Novo Hamburgo, Brazil – The bodybuilding world is reeling from the untimely death of Ricardo Nolasco dos Santos, widely known as Kadu Santos, a 31-year-old Brazilian powerhouse whose sculpted physique and unyielding discipline made him a beacon for fitness enthusiasts across the country. Santos passed away on October 20, 2025, in his hometown of Novo Hamburgo, in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, leaving behind a stunned community of fans, fellow athletes, and family members. The cause of his death has not been publicly disclosed, but the news, confirmed by his grieving parents on social media, has sparked an outpouring of tributes and reflections on the fragility of life in a sport that demands extreme physical tolls.
Santos was no ordinary competitor; he was an 11-time national bodybuilding champion and a two-time overall winner of the prestigious Muscle Contest regional competition, one of the most revered events in the Brazilian bodybuilding circuit. Hailing from Novo Hamburgo, a bustling suburb near Porto Alegre, he turned his passion for iron into a profession, working as a personal trainer at PowerCT, a local gym where he not only coached clients but also embodied the ethos of perseverance. His Instagram account, boasting over 13,000 followers, was a digital shrine to his lifestyle—grueling workout montages, meticulous meal prep videos, and motivational captions that urged followers to "push beyond the burn." Posts often featured his signature routines: heavy deadlifts, cable crossovers for that chiseled chest, and high-intensity interval training sessions that left viewers both inspired and exhausted.
What set Santos apart was not just his stage-ready aesthetics—broad shoulders tapering to a razor-sharp V-taper, veins popping like rivers over boulder-like muscles—but his genuine warmth off the platform. He was a coach who tailored programs for beginners and pros alike, offering online consultations that blended science-backed nutrition with mental resilience tips. "Discipline isn't a choice; it's the forge that shapes you," he once captioned a video of himself grinding through a superset of squats and presses, sweat-drenched under the gym lights. His influence extended beyond the weights; as part of the Team Deus Hera, a specialized bodybuilding and supplementation advisory group, Santos mentored young athletes, emphasizing sustainable progress over quick fixes.
In a poignant twist, Santos's final Instagram post, shared just days before his death, was a heartfelt tribute to his beloved cat, Baki, who had passed away after four years as his loyal companion. "You were more than a pet; you were family," he wrote, accompanied by photos of the feline curled up amid his protein shakes and resistance bands. Little did he know, the comments section would soon flood with condolences for him, as friends and fans pivoted from pet loss to athlete's legacy. One follower lamented, "From mourning your cat to this—life is cruel. Rest easy, Kadu. Your routines got me through my darkest days."
Santos's personal life added layers of humanity to his Herculean image. Since August 2021, he had been in a devoted relationship with Sabrina Wollman, a fellow personal trainer whose expertise in functional fitness complemented his competitive edge. Their bond, forged in the sweat of shared gym sessions, blossomed into a public romance filled with couple's workout challenges and scenic date-night hikes. In July 2025, just months before his passing, Santos dropped to one knee on stage during a Muscle Contest event, proposing to Wollman amid flashing lights and cheering crowds. The moment, captured in a viral Instagram reel, showed him slipping a simple gold band onto her finger as she tearfully nodded yes. Wollman later posted her elation: "I love you with all my heart. I admire you and I’m very proud of what we have become together throughout these years… I choose you every day to share this mad life with you." The pair dreamed of a future blending family with fitness empire-building, often teasing plans for a joint training app.
The outpouring of grief began almost immediately after his parents' announcements. His father, Amauri Santos, posted a raw, photo-laden update: "The saddest day of my life. My beloved son." His mother echoed the sentiment, her words a gut punch to followers: "O dia mais triste da minha vida. Meu filho amado." The funeral, held on October 21 in Novo Hamburgo, drew hundreds to an emotional wake at a local chapel, where floral tributes formed a sea of white lilies around his closed casket. Fellow bodybuilder Diego Wiegand, a longtime rival-turned-friend, delivered a tearful eulogy: "Today, heaven is certainly celebrating. Kadu was completely out of the ordinary—incredible as an athlete, coach, and even more so as a person. It’s very difficult to accept, but you’ve left a legacy and will always be remembered. I love you, brother." PowerCT, his training hub, issued a collective statement: "Kadu was always an example of dedication, discipline, and companionship, leaving a mark of inspiration among colleagues, teachers, and friends." Fans flooded social media, one writing, "Rest in peace, champion. Many people took inspiration from you," while another shared, "Your birthday post last month had me hitting the gym harder—who am I to say this, but yours was one of the most aesthetically pleasing physiques ever."
Wollman, though silent on a formal statement, shared funeral logistics on her Instagram stories, including a candlelit vigil photo captioned simply with a broken heart emoji. Her restraint speaks volumes amid the chaos, as she navigates loss in the public eye.
This tragedy echoes a darker pattern in Brazilian bodybuilding. Just five months earlier, in May 2025, 30-year-old Wanderson Da Silva Moreira collapsed mid-performance at the Pantanal Bodybuilding Championship in Campo Grande, succumbing to a suspected heart attack despite paramedics' hour-long efforts. A devoted father of two with a history of high blood pressure, Moreira had pushed through pre-event malaise to honor his wife, posting hours before: "Today I came without you, but I will do my best to take one more home." His coach mourned him as "a man with a huge heart," while the incident prompted whispers of steroid risks and overtraining—issues Moreira's friend denied were factors, citing only his hypertension. Weeks prior, another 30-year-old, Guilherme Henrique ("Gui Bull"), died suddenly in Paraná, his cause listed as asphyxiation unrelated to speculation. These losses, including Santos's, fuel debates: A 2020 study noted that 38% of 121 bodybuilder deaths from 2005-2020 involved sudden cardiac events, often linked to intense regimens rather than inherent sport dangers. Yet, experts like Dr. Maria Oliveira, a sports cardiologist in São Paulo, caution against blanket blame, stressing regular screenings: "These athletes live on the edge of human limits; monitoring is key, not stigma."
As the dust settles in Novo Hamburgo, Santos's legacy endures—not in trophies gathering dust, but in the lives he reshaped. Gyms across Rio Grande do Sul hosted informal "Kadu Challenges" this week, where novices mimicked his routines in solidarity. One participant, a 25-year-old accountant from Porto Alegre, told local reporters, "He made me believe I could sculpt my own strength. That's immortality." Wollman, in a subtle nod, reposted a clip of their proposal, overlaying it with his favorite mantra: "Choose discipline daily." For a community forged in fire, Santos's flame burns on, a reminder that even titans fall, but their echoes inspire the rise.
