A tragic accident.

Bodybuilding certainly isn’t the simplest of tasks. While the world at large want to look at the endeavor as simply an exercise in how much an individual can heft over their heads, it’s an activity that requires a tremendous amount of dedication and skill. Weightlifting shouldn’t be something that is taken lightly as it can be overwhelmingly dangerous. Sometimes accidents are unavoidable, but even though that may be an inherent truth of life it’s still truly heart wrenching when something unfortunate happens in the gym.

In the case of Kyle Thomson, it’s a case of a young man gone too soon.

An Iowa State University student, Kyle Thomson, 22, was bench pressing in the gym on Monday, December 26, 2016. Training at Elite Edge Transformation Center, Thomson had 315 lbs on the barbell when he attempted the lift that would tragically take his life. Some time during the lift it would appear that Thomson lost control as the barbell fell on his neck. Even with a spotter, the bar was able to slip from the young lifters hands.

Thomson was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Physical education teacher and football coach Greg Schoon went into detail as to what kind of young man Thomson was in life.

“He was kind of a quiet guy when he was around adults, but around the kids, he’d say stuff. He had pretty good timing on cracking jokes,” said Schoon. “He always had a big ol’ smile on his face, and you knew the wheels were spinning.”

Schoon went on further to explain Thomson’s passion for weightlifting.

“He enjoyed weightlifting,” Schoon said. “It was kind of one of his hobbies. He was transforming his body, getting into really good shape, trying to meet requirements to join the police force when he got out of Iowa State.”

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Source: USA Today