos, and appearances, he touched so many lives. Luke’s loss has not only been felt by his family and friends but by his hundreds of thousands of followers worldwide.”
The statement in its entirety is in the above Instagram post. The statement concludes with a hope for Sandoe’s legacy to be positive going forward.
“Our wish now is for Luke and his legacy to be respected and remembered for the extraordinary father, athlete, and human that he was.”
Prior to his death, the 2015 British Amateur Overall Champion had been preparing to compete in hopes to earn his first professional win and qualify for the 2020 Mr. Olympia. His last public appearance within the sport was on commentary during the 2020 Arnold Classic. He was considered by many to be the future face of British bodybuilding. His last appearance as a competitor was at the 2019 Mr. Olympia where he placed 11th.
Members of the bodybuilding community recognized Sandoe as a remembrance on his birthday.
“Happy birthday, brother. I love you @lukesandoe.” Ben Chow
“Happy birthday big brother”. James Hollingshead
“Happy Birthday to the Juggernaut. Forever in our hearts.” – Brad Willis
We at BarBend offer our condolences to Sandoe’s family, friends, and fans.
Featured Image: Instagram/lukesandoe
