British bodybuilder Luke Sandoe died unexpectedly and tragically earlier this year, passing away after complications related to heart failure.
Although Luke’s time on the stage has sadly come to a close, his family and loved ones are determined to carry on with his legacy. Luke Sandoe’s mother has started up a donation pool in Luke’s memory and is raising money to create a picture book for his children and will donate the rest to Cardiac Pathology Unit. The money is being raised through a company called Much Loved, which is a kind of British version of GoFundMe. You can read her statement in full below.
If you’re interested in donating to the charity, you can do so here. There is also a separate GoFundMe page that has been set up to support his children. Sandoe leaves behind a son and a daughter, both in their teens. His eldest, Louise, was born when he was just fifteen years old. His death stirred up some controversy in the bodybuilding world as it was erroneously reported that he had taken his own life. That rumor circulated online for weeks and caused a great amount of distress to his family. It was not until after an official coroner’s report was released that his family was able to make a statement to the public asking for privacy and providing fans with closure relating to the cause of Sandoe’s death.
Sadly, heart problems are all too common in the bodybuilding industry due to the widespread use of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. Those who are taking these drugs to compete at the highest levels of the sport often suffer from serious cardiac events and organ failure. However, it’s not known what the cause of Sandoe’s heart failure was, and heart attacks can happen to anyone. Undiagnosed heart conditions are extremely common; researchers estimate that between 3.5 and 4 million people in America alone are suffering from a heart condition they don’t know about. With medical problems like these, it’s often difficult to identify the source of the pain until it’s too late. Our thoughts and prayers are with Luke Sandoe’s family during this difficult time.
