Bodybuilder and popular Australian fitness influencer Jaxon Tippet has died of a suspected heart attack just days after his 30th birthday while in Turkey.
The podcaster and single father-of-one from the Gold Coast died on Sunday, his family have confirmed.
‘From what we have been told, Jax passed away due to a heart attack while in Turkey,’ a post uploaded to his Instagram stories read.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by a family member to help bring Mr Tippet’s body home, which has already raised more than $32,000.
‘It comes with such heartbreak and heavy hearts that our beloved Jaxon has tragically passed away while on a holiday to Turkey,’ the page read.
‘There really are no words to describe this sort of pain, and we know a lot of people will be feeling this heartbreak with us as he was loved by so many.
‘Jaxon would help anybody and everybody around him and now I hope we can get around share and mark to help assist in any way we can, starting with raising the funds to bring our son, brother, uncle and friend home and assist with funeral expenses.’
Mr Tippet described himself to his 224,000 Instagram followers as a model, podcaster and coach.
Bodybuilder and popular fitness influencer Jaxon Tippet died of a suspected heart attack
On a 2022 podcast, he spoke openly about ‘the hell’ of his previous steroid addiction and turning to Christianity turned his life around.
He narrowly escaped jail time after he was busted with steroids in his pants and a syringe in his underwear during a police search on the Gold Coast in 2018.
‘I lost a girlfriend, I nearly lost my family from it and I nearly went to jail as I got caught with my own personal use of steroids,’ he said.
‘I didn’t go to jail and the reason is, I truly believe God was looking over me. He saw some potential in me and he saw a greater person in me.
‘That was my sign that I am meant to do something with my life; not just be in jail, not just be this steroid addict.
‘Once I knew that the third one could have come with a jail penalty and not only that, just how it was affecting my mum and dad – like, they’re in tears – I just hit rock bottom.
‘I was like, f*** this, this is not me, and I just spiralled out it.’
On podcasts and social media Mr Tippet talked about how he almost went to jail while being addicted to steroids
On a recent Instagram post before his death, Mr Tippet shared a photo of himself getting a tattoo declaring ‘Jesus is king’ across the shoulders of his already heavily ink covered torso.
‘Six years ago I was in the worst state of my life, I had no job no vision or purpose in life,’ Mr Tippet wrote.
‘I was homeless at one stage, my health was on the edge of ending due to health reasons from drug addiction, I was facing jail time, and was heavily suffering suicidal thoughts daily while trying to attempt suicide 3 times.
‘What saved me – Jesus. I prayed with my family on the exact day I walked into my last court case and walked out a free man, since then I have never looked back.
‘It’s been one hell of a journey but I wouldn’t change it for anything. As the saying goes sometimes you have to hit an all time low to hit an all time high.’
Mr Tippet also shared a chilling birthday post on October 31, listing 30 life lessons now that he had reached the milestone.
‘Growing old is better than the alternative: dying young,’ he said.
‘All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.’
A GoFundMe page is raising funds to help get the father-of one’s body home to Queensland
Mr Tippet’s death has sparked an outpouring of tributes.
‘We had huge plans for the future, brother,’ fitness and nutrition coach Rudi Garcia posted online.
‘We were ready to take over.’
Pro-bodybuilder Adam Roch recalled his final conversation with Mr Tippet recently.
‘Gone too soon, too young,’ he posted.
‘Rest in paradise, brother.’