Rich Piana, a well-known bodybuilder, is well-known for his appealing looks and succeeding career. He stated in an interview that he was aware of the dangers in the career path he selected. So, he kept pushing his body to the limits and tragically passed away. Rich Piana is the most recent in a long line of untimely deaths. But there are a lot of unanswered questions about his unexpected death. Let’s dig to know what happened to Rich Piana and what causes this bodybuilder to pass away too soon.

Who Was Rich Piana?

Before we dig into what happened to Rich Piana, let’s find out briefly who was Rich Piana. 

So, Richard Eugene Piana was born in Glendale, California on September 26, 1970. He was an American professional bodybuilder, YouTuber, and businessman. Rich Piana, 46, was from the state of Florida and captivated more than 1.2 million Instagram users with his muscular self-portraits. 

in his last years, he became a worldwide celebrity due to his amazing social media posts, fitness routines, and supplement company.

Early Life of Rich Piana

Rich Piana was of Italian descent through his father and through his mother, who was Armenian. His mother, in Sacramento, California, brought him up. His mother, a bodybuilder herself, showed him the sport when the two were living in their native California, so fitness ran in his family. 

When Piana was eleven, he went to the gym to watch his mother prepare for a competition, which is how he got started in weightlifting. She and “old-school” bodybuilder Bill Cambra had an impact on him. 

He started lifting weights at age eleven. He began bodybuilding competitions four years later. He lived in La Crescenta, California, with his father during his final year of high school.

He disclosed in 2016 that his weight of a staggering 22 stone was actually “down” from previous gains.

The Career of Rich Piana

Rich Piana was determined to proceed in her footsteps, so at 15, he competed in his first competition but was unsuccessful, according to Deadspin. He tried several times without success before using steroids to aid in his training, and as a result, he had more success in the field.

In national bodybuilding championships, he finished seventh and eleventh. In 2003 and 2009, the National Physique Committee crowned him Mr. California; in 1998, the NPC named him Mr. California; and in 1989, the National Physique Committee (NPC) named him Mr. Teen California.

Piana was well-liked among the weightlifting community because of his enthusiastic attitude, accomplishments in bodybuilding, and openness about the negative effects of bodybuilding steroid use. He competed continuously for roughly twenty-five years. He used to post workout videos, motivational speeches, anecdotes from his personal life and glimpses into his daily routine on his well-liked YouTube channel.

What Happened to Rich Piana?

What happened to Rich Piana the bodybuilder is the major concern of many of his fans. However, you must know Rich died at his Florida home in August 2017 due to falling while getting his hair cut at home, hitting his head, and becoming unconscious.

When emergency personnel arrived, they discovered that he was unconscious, so they hurried him to the hospital to be put into a medically induced coma. After being put into a medically induced coma for just fourteen days, bodybuilder Rich Piana passed away. 

According to reports, police discovered 20 bottles of steroids and some crushed-up white powder. When he fell, Jansen attempted to grab him, but his huge frame prevented her from doing so.

According to Jansen, Rich Piana also apparently faced an addiction to opium at one point. Rich passed away, and his ex-wife Sara Piana made that known on August 25, 2017. The bodybuilding celebrity received praise from admirers worldwide, with many calling him “the nicest man in the industry.”

What’s the Actual Cause of Rich Piana’s Death?

Rich Piana’s precise cause of death is still a mystery. According to an autopsy, he had “significant cardiac disease,” and his liver and heart weighed more than twice as much as the average adult male. 

According to Jansen, Piana was aware that the hormones and steroids he had been taking were known to cause organ enlargement. Still, he was unaware that this could put him into danger of an abrupt cardiac arrest. 

Despite repeated requests to preserve the specimens for analysis, the hospital had disposed of the specimens required for a toxicology analysis that would later be conducted. Conspiracy theories regarding the secrecy of his death’s actual cause arose as a result.

According to the autopsy report, he showed no signs of recent trauma, which seems to point out physical trauma to be a major contributing factor in his death.

Did Rich Piana take Steroids?

After using anabolic steroids for over 30 years, Piana gained popularity in 2016 when he came out and acknowledged using the drug to build up his muscles.

Nine meals a day, intense workouts unfit for the average person, a massive steroid cycle comprising his fitness regimen. Piana confirmed that he handled steroids with extreme caution and that he was aware of the significance of “on/off cycles.”

In 2014, Piana claimed to have had gynecomastia (larger breasts, which he had medication for) and liver toxicity symptoms, among other side effects from using steroids. In a 2016 video footage, Piana defended his choice to take steroids while cautioning viewers against doing the same. He said, “If you have the option, stay natural. Steroid use is not appropriate. You’re just causing harm to your physical self and body.” 

He continued by saying that professional bodybuilders are forced to use drugs to compete at that level and have no other option. Furthermore, according to him, no one in the bodybuilding competition could compete without the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

At his height, he calculated that his monthly growth hormone and steroid expenditures were £1,926 ($2,500). He regularly talked about “the 5%” mentality and motivation in his videos, which refers to the percentage of individuals who will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals.

Piana used anabolic steroids like Trenbolone regularly.

Was Rich Piana Married?

Rich Piana had two marriages. Following an affair, his first relationship ended in divorce. After that, he had a temporary long-term relationship with American fitness model Chanel Jansen.

 In 2015, he tied the knot with bodybuilder Sara Heimisdóttir of Iceland. After their 2016 breakup, he accused her of stealing the cash and using him to obtain a U.S. green card. Their marriage failed because it happened under pretenses, and he went back to his partner Jansen at the time of his passing.

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