Who was Connor Murphy? A look back at the life of the fitness influencer

Connor Murphy has died after drowning in a lake in Thailand, according to Thai media.

Connor was an American fitness influencer and YouTuber who gained popularity online through his bodybuilding content.

Here are some things to know about him.

1. He had millions of followers on social media

Connor built his online following by sharing workout routines, bodybuilding advice, and fitness-related content on YouTube.

At the time of writing, his main YouTube channel has 2.36 million subscribers, while his Instagram account has more than 380,000 followers.

2. He began his fitness journey as a teenager

Connor's oldest YouTube upload, "Connor Murphy Natural Body Transformation," was published on January 9, 2016.

In the video, he shared photos of himself from age 10 onward and recalled how he started taking fitness seriously after being bullied as a child.

"When I was younger, I wasn't really the coolest guy in my class. I decided I want to make a change and began my fitness journey," he said.

He began weight training at age 13, when he was finally old enough to use the weight room.

3. He also made videos beyond fitness

Aside from his main fitness YouTube channel, Connor also ran Connor Murphy Talks, which features uploads on a wider range of topics, including bodybuilding updates and personal reflections.

Some of its videos include “The Misunderstanding of Premasati Yoga,” “How an Out of Body Experience Changes Your Reality,” and “3 Month Natural Lean Bulk Transformation.”

Connor Murphy Talks has more than 63,000 subscribers.

4. He studied mathematics and economics in college

In his 2022 video titled "Escaping the Cult of Bodybuilding: The Full Story of Connor Murphy's Insanity," Connor reflected on his life before becoming an online personality.

He described himself as an “introverted college student” who had been bullied growing up.

Connor he attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he pursued a double major in computational mathematics and economics.

He also said he intentionally built a social media career as a way to avoid working a traditional nine-to-five job.

5. He said his online persona was a character

In the same 2022 video, Connor said that the confident Connor Murphy seen in many of his earlier videos was a persona he intentionally created.

He explained that the character was inspired by successful influencers and promoted the idea that having a muscular physique would lead to validation and success with women.

Connor said the image did not reflect who he was off-camera.

Connor described himself as an insecure and socially anxious person who used bodybuilding to cope with his insecurities. He added that the online persona was a total act and that he struggled with confidence in real life despite his internet fame. — LA, GMA News