“This Is Where Men Cry, RIP”: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Emotional Confession About His Late Best Friend Leaves the Bodybuilding World Heartbroken

Legend Arnold Schwarzenegger’s illustrious career has come to fruition after years of determination and zeal. But he did not achieve all by himself. As he mentions in one of his interviews that he is “not a self-made man,” Arnold also made some incredible friends in his professional career to become the man he is today. In pursuit of a better life, Arnold left his family, country, and his whole life behind. When he reached America, he asked Joe Weider to bring him the one man to train with. Arnie “could thrive without money, without my parents,” but he couldn’t thrive without his best friend. That man was Franco Columbu. 

Franco passed away in 2019. After falling ill while swimming in his native land of Sardinia, the 78-year-old Italian bodybuilder breathed his last at the hospital. In his recent Netflix documentary, Arnold, he discusses his five-decade-long friendship with his “partner in crime.” 

Arnold Schwarzenegger treasures Franco Columbu’s presence in his life

In the Instagram video, the 75-year-old is seen sitting with an open book, looking at pictures from his past life and cherishing every bit of it. A subsequent page featured his best friend, Columbu’s picture. He revealed that the late athlete was also known as Dr. Franco Columbu, owing to his profession as a doctor and chiropractor. “And he was my best friend,” he said. Furthermore, he asserted how good of a relationship the two legends once shared.

18-year-old Arnold first met Franco in Munich and instantly became friendly rivals. The buddies have seen some of the toughest days before they became legends of the sport. While they struggled to get noticed by Hollywood giants, they worked together as bricklayers after moving to the US. Working shoulder to shoulder like brothers in a foreign land made them thick as thieves. Speaking of his training escapades in the gym, Arnie shared that “there was no one that trained more hours with me than him.” 

Besides that, Arnie admitted that despite Columbu’s iconic finesse, he was unable to gain much recognition due to his short height. “It’s always like the tall guy who in the end wins,” Arnold added. Hence, to give him a career boost, Arnie invited him to many of his film shoots and gave him parts to play. The caption hinted at his love for the late star, “I wish that everyone has a friend like Franco.” The bit portraying Arnie expressing his heartfelt emotions for his late buddy left the bodybuilding community aching with emotions. Thus, they took to the comments to share their insights. 

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The bodybuilding world reacts to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ode to his late friend

From being the best man to Arnold to being the godfather of his children, Arnold’s ode to remember his friend Columbu has taken many forms and dimensions. In less than a day, the post amassed 1.7 million views already. Whereas the comments section reflected how the fans resonated with the bodybuilding legend’s sentiments. A fan expressed their remorse, “This is where men cry, RIP.” Another fan hailed Columbu as “unreal” and “inspiring.” 

“Long live The Sardinian Strongman,” a comment read, whereas another took a moment to appreciate the iconic friendship of the legendary duo. It stated, “A 50 year old bromance from 2 Mr. Olympias is another great success of Arnold.” Similarly, a fan expressed, “That hit hard 🥲 Franco was a legend 💪” 

Schwarzenegger was undoubtedly fortunate to have been blessed with such a friend. From bodybuilding to playing chess and building houses, together, they did it all. And the bodybuilding sphere cannot get over it.

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