Fitness influencer Dmitriy Stuzhuk, 33, denied the pandemic and, like so many, believed in a conspiracy. Until he fell ill himself – and now died of the virus.
Whether it's fears, conflicts, debts or problems – if we deny something that is actually there, sooner or later it will likely catch up with us in some way and then often hit us all the harder. With the death of the Ukrainian fitness influencer Dmitriy Stuzhuk, we have another tragic example of this rule: The 33-year-old did not believe in Corona until he contracted the virus himself a few days ago. Now he has died as a result of his infection – and leaves behind three small children.
Initially only mild symptoms
Dmitriy was in top shape and inspired his one million followers on Instagram with his conscious lifestyle. Sport, healthy eating – his muscular body speaks for itself. How he also repeatedly showed himself to be the loving dad of three small children, made the 33-year-old look very personable. His attitude towards the pandemic alone should have appeared strange to many: He did not believe in Corona, publicly stated that the virus "does not exist". But then he fell ill himself while on vacation in Turkey.
At first he woke up with a swollen throat, slight stomach pain and difficulty breathing, reported Dmitriy on Instagram, and a day later came a cough. "At first I didn't have any particular symptoms, so I thought it could be consequences of exercise, climate change, unfamiliar eating or sleeping under the air conditioning," said the influencer.
"Covid-19 is not a short-term illness"
Back in Ukraine, however, a test provided the certainty: Dmitriy had contracted Corona. And his symptoms got worse. Shortly after the test result, the fitness professional had to be taken to a hospital, from where he posted this picture of himself with an oxygen mask:
"I would like to give everyone an urgent warning: I also thought that there was no Covid – until I got sick myself. Covid-19 is not a short-term illness! And it is severe," writes Dmitriy in Cyrillic under the headline: "Coronavirus 'Covid', day 8". What the 33-year-old didn't know at the time: That this would be his last post.
After he felt better for a short time thanks to the inpatient treatment, the influencer left the clinic at his own request, but had to be admitted again only a few hours later because his condition deteriorated rapidly. According to media reports, the virus caused heart problems in Dmitriy, which apparently led to heart failure. "Dima is no longer with us. His heart couldn't take it," announced his ex-wife Sofia on Instagram last Friday.
For Dmitriy, the realization that Corona does exist and is dangerous came too late. But maybe at least his story can help one or the other denier to wake up and take the virus more seriously from now on – and take appropriate measures to protect themselves and others from it.
Sources used: Mirror, Bild, Instagram