Aziz Shavershian
Encyclopedia
Aziz Sergeyevich Shavershian better known as his Internet persona, Zyzz, was a Russian-born Australian internet celebrity
, personal trainer
, model
and a part-time stripper
. His rise to fame began in 2007, after posting multiple videos of himself on YouTube
. He then hit mainstream exposure in late July 2011, surrounding the Sydney Morning Herald
newspaper, who published an article about the arrest of his older brother, Said Shavershian
, found in possession of anabolic steroids. On 5 August 2011, whilst on a holiday in Bangkok, Thailand, Shavershian died from a heart attack at the age of 22.
, and Sergei Shavershian. He has one older brother, Said Shavershian, who is also known as their internet persona, "Chestbrah."
In 1993, at the age of 4, Shavershian and his family moved to Australia
. He was raised in Eastwood, New South Wales
, and attended Marist College Eastwood
Catholic secondary school, where he achieved Dux
of the college, with a UAI
(now ATAR
) score of 86.3. Prior to his death in August 2011, he was to graduate from the University of Western Sydney
, with a degree in business
and commerce
. According to his Formspring, Shavershian and four of his friends were "keen" on moving to Melbourne, Australia, to live there "for good".
and training and applying it to his pursuit of becoming a bodybuilder. His favourite professional bodybuilders
included actor/politician Arnold Schwarzenegger
, and Frank Zane
.
Originally, Shavershian wanted to become a bodybuilder to "impress girls". He would look at pictures of "shredded" bodybuilders and tell himself that he would one day be like them. Almost four years into training, Shavershian stated that:
Prior to his death, Shavershian had his own protein
label, "Protein of the Gods", released in March 2011. On the 17 May 2011, Shavershian published a 66-page book based on a compilation of bodybuilding knowledge he acquired over the four years of training. The book is entitled "Zyzz's Bodybuilding Bible".
On 14 July 2011, his brother, Said, was arrested for being in possession of anabolic steroids. Prior to the charges, the Sydney Morning Herald
newspaper wrote an article about the drug possession, which included a photo of Aziz. Shavershian expressed displeasure with his inclusion in the article, as he felt that it portrayed him in a "negative light", and believed that the photo was unnecessary in an article that had a predominant focus on anabolic steroids.
Said was fined $479 for the drug posession as well as court costs, on 4 August 2011. When asked by multiple news outlets, Aziz denied ever using steroids.
, when he fell unconscious
and subsequently died. Shavershian was then taken to a hospital, where doctors were unable to revive him.
A post-mortem examination later revealed that Aziz suffered from a previously undiagnosed congenital heart defect
, and that he had shown several minor symptoms in the few months leading up to August, including high blood pressure
and occasional shortness of breath. He also had a family history of heart problems.
News of his death first appeared on the social-networking site, Facebook
, from his family and friends. The following Tuesday, 9 August, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
(DFAT) confirmed that he had died.
Internet celebrity
An Internet celebrity, cyberstar or online celebrity is someone who has become famous by means of the Internet. Such fame is based less upon raw numbers, as with traditional media...
, personal trainer
Personal trainer
A personal trainer is a fitness professional involved in exercise prescription and instruction. They motivate clients by setting goals and providing feedback and accountability to clients. Trainers also measure their client's strengths and weaknesses with fitness assessments...
, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and a part-time stripper
Stripper
A stripper is a professional erotic dancer who performs a contemporary form of striptease at strip club establishments, public exhibitions, and private engagements. Unlike in burlesque, the performer in the modern Americanized form of stripping minimizes the interaction of customer and dancer,...
. His rise to fame began in 2007, after posting multiple videos of himself on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. He then hit mainstream exposure in late July 2011, surrounding the Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
newspaper, who published an article about the arrest of his older brother, Said Shavershian
Said Shavershian
Said Shavershian also known as his Internet persona, Chestbrah, is a Russian–born Australian bodybuilder, internet celebrity and personal trainer...
, found in possession of anabolic steroids. On 5 August 2011, whilst on a holiday in Bangkok, Thailand, Shavershian died from a heart attack at the age of 22.
Personal life
Shavershian was born in Moscow, Russia, the youngest son of Maiane Iboian, who works in cardiologyCardiology
Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
, and Sergei Shavershian. He has one older brother, Said Shavershian, who is also known as their internet persona, "Chestbrah."
In 1993, at the age of 4, Shavershian and his family moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He was raised in Eastwood, New South Wales
Eastwood, New South Wales
Eastwood is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Eastwood is located 17 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and the City of Parramatta...
