London: Arnold Schwarzenegger`s mentor Joe Weider has passed away due to heart failure in Los Angeles. He was 93, his publicist said.
Weider was the man who launched Schwarzenegger`s Hollywood career.
The Bodybuilding guru was the creator of the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding contest and also built a magazine empire that included publications like Muscle and Fitness, Shape and Men`s Fitness, the BBC reported.
The `Conan the Barbarian` Star paid tribute to the man he called "the godfather of fitness," on his website and said that he encouraged him throughout his career.
The 65-year-old wrote, "He taught us that through hard work and training we could all be champions."
He added, "When I was a young boy in Austria, his muscle magazines provided me with the inspiration and the blueprint to push myself beyond my limits and imagine a much bigger future."
"He was there for me constantly throughout my life... and I will miss him dearly," he claimed.
ANI