Chris Miklos, beefcake model and Modern Bear muse, has reportedly died of an unconfirmed heart attack in Dallas, Texas this week. He was 40 years old.
Miklos became a noted fixture in the gay bear community for his modeling work, which shed light on the beauty of what used to be a largely underrepresented group of men within the gay community: Larger, hairier, and more rugged-looking men. He had worked previously as a nude beefcake model and posed for noted bear photographers Blake Little and Michael Alago.
The news of Miklos’ death was first reported by Kenneth Walsh last night, who said that a “mutual friend” had confirmed the passing. Bear World magazine, which Miklos was working on a 2015 calendar for at the time of his death, confirmed the news in a Facebook post this morning:
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A Kickstarter page for The Chris Miklos 2015 calendar was shut down this morning, though it still appears online. According to its description, Miklos was “one of the friendliest guys around”:
Chris and Mack have created some amazing photography and Chris’ image has become very recognizable around the web. He gets recognized at events, and is known to be one of the friendliest guys around. He is the main model for Burly Shirts, so is very well known around the Bear Community.
A large number of commenters on Facebook and this DataLounge thread, some claiming to have inside knowledge, have suspected a heart attack as the cause of death, though no official announcement had been made available before time of posting.
If the COD was in fact a heart attack, Miklos follows a host of beefy gay male fixtures to reportedly die of a heart attack, including gay porn star Erik Rhodes and model/singer Quentin Elias.
Our condolences to Chris Miklos’ friends, family and fans.
Teeth
Sad
Sweet Boy
Say no to steroids !!!!
Cam
He looked like he was in good shame. A shame, poor guy.
B Damion
Wowzzers! He was in such great shape. And so handsome. Why did he kill himself?
Jesus it’s not like he was fat. If he was disgustingly over weight then…well..I could understand.
Well, thank god he wasn’t fat at all.
Cam
@B Damion:
Where did you get the idea from the article that he killed himself?
Stache99
@Sweet Boy: He was in good shape but that’s not a steroid body.
tdx3fan
@B Damion: You are a disgusting human being. You just said all fat people should kill themselves, or at least that is what I got from your post. If you meant to say that fat people are at a higher health risk, this is simply not at all true in general speaking terms. There are plenty of very unhealthy thin people.
Paco
He was so young. RIP
Stache99
@Richard: That’s what I read. Sarcasm doesn’t always work that’s why I sometimes put a smiley face or something to spell it out at the end.
friscoguy
Sweet Boy: He was in good shape but that’s not a steroid body.
It is indeed the appearance of steroid use beefy HARD inflated all the signs of steroids. Google it.
Stache99
@friscoguy: I think you meant that for me. Seriously, I must be on steroids too and no one told me because that could describe me too:)
friscoguy
I have met many people who work in the porn industry and they all tell me that many if not most of these guys are on roids.
Maharajah
Maybe it’s time that we, as a community, start talking about other health issues (in conjunction with our discussions of HIV/AIDS). This rash of heart attacks among ‘healthy’ adults should be shocking enough. If drug induced (as we know that these men, being portrayed for their physical beauty – are under high pressures to look a certain way), then perhaps we can start a discussion about those pressures.
Either way, this was a good life now gone too soon.
My prayers and thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans.
JJ24
Rest in peace.
DarkZephyr
@tdx3fan: I’m with you on this. I think that B Damion’s ego is “disgustingly over weight”.
Steven
I wonder if he’s any relation to Arpad Miklos who committed suicide last year.
dlrjwpm
This is very sad!! I enjoy looking at his pictures!!
