The family of celebrity fitness trainer Gilad Janklowicz has revealed for the first time that he died by suicide, two months after his death at age 71.
Janklowicz’s sisters disclosed the cause of death in a statement posted on his Facebook page after the official coroner’s findings became part of the public record.
Gilad Janklowicz
(Photo: Bennett Raglin / Stringer)
“Since Gilad’s passing, many of you have kindly reached out with questions regarding the circumstances of his death. Out of respect for his family, and while we awaited the final findings of the medical examiner’s office, we have not shared details publicly until now,” they wrote.
“Now that the official report has entered the public record, we want to address this transparently: While the medical examiner determined that Gilad’s manner of death was suicide, his heartbroken family is still struggling to understand the circumstances that led to this tragedy.”
The family said it would not provide further details and asked the public to respect the privacy of Janklowicz’s loved ones.
“This is an extremely painful reality for everyone who loved him. As this remains a private and sensitive family matter, we will not be providing further comments or details, and we ask everyone to respect the privacy of his loved ones during this difficult time,” the statement said.
“Let us remember Gilad for the incredible light, energy and positive impact he brought into our lives.”
Janklowicz’s death was first reported on June 9, 2026. About two weeks later, his family said he had been found dead at the foot of the 16-story residential building where he lived in Hawaii and that Honolulu police were investigating the circumstances.
At the time, the family did not disclose a cause of death.
Janklowicz was one of the most recognizable figures of the television fitness boom of the 1980s and 1990s. He became best known for Bodies in Motion, the long-running exercise program that debuted in 1983 and was filmed against the backdrop of Hawaii.
The show helped make Janklowicz an internationally recognized fitness personality during an era in which televised workouts and home exercise videos became a major cultural phenomenon.
In the months before his death, Janklowicz had been in advanced talks with Israel’s Sports Channel about a new fitness series that was expected to be filmed in Israel and broadcast in the United States.