Alessandro Antonicelli, an Italian fitness influencer with nearly 200,000 followers, has died following a two-year fight against cancer. He was 26.
Antonicelli died Dec. 4 from chondroblastic osteosarcoma in his bone marrow, according to an online fundraiser launched by family and friends following his death. Malignant tumors were first discovered in his body in August 2023.
“Today, the world feels a little emptier: Ale has flown away, free from pain, finding the peace he deserved,” read a statement on Antonicelli’s Instagram page. “We know how much you loved and supported him, but now we ask you to protect his family, girlfriend and friends during this painful time.”
Antonicelli first built his social media following while sharing workout videos, techniques and advice. By the time of his death, he had 194,000 followers on Instagram.
But the cancer diagnosis in August 2023 upended Antonicelli’s life. He almost immediately began undergoing chemotherapy treatments, and in December 2023 he had his entire femur, knee and hip joints, and part of his quadriceps muscle surgically removed.
Antonicelli’s cancer was particularly aggressive, and despite the treatment, it metastasized during the summer of 2024, according to his family. He made a trip to Los Angeles and met Arnold Schwarzenegger in March 2025, but his condition worsened over the summer.
During his cancer battle, Antonicelli began raising money for the National Cancer Institute in Milan, selling hats that read, “F–k cancer” and “You’re Not Alone.”
