Tragic update after bodybuilder collapses

A Perth bodybuilder who collapsed in a gym shower – remaining undetected for 15 hours – has died in hospital.

Giuliano Pirone, 33, was training for an upcoming bodybuilding competition at the Perth-based gym on August 20 when he began to feel unwell, making his way to a shower cubicle.

He was reported missing by his family after he failed to come home from work.

Police eventually located Mr Pirone later in the night slumped on the floor of the shower cubicle under cold running water.

Officers performed CPR on Mr Pirone, who quickly became conscious before he was rushed to hospital.

He remained in an induced coma in the intensive care unit at Joondalup Hospital, in Perth’s north, for several weeks, but family on Thursday confirmed he had died.

Mr Pirone’s mother Daniela had earlier spoken out about the concerns she had about 24-hour gyms and how her son went 15 hours without detection – only being found after police pinged his phone.

She shared her feelings of devastation on ABC Radio Perth.

“I will never look at the sun, the moon and the sky the same way again, the light that shone bright has left me,” Ms Pirone told the program on Thursday.

In a GoFundMe, Mr Pirone’s sister Rosa Ostapenko described her little brother as “the light as soon as he walked through any door”.

“He would give you the shirt off his back,” she wrote on the fundraiser.

Ms Ostapenko revealed her brother was excited for his first bodybuilding competition – due to be held two weeks from the day he was found – as well as setting up his own business.

“Unfortunately through the time he lacked oxygen to his brain,” she wrote.

“If he was found earlier he would have had a higher chance of survival and living his best life.

“Sadly my beautiful brother lost his fight.”

She described Mr Pirone as the family’s “light, rock, world, our heart and now our Angel”, adding the family was “broken”.

“We love you much little brother,” Ms Ostapenko wrote.

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