Pro Bodybuilder David Dearth Dies

David Dearth always lived life on the edge and did things his way. After turning pro in 1989 at the NPC Nationals, David went on to compete in pro shows with the IFBB and had a brief stint with Vince McMahon’s WBF federation back in 1991. While at the WBF, McMahon’s creative team got to know David and created a character for him called “The Rock’N’ Roll Wild Child” a very fitting name for him given his lifestyle on and off stage. David portrayed a ‘bad ass’ Rockstar with muscle very well in the skits the WBF aired and became a fan favourite, especially with the ladies! David placed 5that the 1992 WBF Championships in Long Beach, California but made a ton of money in a very short period of time. He returned to the IFBB two years later and stood on stage at the 1994 Olympia. Although he did not place, many felt this was his best condition to date. David’s last show took place on Canadian soil at the 2001 Toronto Pro show.

Brutal Honesty Made David Famous Again 

After retiring from competitive bodybuilding, we never heard much from David. But in 2014, he landed in the hospital and started posting for his bed on the Bodybuilding.com forum to tell the world what he was going through. This thread changed the game and put David front and center with a whole new legion of fans. Here’s an excerpt from this thread: 

Mornin y'all
How's my 2014 you ask? Well so far my income is cut in half, I lost my brother, I broke my elbow so figured at least I'd train legs and naturally tore my ACL and quad. Been on the couch since Wednesday unable to walk waiting to get my surgery date tomorrow. I could share about how ****ed up things are right now but it wouldn't change a damn thing…This will be my 29th surgery during my career. 11 just on my knees. I took the whole "go hard or go home" thing to the extreme. I love to train and I love to train as hard as humanly possible. My whole life all I've heard is "someday you're going to have to pay big consequences for the insane way you're living your life"They were right! These past 4 years have been the most difficult years of my life. So many surgeries, going from a no worries income to a check to check income, being trapped in the state of Ohio where not only is the state shit but every time I spit there's a cop waiting to cuff me and put me in jail. So far I've been able for the most part make the best of things. This January has been so devastating to my mind body and soul that I can't even share the thoughts that have been going through my mind. January torn rotator cuff, broken elbow…This was followed with my youngest brother taking his own life and my poor old mom found him strangled in medical cords that were attached to his bed. She has a broken heart that I hate hate hate to see her sadness. My whole family is devastated. Then while doing my second set of warm ups on the leg press (700-800 lbs) when I felt the all too familiar pop and the knee completely gave out and the weights slammed down to my chest. 

David Dearth Was An Open Book 

David’s brutal honesty about his recreational drug use, steroid use/abuse, run ins with the cops, sexual conquests, bar fights, family deaths, training injuries, medical problems and job loses made him a fan favourite amongst the bodybuilding fans who grew up in his era and newbies who’d never heard of him before! People charged screen shots from his posts on other forums which made David even more famous. Despite so many tragedies, he had a funny sense of humour about the situations he landed himself in, never blamed anyone else and always seemed to be positive about the day. He later took his posts to his facebook profile which is where he documented many ups and downs for years to come. 

David Dearth Dies At Age 56 

While living in West Virginia, David really got into working with racehorses. This past July, he had an accident with a horse which resulted in tearing one of his biceps and his rotator cuff. Doctors didn’t go in immediately to repair the injury (for reasons we don’t understand) but a few weeks later had surgery on his arm. Unfortunately, a complication arose and he developed two abscesses from the surgery. Abscesses are body infections that can be very dangerous if they spread throughout your body. Within 4 days, doctors put David through a second surgery and things went downhill quickly. That night (Monday, August 5th), David died of heart failure! His friend Jeff Petee posted this update which shocked the bodybuilding world: 

Good morning all.

It is with a heavy heart that I announce my friend, IFBB Pro David Dearth, passed away Monday night Aug 5th after suffering a heart attack while in the hospital. David was a larger than life character who lived his live to the fullest each and every day of his life, with very few regrets. Rather than mourn his passing, I'm quite sure David would want you to celebrate his life, like he celebrated every day of his life.