Dave Draper death: Arnold Schwarzenegger leads tributes as legendary bodybuilder passes away at 79

Popular bodybuilder Dave Draper recently passed away on November 30 at the age of 79. The news was confirmed by his wife, Laree Draper, who shared it on Facebook on the same day.

Laree Draper said that her husband died peacefully, although the cause of death is yet to be revealed. She wrote in her Facebook post that Dave Draper died early in the morning, and she was with him. The doctor informed her that it was a good death which she considered calm and peaceful.

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed his grief over the death of Draper. Schwarzenegger said that Draper was an inspiration to many people around the world, including him, and was one of his idols. The Predator star said that he kept Draper’s photo on the wall above his bed for motivation.

Reports say that Schwarzenegger and Draper trained together at Gold’s Gym alongside other bodybuilders like Mike Katz, Frank Zane, and Franco Columbu.

About Dave Draper in brief

Born on April 16, 1942, Draper started weight training when he was ten and got habituated to it when he turned 12. He participated in activities like wrestling, swimming, and gymnastics while attending high school.

Draper achieved a lot throughout his bodybuilding career. He first won the title of Mr. New Jersey at the age of 21. Draper took his training at a gym known as The Dungeon and then at the Gold’s Gym.

The bodybuilder also spoke openly about using steroids, saying that he was 235 pounds before steroids came, and he used them under the doctor’s supervision.

Draper also made several television appearances. He played himself in an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies in 1967 and appeared in a movie, Don’t Make Waves the same year. Draper then appeared in an episode of The Monkees in 1967 and Here Come the Brides in 1969.

Twitter users react to the death of Dave Draper

Dave Draper’s death was confirmed by his wife on Facebook, which shocked his fans and followers. The public paid tribute on Twitter as soon as the news broke:

Detailed information regarding his death is yet to be revealed, and an official statement is yet to be issued by his family.

About the author

Anupal is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda with a degree in Political Science. He developed a keen interest in the lives of celebrities, films, TV shows, and box office collections since an early age. After accumulating significant experience as a content writer across varied fields at companies such as The Indian Wire, DigiStatement, and QuirkyByte Media, he eventually settled on writing about his favorite genre - pop culture.

Anupal believes in conducting in-depth research while writing about any topic and relies on varied sources to ensure he produces holistic articles. He also often glances through content that was published in the 80s and 90s to gain a better understanding of the subject he is covering.

Anupal admires Robert Downey Jr., who played one of his favorite Marvel superheroes, Iron Man. He is inspired by the actor's resilience and the determination in overcoming past struggles to building a successful Hollywood career and admires the way he articulates his thoughts while speaking in interviews.

If Anupal could travel back in time, he would love to experience James Cameron's 2009 film 'Avatar' in a theatre full of fans. When he's not busy working, he binges on the latest OTT titles across languages.

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