The life of a bodybuilder consists of countless challenges and troubles. Even though it is never mandatory to be on steroids in bodybuilding, the standards of professional bodybuilding are such that an athlete who is not enhanced stands almost no chance against the mass monsters on a competitive stage. To make things worse, an addiction to recreational drugs can ruin a person’s life. The life of renowned fitness and bodybuilding expert Denise Rutkowski was full of challenges and trauma. She faced multiple ordeals in her adult life due to her battles with bipolar disorder and alleged drug addiction.

As an Instagram page recently took a look back at her life story, many from the bodybuilding community expressed their views on this.

The unfortunate life story of Denise Rutkowski

After finishing as runner-up at the 1993 Ms. Olympia, it was believed that Rutkowski would be the next big thing in the sport. However, she soon disappeared from the sport and traveled the world, spreading the word about her religion and the almighty. Despite making a short comeback in the bodybuilding industry in 2001, she again went into exile. Years later, she was arrested in 2012 and again in 2013 for evading arrest.

She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is even speculated to be addicted to psychedelic drugs. She was found with short brown hair, a patchy beard, and a mustache. An Instagram page that posts content related to the golden era of bodybuilding took a look back at her life story via a recent post.

Watch This Story: From Ronnie Coleman to Jay Cutler: Bodybuilding Legends Show Up at Arnold Classic 2022 in Absence of Arnold Schwarzenegger

Upon coming across the post, many from the bodybuilding community expressed their views on the same. While many felt heartbroken after taking a look at her life story, others admitted knowing her and gave insights into her life.

Netizens react to Denise Rutkowski’s story

One of the users pointed towards her battles with mental health and bipolar disorder and commented, “Her bad choice was having bipolar depression. Unfortunately, mental illness is not a personal choice.” A user also admitted, “Such a shame tremendous athlete terrible to see this,” while another fan expressed his grief over the matter by writing, “Very sad heartbreaking.”

Taking a look back in time, one of the people admitted in the comments section, “I got to train legs with Denise @goldsgymvenice1 in the 90s. Her physique was next-gen for sure and a threat to Lenda Murray. This is tough to read. So much promise.” Showing empathy toward the bodybuilding legend, another comment read, “I actually do know her and she was dealing with things that had nothing to do nothing to do with Bodybuilding.”

Read More: Learn About Chris Bumstead’s Autoimmune Disorder, a Not-So-Rare Condition That 25 Million Americans Suffer From Including Phil Heath’s Wife

While Rutkowski’s story is extremely sad, we wish that she is doing better now. What are your views on this? Let us know in the comments.