On July 15, the fitness world mourned the loss of bodybuilder Justin Vicky. This personal trainer and influencer from fitness Indonesian died broken neck at 33 years old after he dropped a bar of more than 200 kilos while training.
His death was instantaneous. Although he was quickly transferred to a nearby hospital, the doctors – even having operated on him – could not save his life. His neck was fractured and the nerves attached to the heart and respiratory system were very compromised..
The accident occurred while Vicky was squatting with a 462-pound dumbbell. The help that she received from her partner was not enough for her to get free: when she wanted to do the first repetition of the series, she could not go up and fell to the ground with the bad luck that the bar hit her head squarely.
The tragic moment was recorded because the professional was making content for his networks. On Instagram, Vicky had 34.2 thousand followers and a huge group of faithful who celebrated his difficult trials and thanked him for his inspirational messages.
He bodybuilder favorite
Those responsible for The Paradise Bali, the Sanur gym where the tragedy occurred, fired him with a very emotional letter that made it clear that Justyn He was a very loved person in the environment.
The fitness expert was Indonesian. He worked as a personal trainer at a gym. Photo: Instagram
“Today we come together to celebrate the incredible life of our beloved personal trainer and friend, Justyn. It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of her passing, and yet our spirits are lifted by the profound impact she had on each and every one of us,” the message begins.
And he continues: “Justyn was more than just a fitness expert; he was a beacon inspiration, motivation and unwavering support. His contagious energy and genuine passion for helping others transform their lives touched us deeply.”
“It created a nurturing environment where we felt safe to challenge ourselves, both physically and mentally. His belief in our potential pushed us beyond our limits, allowing us to discover new strength and resilience within ourselves,” he continues.
In his social networks he constantly expressed his love for his family. Photo: Instagram
To conclude, Paradise Bali expresses: “Let us remember him as an extraordinary soul who dedicated his life to improving ours. Let us honor his memory by continuing to embrace the values and lessons he taught us: to fight for our goals, encourage each other, and appreciate the gift of health.”
In many of her posts, Vicky was proud of her passion. He wanted his followers to witness his physical evolution; of his perseverance. He seemed like he needed to spread optimism. “Push harder than yesterday”, “Don’t be lazy, your body is your home to live in” or “Teach your children to be healthy!” were some of the motivational phrases he published.
His last post was the day before he died.. This is a video where he describes the benefits of the ice bath.
a difficult past
In one of his Instagram photos, Justyn shows the before and after of his physique. In 2008 she weighed 50 kilos and in 2023, 82. “It takes time to change”, he states in the publication.
The before and after of the professional. Photo: Instagram
Resilience and perseverance was the key to his success. In 2004 worked as a janitor for a screen-printing business for 0.13 cents (2000 Indonesian rupiah), then he was a worker at a site near Doli, in 2006 he worked as a street musician and later he was even a hairdresser.
“This is an experience of how difficult it is to earn money without asking your parents and this is an unforgettable life experience to date,” the Asian expert wrote at the time.
Vicky in her youth. Photo: Instagram
In addition, on Instagram he always showed how good his relationship was with his children, whom he constantly missed and from whom he received many messages of affection.
Could it have been saved?
Several of the users surprised by the crude images mourned Justyn’s death, especially because they think it could have been easily avoided.
For example, a user named Rick Rockwell opined: “This would have been so easy to avoid. Just crouch inside the rack with the belays in place and a plan if you need to bail out. Hint: always jump forward.”
He was a benchmark for fitness at The Paradise Bali, the gym where he taught. Photo: Instagram
Another person agreed: “Damn, that’s hard to watch… never, ever squat without a rack that has safety bars.”
“Horrible and it was so easy to avoid, but no one (including me) doesn’t believe something like this could happen to them. Damn,” wrote a third user.
