Fitness Influencer Alessandro Antonicelli Dead at 26 After 2-Year Cancer Battle

Fitness influencer Alessandro Antonicelli has died at age 26 after a battle with cancer.

"Today, the world feels a little emptier: Ale has flown away, free from pain, finding the peace he deserved," read a tribute shared via his Instagram on Saturday, December 6, translated to English. "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."

The statement continued, "We will carry on his F*** Cancer project with the same determination he taught us: it's what he would have wanted, and it's the truest way to keep him alive."

Antonicelli's followers and loved ones paid their condolences in the comments section of the post.

"May you shine from where you are now, and give strength and courage to your loved ones 🙏❤️," one user wrote, while another added, "Not gonna say goodbye bro. I'm telling you that we'll see each other further: in every training, in every new dream, in every person who will lead your example. Ti amo ❤️ 🩹."

Antonicelli, who amassed more than 193,000 followers on Instagram, rose to fame online sharing content of his workouts while also being candid about his cancer battle. He revealed in 2023 that he was diagnosed with chondroblastic osteosarcoma.

"Today starts a new journey for me," he wrote via Instagram at the time, translated to English. "Among various commitments, this year I supported several medical visits and the knee pain and the chronic fatigue, which I was experiencing for over a year, as I suspected, had nothing to do with my workouts."

He continued, "I wish it were ligaments or meniscus. But unfortunately it wasn't like that. I have been diagnosed with chondroblastic osteosarcoma, a very rare form of malignant bone cancer. A type of cancer that affects only 0.2 percent, 2 cases per million people. Life is what happens while you're trying to plan something else, John Lennon said. No sentence could sum up this moment better."

Antonicelli explained that he was at the "highest moment" in his life while celebrating his graduation and moving to Milan when "the bad news" came.

"I'm back earlier from holidays and in the next few days I'll start the treatment," he wrote. "This new path will go hand in hand with professional projects, college commitment and fitness. One will influence the other and vice versa. But I am sure that the sports mentality and that of studying that I have gained over the years will be of great help to face this battle as well."

He concluded, "I don't know what's waiting for me, but I know I'm strong, even thanks to your support, and I won't let this beat me. I'll come back stronger than before, that's a promise ❤️ 🩹."

A GoFundMe for Antonicelli shared that the influencer "underwent major surgery" in 2023, including to his "entire femur, knee and hip joints," while "parts of his quadriceps muscles were removed and his leg was reconstructed with a total femur prosthesis."

The next year, "two metastases appeared" - "one on the clavicle and the other on the sacrum." Antonicelli underwent radiotherapy, which "proved ineffective" before he continued his chemotherapy treatment.

"In July 2025, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope: only the metastasis in the sacrum remained active," the GoFundMe read, translated to English. "Shortly thereafter, however, the situation rapidly worsened. In September 2025, Alessandro was admitted to the emergency room due to unbearable pain caused by spinal cord compression in the sacral plexus."

The tribute continued, "From that moment on, his condition began to decline rapidly. By November 2025, the pain was uncontrollable and he struggled even to take a few steps, necessitating another hospitalization, from which he was never able to return home. On December 4, 2025, Ale left us: now he has finally found the peace he deserved."

US Weekly

This story was originally published December 8, 2025 at 10:18 AM.