Rick Notch
“Maybe it’s time that we, as a community, start talking about other health issues…” A major concern is type 2 diabetes. Many of the guys I know in the bear community have developed type2 diabetes. In many ways it is like living with HIV. Many terrible side effect develop, the meds are damaging to your body over a long term, in time you can lose your sight, you kidneys, your feet or legs. And among early things to go wrong is losing your ability to have an erection. I in no way want to shame anybody, but the diet enjoyed by many in the bear community is a one-way road to type 2 diabetes. Many of us have avoided HIV only to end up with T2-D, which also cannot be cured.
vive
Why must there always be “moral” speculation with these items. Nobody deserves to die.
maxdadmark
This is very sad. Yet another relatively young man, caught up in an industry where physical “perfection” leads to death, be it by their own hand or stress on the internal organs from dangerous drugs. Perhaps it is time that this type of body ideal should stop being glorified. Some of us gay men, bears, etc. are happy with the way we look and find attractiveness that comes from within is primary.
Billy Budd
It is totally ABNORMAL for a person to die of a heart attack at 40. Some deeper, HIDDEN cause must had been at work.
maxdadmark
@vive: Who said or implied that anyone “deserved to die”?
Steven
@Billy Budd: I’m wondering the same thing. Maybe steroids?
Liam
@B Damion: What a shitty thing to say. People like you are one of the major problems the gay community has. Same too for all those who responded to a man’s death with rants on steroids.
Teeth
Why the rush to blame a dead man for dying? We don’t know much yet. And– that is definitely NOT a steroid body, and from other pics, those are NOT steroid nads.
seaguy
Sad he sure was a handsome bear. Rest In Peace.
And to all the trolls who can’t let a dead person rest in peace. Karma will come back to get you.
seaguy
@B Damion: Kill Himself. Get your eyes checked the article said nothing of the sort.
Citroen
It was probably using poppers too much that did him in, not steroids.
Teeth
@Citroen: If it was poppers, a stroke would be possible– I don’t think so with a heart attack.
Who knows– he might have had a congenital heart problem. Or he might have become a drug user. Or he might have been one of the many, many men who die of sudden cardiac arrest. We don’t know. It’s kind of vulgar to speculate. His loved ones may be reading this, and grieving. We will learn more when the time is right and that is when we can be self righteous about it (if we choose to be).
LuckyboyLA
You Steroid Shamers; anyone w/a better bod than you must be a user. Like those Brit Rowing Club Guys. Yeah, they ALL had steroid bodys. Geeze. Maybe CM was HIV Pos and used them as part of his treatment regimen as many, as I do. I just happen to be skinny,. But I’d be more so and laying in bed if I didn’t. Watch more TV maybe. Lawyers have class action suits going all over the place for Deaths, blood clots, strokes attributed to FDA approved Testosterone gels. Any str8t gut over 35 can have low testosterone and use them. Hence, ambulance chasing legal ads on TV.
Steven
@LuckyboyLA: Who said anything about shaming? Steroid use is a fair question when you’re talking about someone who mysteriously died of a heart attack at his age, REGARDLESS of what he looks like. No one is judging him whether he uses or not. I think you’re getting a little defensive there my friend.
LuckyboyLA
oops str8t “guy”: sorry…
tricky ricky
anybody can have a heart attack at any age. it just seems strange when you hear about it in someone under 65.
vive
@maxdadmark, I have to agree with Teeth above who observed that some scolds always rush in to blame the deceased in moralistic terms, as if certain behaviors make someone more or less deserving of life.
TnTUAZ
This is very sad. Another young man loses his life. The cause isn’t as important as the fact that he is gone.
To discuss the why, wherefore, or how at this point is some what grotesque.
ShowMeGuy
I’m still freaking out that he was only 40. This whole time I’ve been thinking he was at least 55.
brianbada50
It is sad that so many gay men involved in modeling and/or porn are dying at such young ages! Some people look older at younger ages and others look young into their golden years. It is funny how someone dies and someone comments that Mr. Miklos looks 55 not 40? Is that really important?! Just like guys can go gray in their 20’s as well as older. Does that make them less desirable?! NO AND NO! The problem with gay men is they base so much on the superficial which forces gay men in the spotlight to use steroids or drugs out of insecurity and to this nastiness coming from those people in the gay community who love to hate and judge. I personally have never heard of this guy before; his pics are very, very handsome to me however but I am sure that is not ALL he was. RIP Chris Miklos!
