More information has emerged regarding the tragic passing of 20-year-old bodybuilder Jodi Vance. TMZ Sports has obtained the 911 audio from a call made by Vance’s wife while they were in their hotel room in Columbus, Ohio, during the Arnold Sports Festival. In the call, she informed Columbus Police that Vance had “passed out in bed” and mentioned that she had been “throwing up all morning” before losing consciousness. “She won’t wake up and won’t respond to us,” the wife told the 911 operator. Although help was on the way, Vance ultimately succumbed to a heart attack caused by severe dehydration, as confirmed by her family.
Vance’s family announced her death through her fitness Instagram account. The post stated, “Her heart stopped due to complications of severe dehydration. Despite all efforts by the hospital, they were unable to revive her. She was a beautiful person inside and out, and she will be missed every single day. This was sudden and unexpected. Please give her family time to process this loss in peace. If anyone takes anything from this, please put your health first.”
Justin Mihaly, Vance’s coach, claimed in an Instagram video that he understood the cause of her severe dehydration, attributing it to “extremely hazardous substances.” He stated, “Jodi made a serious error. Jodi used two extremely hazardous substances to improve her physique — I assume just for the Arnold Expo — without my knowledge, my approval, or her family’s knowledge and approval. There is no reason that she should have been dehydrating.” Mihaly mentioned that he had permission from Vance’s mother, Jenny, to share the video explaining his perspective on the circumstances leading to the severe dehydration. “You are welcome to direct your blame towards me if that’s how you believe we can best honor Jodi,” he added.
Recently, Vance achieved third place in the 2024 NPC Battle of Texas in the women’s physique division. She utilized her fitness page to showcase her physical progress and share motivational quotes with her followers.