5 Shocking Revelations From Dallas McCarver’s Autopsy: Unpacking The Real Cause Of Death

The sudden and tragic death of IFBB Pro bodybuilder Dallas McCarver in August 2017 sent shockwaves through the fitness community, leaving fans and peers scrambling for answers. Initial reports, fueled by an emotional statement from his then-girlfriend, WWE star Dana Brooke, suggested that the 26-year-old, known as "Big Country," had died after choking on food. However, as of December 13, 2025, the definitive and official cause of death, confirmed by the coroner's report, paints a far more complex and alarming picture. The autopsy concluded that McCarver died from an unwitnessed cardiac event, primarily due to severe heart and organ abnormalities, with the long-term use of steroids and non-steroid hormones noted as a significant contributing factor. This article delves into the official findings, separating the facts from the initial rumors.

Dallas McCarver: The "Big Country" Biography

Dallas McCarver, affectionately nicknamed "Big Country," was one of the most promising and physically massive professional bodybuilders of his generation. His rapid ascent in the sport made his untimely death at just 26 years old particularly devastating.

• Full Name: Dallas McCarver
• Nickname: Big Country
• Date of Birth: April 9, 1991
• Place of Birth: Tennessee, USA
• Date of Death: August 22, 2017 (Age 26)
• Profession: IFBB Professional Bodybuilder
• Pro Debut: Turned professional at the age of 21 after winning the 2012 NPC North American Championships.
• Career Highlights: Notable top-ten finishes in major competitions, including the Arnold Classic and the Mr. Olympia contest.
• Sponsor: Redcon1 athlete.
• Relationship: Dating WWE superstar Dana Brooke at the time of his death.

The Official Autopsy Report: A Fatal Cardiac Event

The initial confusion surrounding Dallas McCarver’s death was resolved once the official autopsy report was released. The findings decisively shifted the narrative from a simple choking incident to a systemic health crisis.

The medical examiner ruled the official cause of death as an unwitnessed cardiac event.

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1. Coronary Atherosclerosis and an Enlarged Heart

The primary finding was a severe cardiac abnormality. The autopsy revealed that McCarver suffered from coronary atherosclerosis—a buildup of plaque in the arteries that restricts blood flow—and a massively enlarged heart.

The size of his heart was a critical factor. Reports indicated that McCarver's heart was pathologically enlarged, sometimes described as being "like 4x a normal size."

An average adult male heart weighs between 250 and 350 grams. The degree of enlargement found in McCarver’s autopsy pointed directly to a long-term condition known as cardiomyopathy, often linked to the chronic stress of extreme physical size and the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

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2. The Role of Steroids and Non-Steroid Hormones

While the immediate cause was a cardiac event, the autopsy report explicitly noted the use of non-prescription exogenous steroid and non-steroid hormones as a significant contributing factor to his death.

The toxicology report confirmed the presence of anabolic steroids and the specific compound trenbolone in his system.

This finding is crucial as the chronic use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is medically linked to hypertrophy of the left ventricle, which is a key component of the enlarged heart (cardiomyopathy) that ultimately led to his fatal cardiac event.

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Steroids, Organ Enlargement, and the Choking Misconception

The tragedy of Dallas McCarver's death is compounded by the revelation of widespread systemic damage far beyond just his heart, and the initial confusion that followed his passing.

3. Widespread Organ Damage: Liver, Kidneys, and Lungs

The autopsy detailed that the damage was not isolated to his cardiovascular system. McCarver also had a massively enlarged liver and enlarged kidneys.

Furthermore, the report noted severe kidney damage, specifically a condition called nephrosclerosis, and extensively scarred lungs, referred to as pulmonary scarring.

These findings of multi-organ enlargement and damage are often associated with the metabolic and physiological stress placed on the body by extreme weight, high-dose supplementation, and the long-term use of performance-enhancing substances.

4. Clarifying the Choking Misconception

Dallas McCarver’s girlfriend, WWE star Dana Brooke, was the one who initially told authorities that she believed he was choking when he collapsed while on the phone with her.

While the initial news reports focused on this possibility, the official autopsy definitively ruled out choking as the cause of death.

It is medically plausible that a severe, unwitnessed cardiac event—such as a sudden arrhythmia—could lead to a collapse where the victim may aspirate or appear to be choking, which explains the initial tragic misunderstanding. However, the coroner's findings confirmed the cardiac nature of the death.

5. The Tragic Reality of Sudden Cardiac Death in Bodybuilding

McCarver’s death highlighted a disturbing trend in professional bodybuilding: the high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) among young athletes.

Research has shown that professional bodybuilders face a significantly higher risk of dying suddenly from cardiac causes compared to amateur athletes.

The combination of extreme muscle mass, which forces the heart to work harder to pump blood, and the pharmacological stress from anabolic steroids creates a dangerous environment for the cardiovascular system. McCarver's case serves as a stark reminder of the extreme physiological toll that the pursuit of professional-level size can exact on the body, even in athletes as young as 26.

The entities found in his system—trenbolone, anabolic steroids, and the resulting conditions like coronary atherosclerosis and nephrosclerosis—are now central to the ongoing, critical discussion about health and safety within the sport of professional bodybuilding.