German actor and former fitness YouTuber Vittorio Pirbazari, widely recognized for his role in the Netflix series Dogs of Berlin, has died at the age of 44 after reportedly collapsing on a treadmill at a gym in Germany. The exact cause of death has not yet been confirmed, though initial accounts suggest he may have suffered a heart attack.
The news of Pirbazari’s passing was shared on social media by fellow actor and filmmaker Said Ibrahim, who confirmed the death via Instagram on Monday. In his post, Ibrahim described Pirbazari as having “a soft heart like a ten-year-old.”
Just one day before his death, Pirbazari had posted a selfie on Instagram in which he updated his followers on his health and fitness journey. The post, now filled with tributes and messages of condolence, detailed his return to the gym following a series of serious health setbacks, including a torn pectoral muscle and a car accident that had occurred earlier this year.
In January, Pirbazari underwent surgery to repair the torn pectoral muscle, which he said had to be surgically reattached. He kept his 90,700 Instagram followers updated on his progress, sharing photos from the hospital and updates throughout his recovery. However, his return to health was disrupted by a near-fatal car crash that left him with a fractured vertebra, soft tissue damage, and injuries to both legs that required stitches.
Pirbazari resumed training on March 23, after a 12-week break, focusing on cardio and leg exercises. In his final Instagram post, dated Sunday, March 30, he acknowledged that he was still healing but was optimistic about his progress. “My current form after 12 weeks without exercise or much exercise. Of course, it’s no comparison to before, but I’m on the right track given the circumstances,” he wrote. He added that he was slowly easing back into treadmill intervals due to his leg injuries.
“The only thing that’s important to me right now is not to give up and to let go, and to get better day by day, week by week. Have a nice Sunday friends,” the actor concluded in what would become his final public message.
Pirbazari was a known figure in the German fitness community prior to his acting career. He was formerly part of the Hardgainer Crew, a group of fitness YouTubers with a significant online following. His personal channel accumulated over 200,000 subscribers before he stepped away from the platform several years ago.
In 2018, he gained broader recognition with his role as Daher Tarik in Dogs of Berlin, a crime drama series produced by Netflix. A still image from the show, featuring Pirbazari in a confrontation with a police officer, became widely circulated online.
German authorities have not yet released an official cause of death, and no further details have been made public regarding the circumstances of his collapse.
Pirbazari is survived by his girlfriend and his young son, who was born in 2020.
