Renowned bodybuilder and celebrity trainer Einar Méndez has died at the age of 48.
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His wife, Yan, shared the news on Instagram on Monday, Sep. 7, along with a video tribute. As reported by PEOPLE, Méndez died on Sep. 4 after finishing a workout. Yan said the cause was a "sudden heart attack."
"He was strong, resilient, kind," she said in Spanish. "Everyone who knew him knows exactly who Einar Méndez was. At his wake, not a single person came to hug me tight, sharing an anecdote."
Commenters Started "Speculating" On the Cause of Death
In her tribute, Yan also fired back at commenters for "speculating" on the cause of Einar's death.
"Let him rest in peace," she said.
Einar boasted a following of over 46,000 followers on Instagram, sharing updates from his life and training sessions. He trained several celebrity clients, including Marthy Debayle, a television presenter in Mexico. Yan added that Einar was extremely "dedicated to his work."
"He wanted to help many people who didn't have the means to learn training technique," she said. "He wanted to start a foundation to help everyone without resources."
The Bodybuilder Leaves Behind 3 Daughters
Einar and Yan shared three daughters. She said they are all "in deep pain with a void that will never, ever be filled."
Debayle, who trained with Einar for nine years, shared her own tribute.
"We're all still in shock," she wrote. "He left us suddenly, at the gym, doing what he loved most: coaching."
She added, "I'm going to miss you so much. And I know there won't be a single day I train that I don't think of you. I'll remember our talks. Your scoldings. Your messages reminding me that we were training that day. The laughter while you stretched me and I swore. The way you pushed me when I swore I couldn't go on."
