A mother is demanding answers after her late 33-year-old son collapsed in a gym shower and remained undiscovered for 15 hours.
Giuliano Pirone, a bodybuilder from Perth, Australia, collapsed in the shower cubicle of a local 24-hour gym.
The 33-year-old was training for an upcoming bodybuilding competition when the incident occurred, per News.com.au.
Giuliano was not found until emergency services traced his phone, locating him in the shower under cold running water.
He was rushed to Joondalup Hospital, where he remained in critical condition for several weeks before passing away in early September.
His mother, Daniela Pirone, has questioned how her son could remain undiscovered for so long, demanding answers through an official investigation.
“If he was found earlier, he would still be here,” Daniela said in an interview with ABC Radio Perth.
She also raised concerns about the gym's safety protocols, wondering why staff didn’t check on her son - who was a parent himself - after he failed to check out.
"He could have been called over the speaker, or even phoned to ask if he forgot to check out," she added.
Daniela shared memories of her son, describing him as "full of life" and fearless, living each day to the fullest.
“He did everything he wanted to – that was his motto, really,” she recalled.
Giuliano was first reported missing by his family when he failed to return home from work on the day of the incident.
Police were able to track his location by pinging his phone, which led them to the tragic discovery in the gym's showers.
Daniela also tearfully recounted her final moments with her son, who never regained consciousness.
“He never tightened my hand or spoke to me again,” she said on ABC Radio Perth.
“I looked into his eyes, but he probably didn’t see me. I hope he heard and saw me … at least I had his warm hand on my face.”
WA Police confirmed they attended Joondalup Health Campus on September 4 in relation to Pirone’s death and are preparing a report for the coroner.
The gym where Pirone was a member issued a statement offering their condolences, saying: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Giuliano’s family at this difficult time.”
They added that they had been in contact with the family and provided access and information to emergency services.
“We remain committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and accessible environment,” the gym stated, emphasizing their support for staff, members, and external relationships.
In a GoFundMe campaign, Giuliano's sister, Rosa Ostapenko, paid tribute to her brother, describing him as “the light as soon as he walked through any door.”
She revealed he had been looking forward to his first bodybuilding competition, scheduled just two weeks after he was found, and had plans to launch his own business.
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