One of the true pioneers of bodybuilding, Jeff Everson passed away suddenly at the age of 68.

Owner of Planet Muscle Magazine and once the editor-in-chief at Muscle & Fitness, Jeff Everson had a major impact on how bodybuilding is viewed today. A true student of the game who competed competitively in both bodybuilding and powerlifting, Jeff Everson was a pioneer of strength sports and his sudden passing comes as a shock to the bodybuilding world.

Jeff Everson was married to six-time Ms. Olympia champion Cory Everson and in fact was the reason that she competed in professional bodybuilding in the first place. While their marriage may have ended, they remained good friends and supportive of each other. After being diagnosed with blood clots, Cory Everson had this to say in an interview back in 2008 about her late ex-husband:

“When I was in the hospital, he camped out at my side for weeks. He kept telling me to focus on my internal strengths and mentally guide myself to heal. I believed in me mostly because he believed in me. As I recovered, I don’t think anyone was ever as proud of me as Jeff.”

While the cause of death is still uncertain, there have been reports that Everson was complaining of leg and foot pain before his untimely passing.

Ric Drasin, a true legend of bodybuilding in his own right, knew Jeff Everson well and recently made a tribute to the late pioneer. Take a look at the video below to see Ric Drasin pay tribute to Jeff Everson.

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