Cedric McMillan, a bodybuilder who reached the greatest heights of the sport, reportedly died on Tuesday.
Two bodybuilding-related outlets, Generation Iron and RXMuscle, both initially reported his death. According to Generation Iron, the powerful athlete apparently suffered a heart attack while he was working out on a treadmill. He was just 44 years old.
Related: Friends Who Mysteriously Disappeared After Wedding Found Dead In Golf Course Pond
In a Facebook post written about the tragic situation, RXMuscle mourned McMillan’s loss for not only the bodybuilding community, but also for his service to his country. The veteran weightlifter had been a US Army instructor at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina in addition to his bodybuilding work.
The outlet shared their condolences over McMillan’s passing in their post, writing (below):
“Cedric, a truly great bodybuilder and one of the most entertaining to ever grace the stage, will be remembered for his generosity toward his fans. He gave his time and energy toward connecting and inspiring, completely aware of his stature as a bodybuilding icon. Cedric was an American hero, who was proud to be an American and to serve his country in our armed forces. We will never forget his service to our country. A dedicated family man, Cedric was a pure inspiration for bodybuilders and people to look up to.”
As news of his death was broadcast across social media, other bodybuilders quickly began mourning McMillan, as well.
Powerlifting peer Kai Green shared a particularly poignant tribute to Cedric on Instagram, writing about how “uneasy” he was over McMillan’s “sudden” death and sharing pictures of the two together:
“Feeling uneasy with the news of your sudden departure from this dimension to the next. @cedricmcmillan was a father, a friend, a competitor, a man of uniform, a man of many hats who always knew how to make other people laugh and make everyone around him feel like family.”
So sad.
In his bodybuilding work, McMillan achieved quite a bit, including winning the Arnold Classic back in 2017. He proved himself capable three years later, too, when he finished sixth at the high profile Arnold Classic Columbus event in 2020, as well.
Related: Missing Florida Mom Found Dead In Shallow Grave, Ex Arrested
The star had allegedly been battling health issues related to COVID-19 in recent months. Generation Iron reported that back in November, McMillan told them he’d previously been put on life support after coming down with the coronavirus, and had later been experiencing heart and breathing issues.
It’s unclear whether any of that played a role in this tragedy. In an Instagram video posted to his own account back in February, the late star detailed some of his recent health struggles:
“I can’t keep food inside for some reason. It makes me a stupid hiccup, I hiccup all day and half the night and every time I eat, or even drink water. Come back up, nothing wants to stay inside. Four weeks ago I went to the doctor again and they recommended that I do not do the Arnold Classic [in 2022].”
According to Fox News, the athlete had recently been “optimistic” about returning to competitive bodybuilding prior to his untimely death.
Our condolences go out to McMillan’s family, friends, and loved ones.
Rest In Peace…
[Image via Cedric McMillan/Instagram]
The post Bodybuilding Champ Cedric McMillan Dies During Treadmill Workout At Just 44 Years Old appeared first on Perez Hilton.