Rich Piana's Ex-Wife Sara Thanks Chanel Jansen After Bodybuilder's Death

Rich Piana's ex-wife Sara took to her Instagram account Friday to announce the celebrity bodybuilder's death, nearly three weeks after he was placed in a medically induced coma.

Piana's cause of death wasn’t immediately revealed.

In her message, Sara also thanked Piana's girlfriend Chanel Jansen for supporting and being next to the 46-year-old during his illness.​

"I am so saddened & heartbroken that he didn't make it. I just want to say THANK YOU Rich for teaching me so much about life, whether it was the easy or the hard way. We had our ups and downs but we sure had an awesome time in each other's presence along with us fighting through some dark times together," she captioned a photo of her with Piana. "You truly touched many people's heart and helped so many!!! It inspired me in many ways to see the huge impact you had on people all over the world. Not many people know that me and him are STILL legally married till this day despite all rumors. I have NOTHING to gain by saying that but want everyone to know the truth."

She also defended herself saying she was "not the 'bad' person" as people assumed, and recalled saving the superstar's life once. ​

Jansen, a fitness model, had been updating Piana's fans about his health status after he was hospitalized earlier this month. On Friday, she expressed her sadness in an Instagram post.

I will always remember how much I love holding his hand

I will always remember how I felt so loved when he would wake up and kiss me on the forehead

I will always remember how I had it great with the love of my life I will always remember I was loved by the most amazing man I've ever known

I will always remember there's a hole in my heart where he will always belong

I will always remember that someday when it's my time-he will fill that space inside me and I'll be whole again

We just finished watching the Notebook yesterday and I said 'That's how it was supposed to be. We were supposed to go together. So when it's my time someday-come find me and take me where we're supposed to go because I don't want to go anywhere without you'

Piana was hospitalized Aug. 7 after he collapsed and hit his head in the bathroom of his Florida home, following which he was put in a medically induced coma. When first responders arrived at his residence, they found 20 bottles of steroids, some white powder, straws and credit card.

Piana had been open about his steroid use, despite saying that its usage “can kill you.”

“If you have the choice to stay natural or do steroids, stay natural. There’s no reason to do steroids, you’re only hurting your body, you’re hurting yourself,” he explained in an April 2016 YouTube video. “If you want to become a professional bodybuilder, guess what – you’re probably going to have to f——’ do ‘em. You’re not going to have a choice.”