, and attended Marist College Eastwood
Marist College Eastwood
Marist College Eastwood is a Catholic male-only high school in Eastwood, New South Wales, Australia.-MCE History:Saint Marcellin Champagnat was a priest who commenced his ministry in Lavalla, a tiny Hamlet in France...
Catholic secondary school, where he achieved Dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
of the college, with a UAI
UAI
UAI may refer to:* Universities Admission Index* Union astronomique internationale, the French name for the International Astronomical Union* Unione Astrofili Italiani* Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Spanish for Adolfo Ibáñez University...
(now ATAR
Atar
Atar is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire" ....
) score of 86.3. Prior to his death in August 2011, he was to graduate from the University of Western Sydney
University of Western Sydney
The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, with a degree in business
Business school
A business school is a university-level institution that confers degrees in Business Administration. It teaches topics such as accounting, administration, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems, marketing, organizational behavior, public relations, strategy, human resource...
and commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
. According to his Formspring, Shavershian and four of his friends were "keen" on moving to Melbourne, Australia, to live there "for good".
Bodybuilding
Before becoming a bodybuilder, Shavershian had been described as a "skinny kid" and an ectomorph. Once he completed secondary school, Shavershian who was inspired by his bodybuilder brother, joined a local gym and began training. He began learning about nutritionNutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
and training and applying it to his pursuit of becoming a bodybuilder. His favourite professional bodybuilders
Professional bodybuilding
Professional bodybuilding or pro bodybuilding is a term that is used in the sport of bodybuilding, and may refer to several different concepts.- Income :...
included actor/politician Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
, and Frank Zane
Frank Zane
Frank Zane is an American former professional bodybuilder and teacher.- Education :Zane received a B.Sc in Education from Wilkes University in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania in 1964. For 13 years, he taught mathematics and chemistry while living in Florida and California. Later he earned a B.A...
.
Originally, Shavershian wanted to become a bodybuilder to "impress girls". He would look at pictures of "shredded" bodybuilders and tell himself that he would one day be like them. Almost four years into training, Shavershian stated that:
Prior to his death, Shavershian had his own protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
label, "Protein of the Gods", released in March 2011. On the 17 May 2011, Shavershian published a 66-page book based on a compilation of bodybuilding knowledge he acquired over the four years of training. The book is entitled "Zyzz's Bodybuilding Bible".
On 14 July 2011, his brother, Said, was arrested for being in possession of anabolic steroids. Prior to the charges, the Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
newspaper wrote an article about the drug possession, which included a photo of Aziz. Shavershian expressed displeasure with his inclusion in the article, as he felt that it portrayed him in a "negative light", and believed that the photo was unnecessary in an article that had a predominant focus on anabolic steroids.
Said was fined $479 for the drug posession as well as court costs, on 4 August 2011. When asked by multiple news outlets, Aziz denied ever using steroids.
Death
Aziz Shavershian died on 5 August 2011, in Bangkok, Thailand after suffering a heart attack. Shavershian was in a saunaSauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
, when he fell unconscious
Unconsciousness
Unconsciousness is the condition of being not conscious—in a mental state that involves complete or near-complete lack of responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli. Being in a comatose state or coma is a type of unconsciousness. Fainting due to a drop in blood pressure and a...
and subsequently died. Shavershian was then taken to a hospital, where doctors were unable to revive him.
A post-mortem examination later revealed that Aziz suffered from a previously undiagnosed congenital heart defect
Congenital heart defect
A congenital heart defect is a defect in the structure of the heart and great vessels which is present at birth. Many types of heart defects exist, most of which either obstruct blood flow in the heart or vessels near it, or cause blood to flow through the heart in an abnormal pattern. Other...
, and that he had shown several minor symptoms in the few months leading up to August, including high blood pressure
Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
and occasional shortness of breath. He also had a family history of heart problems.
News of his death first appeared on the social-networking site, Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, from his family and friends. The following Tuesday, 9 August, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the government of Australia charged with advancing the interests of Australia and its citizens internationally...
(DFAT) confirmed that he had died.
Filmography
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Underbelly: The Golden Mile Underbelly: The Golden Mile Underbelly: The Golden Mile is a 13-part Australian television mini-series loosely based on real events that stemmed from the nightclub scene of the Sydney suburb of Kings Cross. The timeline of the series is the years between 1988 and 1999. it primarily depicts the running of Kings Cross and the... |
Extra | |
| 2011 | The National Road Trip | Zyzz | Multiple episodes. Currently in pre-production Pre-production Pre-production or In Production is the process of preparing all the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance.- In film :... . |
External links
- Aziz's Official FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page