Ronny Rono, died on Tuesday while being rushed to Siloam hospital.
His family members confirmed that Rono died after developing a myriad of health complications.
Hilda Chepkemoi, the family spokesperson, said his cousin had been in an out of the hospital since his story was first published and scores of well-wishers came forward to assist him to get medical attention.
"He was admitted at Green View hospital for two weeks before being discharged. Until his demise, he was in an out of various hospital for medical test and was also being attended by a private doctor within Kericho town," she said.
Rono's aunt Mary Mabeche, a former Kericho nominated MCA, was devastated by the death of his nephew.
"We had hopes that his condition could be reversed but it is unfortunate that he had to die," she said.
Before his death, the late Rono’s body was swollen; his arms were wasting away; he rarely got out of bed, and whenever he did, he couldn’t look at the mirror without breaking down.
He was battling what doctors suggest was be a case of Synthol injection.
A medical review of the usage of synthol in bodybuilding indicates the substance is injected deep into muscles to provide an immediate and temporary enlargement of the muscle body.
“Some bodybuilders favour synthol injections over anabolic steroids because it does not come with the long list of side effects associated with steroids,” reads a medical document on the subject.
It warns that the effects of synthol can be devastating and long-term, including permanent muscle disfigurement, muscle fibrosis and development of muscle ulcers and wounds.
But Rono denies having ever used the injection but admitted that he was an alcoholic during his life as a bodybuilder, and someone could have injected him with the drugs.
“I do not have a memory of everything I might have done,” he said
He explained that the condition began with a small swelling in his right arm before spreading to his left hand in April 2017.
When he removed his shirt, it reveals a disfigured upper torso, swollen underarm and chest with hardly any muscle in his right hand.
The skin in his upper abdomen and around the eye sockets were dry and cracking. He relied on petroleum jelly to soothe the discomfort that comes with the dryness.
“The condition makes me feel like I am carrying a lot of weight that my backbone cannot support; that is why I am always feeling fatigued, I have to lie in bed,” he said
He was also experiencing difficulty in breathing.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) chest analysis conducted by Dr W Otieno, a radiologist at Lakeside MRI indicated that Rono’s pectoris muscles are grossly enlarged and showed heterogeneous contrast.
Dr Philemon Letting of Kericho Fig Tree hospital upon request for MRI review gives a clue that Rono’s condition is suspected case of synthol injection.
Chepkemoi said the deceased bodybuilder's funeral will be held on December 3, 2019 at Chemosot Village in Bureti constituency.
"We are going to conduct a fundraiser to offset hospital bills areas and funeral