Faith Nyasuguta
Popular social media fitness and bodybuilding influencer Jo Lindner, also known as Joesthetics, died on Saturday after suffering from a sudden aneurysm.
Lindner’s girlfriend, Nicha, announced his death through social media, stating that the YouTube star died after complaining of neck pain.
“He was in my arms … then this just happened too fast …” she wrote on Instagram. She said he had complained of neck pain three days prior. “We did not really realise it … until it was too late,” she wrote.
She also asked fans to “please remember him as Joesthetics”.
Lindner had been living in Thailand for the last few years of his life, from where he shared videos with his 8.7 million Instagram followers and 940,000 YouTube subscribers, which detailed his lifestyle, diet, workout tips, training routines and shoe collection.
Linder was liked for his charisma, sense of humour and down-to-earth, candid approach when interacting with his followers. His death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from his fans and many in the fitness industry.
“Rest in peace Jo. I still keep checking my phone waiting for your reply so we can meet at the gym,” fitness influencer Noel Deyzel posted on Instagram.
“I’m broken, bro. You opened your arms up to us, you showed us so much about life and social media. Your generosity towards myself and others will always stay with me.”
In Lindner’s last post, he told his followers about his new fitness goals, having taken a year off from bodybuilding.
“I lost my gains because I went off everything for one year but then could not recover my own test[osterone], levels so went back on [testosterone replacement therapy],” he wrote.
“Overall, this post should show that even as a natural you can look amazing and you just need to get in shape!”
Comments under his last post are filled with tributes from fans.
“This feels incredibly unreal. May you find eternal peace and strength, Joe. Your legacy will always be remembered, and your memory will live on in the hearts and minds of the millions you inspired,” one follower wrote.
“Just woke up and saw this news, he is a sweet and loyal person,” wrote another. “My deep condolences for Joe’s family. I’m still in shock and getting emotional.”
Linden was a trained technical draughtsman and previously worked in a microchip company when he started posting fitness videos on Instagram nearly six years ago.
His first post to go viral was a short video in which he showed off his “Alien Gains” – a type of muscle spasm or flex caused when stretching the chest and bicep area. It is a rare type of cramp, which has been linked to something known as rippling muscle disease.
The condition causes muscles to be unusually sensitive to movement or pressure. Three weeks ago, on fitness influencer Bradley Martin’s podcast Raw Talk, Linder said he was concerned about the implications of the condition.
“Let’s be honest, the heart is also a muscle and that’s my biggest concern. What if I get such a bad cramp that my heart gets a cramp?” he said.
“That makes me scared, that’s why I’m also staying away from bodybuilding competitions.”
Linder’s family have yet to announce details of his funeral.
