Rich Piana’s Girlfriend Chanel Jansen Responds To Bodybuilder’s Death

Fitness model Chanel Jansen took to Instagram Friday to mourn the death of her boyfriend, bodybuilding superstar Rich Piana. The social media giant died Friday after being in a medically induced coma for nearly three weeks. His cause of death wasn’t immediately revealed. He was 46 years old.

Jansen promised to never forget Piana. Her post has been shared in full below:

“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.’”

Jansen’s posted was liked hundreds of thousands of times within minutes of being posted online. Her 100,000 fans posted thousands of messages in the comments section where they generally said, “I’m sorry” and “rest in peace.”

Piana passed out in his Florida Aug. 7 home while Jansen was giving him a haircut. She tried to brace his fall but was unable to catch him because of his massive size.

When first responders arrived, they found 20 bottles of steroids in his home. They also found a white powder, straw and credit card. Medics administered two doses of Narcan, which is typically used to treat opiate overdoses, but they were unable to revive him. Piana was rushed to the hospital and placed in a medically induced coma.

Jansen was the only person from Piana’s camp to speak out during his health crisis. The information she shared was brief.

“The only update I'm permitted to give at this time is that he is alive, he is OK, and the excellent medical professionals here as well as myself and his close loved ones are doing all we can to get him back to a full recovery,” Jansen wrote at the time. “Please continue to remain patient and respectful. This is a very stressful time for Rich and everyone around him so please understand if we're quiet. It's with good reason.”

Some people online blamed Piana’s steroid use for his death. Doping was something the bodybuilder was open about.

“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 said in an April 2016 YouTube video. “If you want to become a professional bodybuilder, guess what – you’re probably going to have to f---in’ do 'em. You’re not going to have a choice.”

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