At just 44 years old, professional bodybuilder Cedric McMillan died after suffering from heart problems. The news of his death was confirmed on Tuesday by his sponsor, Black Skull USA, after months of health problems.
Although the cause of death has not yet been confirmed, different sources told Generation Iron that he would have died of a heart attack while training on a treadmill.
Cedric McMillan was born in Maplewood, New Jersey in 1977, where he grew up idolizing Arnold Schwartzenegger. Noting his particular interest, his mother bought him his first set of weights.
He later enlisted in the United States Army after finishing high school and moved to South Carolina, where he became a staff sergeant and instructor at Fort Jackson.
In dialogue with Fitness Volt he had said: “I think the army is part of who I am. I think the army is what made me the man I am. I think being able to get to where I am while maintaining my military career is something I'm also a little proud of.”
He won his first bodybuilding competition in 2011 at the Orlando Show of Champions. A year later, he won the bodybuilding competition for the New York Pro 2012.
McMillan is considered one of the best bodybuilders in the world, which earned him the nickname “The One”.
The bodybuilder spoke about a near-death experience in December 2021, saying that he had been experiencing breathing problems after having Covid-19 that led to him being hospitalized for pneumonia and receiving life support. “I almost died,” he said.
In a video posted on February 28, 2022 on his networks, he documented the stomach problems he was suffering from: “I can't keep food inside for some reason. It makes me a stupid hiccup, I hiccup all day and half the night and every time I eat, or even drink water. Come back up, nothing wants to stay inside. Four weeks ago I went to the doctor again and they recommended that I do not do the Arnold Classic.”
McMillan won the Arnold Classic in 2017. He is widely remembered for his entertaining victory speech and for having Arnold Schwarzenegger himself pose with him.
“Because of course I'm being stubborn,” he continued, saying his reasoning, contraindicated by his doctors: “I think if I eat this food and vomit half at least half as much. I'm still an idiot. So I'm on a liquid diet. I only drink soup and smoothies to gain weight. I can still take them to try to offset the calories. My bathroom is full of remedies that I take.”
He said he spent three weeks in the hospital and lost about 13 kilos. He spent the next month “ignoring the doctor's advice” and trying to regain the weight he had lost. However, the situation did not improve and he decided to listen to health professionals and not participate in the competition.
In a call to action for other bodybuilders, McMillan expressed the importance of spending a little less time in the gym and instead dedicating his time to the people he loves.
“We give a lot of ourselves, to the gym, to preparation and to work. Give yourself to your family and the people who love you while you still have a chance,” he said.
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