Celebrity bodybuilder dies after losing pet cat as ‘heartbroken’ mum breaks silence

Ricardo Nolasco dos Santos, better known online as Kadu Santos, died last week after suffering a stroke following the death of his beloved pet cat, his mother has revealed

A Brazilian bodybuilder with a massive online following has died of a stroke after his cat passed away, his mum has revealed.

Ricardo Nolasco dos Santos, 31, died last week in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The bodybuilder – better known by Kadu Santos – was an 11-times bodybuilding champion, and won the prestigious regional Muscle Contest competition twice.

The strongman was known for his bulging biceps and punishing gym routines, often showing off his prime physique to a dedicated following of 13,000 on Instagram where he would regularly offer advice on how to get ripped.

Santos’ grieving mother, Iva Nolasco, said the stroke he suffered led to a lung infection, which were exacerbated by a congenital defect. In July Santos proposed to his girlfriend Sabrina Wollman, who he had begun dating in August 2021.

Sabrina broke her silence following Santos’ death on Sunday to say: “If I had known that our end in this life would be this, I would do it all over again because these were the best four years of my life and I know they were yours too.”

Sabrina also mentioned her partner’s pet cat Baki, who Santos’ mum referenced as she explained the factors behind his death, saying: “Today I understand our Baki departed because there’s no way a world can exist where you two aren’t together.

The brunette girlfriend ended her message by saying: “We’ll see each other in the next life, my love.”

She had previously given details of her lover’s health, after he was taken into hospital on October 4. She said: “His blood pressure rose and he decided to go out for dinner with his partner and friends to try to relax a bit.

“He complained of a headache, started having seizures and then suffered the stroke. In hospital he was diagnosed with a brain lesion where the haemorrhage had occurred.”

Iva who is herself a regular gym user, added: “He was born with a bicuspid heart valve instead of a tricuspid one. With the effort for the lungs, the heart became insufficient.”

Santos’ death was met with an outpouring of grief from figures in the fitness industry, including friend and fellow bodybuilder Diego Wiegand, who said: “Today, heaven is certainly celebrating. [Santos] was a person who was completely out of the ordinary, incredible as an athlete, coach, and even more so as a person.

“It is with great sadness that I say goodbye to you today. It is very difficult to accept, and I still haven’t come to terms with it, but you have left a legacy here on earth and will always be remembered by everyone for the man you were! I love you, brother.”