Marvin Vettori and his family have suffered an unspeakable tragedy.
On Tuesday, the UFC middleweight shared a post announcing the death of his brother Patrick, 29. According to a report from Italian MMA reporter Al Zullino, Patrick died after a fire accidentally started in his home.
See Vettori’s post below, translation via Zullino.
You were and will always be my No. 1, my little brother.
You left behind an unfillable void and I will love you until my last breath.
I don’t think I’ll ever be the same after today because maybe I never told you, but you were always my strength.
You were the smartest and sharpest between the two of us. You were building a beautiful future and I just can’t come to terms with this.
They say Jesus calls the most beautiful souls to be with Him in heaven and I hope that’s true—that you’re there with Him, waching over us with that kindness that always defined you.
I love you, my brother. And even though living without you won’t be easy, it comforts me to know that one day I’ll be buried by your side.
I love you.
Several members of the MMA community commented on Marvin’s post to express their condolences, including Megan Olivi, Manel Kape, Clay Guida, and Austin Vanderford.
Marvin, 31, is a one-time UFC middleweight title challenger who has spent much of the past few years in the top 10 of the promotion’s rankings. In his most recent outing, he lost a unanimous decision in a rematch with Roman Dolidze, which dropped his UFC record to 9-6-1.