Aires the Ram
I’ve known guys who died suddenly when in their 30’s, up through their 60’s when they not only “seemed” healthy, but had yearly check-ups at their Doctor and were given clean bills of health.
“Death, plucks at my ear and says, live, for I am coming.” – Vergil
We ALL ought to remember this.
Bobby Christina Crawford
@B Damion: I am currently 15 points over my designated weight. Should I bring it to and end?
Stache99
@jock227: Thanks for noticing that. I honestly thought it had a good message people should hear and I didn’t think it was inflammatory either. Just talked of someone with body issues which isn’t that uncommon. I pretty much had already figured that out but it was nice to hear it from someone that knew him.
Teeth
@jock227: Very typical here.
Tackle
I’m surprised that next to Chris Miklos passing away at 40, that so many of you are taking what @B Damion: said seriously…
Do you really think he thinks that ALL overweight people should kill themselves?? Obviously he’s joking around, and being sarcastic with what I call, dead humor ( no pun intended.) There is a time and place for everything, but this is not it…
Stache99
@Teeth: What happened to Jock227? Is it now policy to get banned for even questioning Queerty?
Michael
Wow! Most of what is being said about this article disgusts me. A man has died. Really people? How disgusting can you get talking about fat and steroids. Stop this insane behavior. I’m a gay man and I’m 46. My health has had some problems as well even though I have tried to stay in good shape. I’m starting to understand why so many gay men are disliked and/or called fa66ots. It’s people like you who constantly judge others or have to post some dramatic comment just to get other people going. Stop it! All of you! Gay men are really making me sick with this type of behavior. If you are a person who did not say something horrible then please disregard my comment. He was a great guy. I’m proud to be a bear because of guys like him.
Tsucy
I’m sad this man had to die so young. My condolences to his family and friends. I am also sorry I read this entire thread.
Stenar
Poppers can also cause heart attacks, not just strokes.
ohfuckoff
He is the stereotype of gay men everywhere, more importantly the bear community. Yes, he may have been a friendly guy and what-not but he’s a model and porn star. If he is only remembered for his friendliness, then why aren’t my deceased friends remembered? They were exceptionally friendly, nice, genuine guys taken long before old age settled in. They didn’t do porn, the didn’t model, they weren’t the “beefcake model and Modern Bear muse”. His line of work is not my issue, my issue is that he is vaulted to the status of a celebrity for no reason warranting an article about his passing.
How do you temper “his modelling work, which shed light on the beauty of what used to be a largely underrepresented group of men within the gay community: Larger, hairier, and more rugged-looking men”, with B Damion’s comment, “Wowzzers! He was in such great shape. And so handsome. Why did he kill himself? Jesus it’s not like he was fat. If he was disgustingly over weight then…well..I could understand. Well, thank god he wasn’t fat at all.”
A guy dies, and thankfully he wasn’t “disgustingly over weight”. The sense of “gay pride” I feel is overwhelming at times. It is sickening. Let’s fawn over how wonderful a man he was, but really let’s just be thankful we don’t have to look at a gross dead guy.
This is the “bear” community 2014.
Teeth
@Stenar: How? The stroke makes sense to me, but not an MI.
Sebizzar
*sigh* WHY is this so common? Rest in peace 🙁
bottom72
This is so sad it has brought tears to my eyes.
vive
@ohfuckoff, he seems to have been a nice guy who was well known in some circles and is not remembered for hurting anybody (as opposed to, say, most U.S. presidents), so why is he not deserving of an obit? I’m sure your friends also would have if they were widely known here.
Clark35
@Billy Budd: Exactly. I’m guessing he was probably on illegal drugs, into meth, and steroids. Or his heart was weak from HIV meds. May he rest in peace.