Bodybuilding athlete Jodi Vance passed away last week after her heart stopped due to severe dehydration while attending the Arnold Sports Festival in Ohio, according to a statement from her family.
Her coach later added that the 20-year-old was taking hazardous substances before her death, while the coroner's office has yet to release an official cause of death.
A Texas native, Vance recently placed third in the Women's Physique division of the 2024 NPC Battle of Texas.
In a statement shared on Vance's Instagram account, her family revealed what they thought caused her death.
"Her heart stopped due to complications of severe dehydration. Despite all efforts by the hospital, they were unable to revive her," the post read. The family described Vance as "a beautiful person inside and out" who will be deeply missed.
The post amassed over 1,000 comments, the majority offering condolences to those affected by the loss.
Coach Says Hazardous Substances Used
A day after the family's announcement, Vance's coach, Justin Mihaly, posted a video on his Instagram account with the consent of Vance's mother, Jenny, that addressed the situation.The video included claims that Vance had been using two potentially harmful supplements.
"Jodi made a serious error," Mihaly stated in the video. "Jodi used two extremely hazardous substances to improve her physique ... without my knowledge, my approval, without family's knowledge, their approval … There is no reason that she should have been dehydrating."
Mihaly mentioned that Vance had no upcoming bodybuilding competitions scheduled for months, speculating why the young athlete would have taken any potentially dangerous substances.
He acknowledged the collective grief within the bodybuilding community and offered to shoulder blame if it helped. “You are welcome to direct your blame towards me if that’s how you believe we can best honor Jodi,” he said.
Vance's family has requested privacy to process their grief and left a simple reminder: "If anyone takes anything from this, please put your health first."
The Franklin County Corner’s Office has yet to disclose the cause of her death, the Columbus Dispatch reported.