NEED TO KNOW
Fitness influencer Hayley McNeff died on Aug. 8 The lifelong athlete, who was 37, was “like a beam of light in this world,” remembered her dad in a previous statement to PEOPLEMcNeff was a decorated bodybuilder, receiving state titles in Maryland and Delaware over the course of her career
A cause of death has been revealed for Hayley McNeff.
The fitness influencer and bodybuilder died from acute intoxication due to the combined effects of heroin, fentanyl, 4-ANPP, cocaine and norbuprenorphine, Brenna Galvin, Deputy Director of Communications for Massachusetts’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, told PEOPLE in a statement.
McNeff’s death was ruled an accident, according to Galvin.
“Hayley was like a beam of light in this world. She had boundless energy and was very determined to achieve whatever she set out to do,” Hayley’s father Dave previously told PEOPLE in an exclusive statement. “She set her sights on bodybuilding and fitness and achieved the highest success that sector offered. She loved us and we love Hayley very much, we miss her madly.”
Hayley McNeff.
hayleysmash/Instagram
Per Hayley’s official obituary published by local outlet Boston.com on Aug. 12, the lifelong athlete was born and raised in Concord, Mass. McNeff attended Concord-Carlisle High School and University of Massachusetts Amherst and excelled at several sports as a kid: equestrian, board diving and skiing.
As an adult, she forayed into the world of bodybuilding — going on to receive state titles in Maryland and Delaware. McNeff was also featured in the 2005 documentary Raising the Bar, which explores the world of competitive bodybuilding.
Later in life, per her obituary, McNeff stepped away from the sport and pursued a graduate degree in psychology.
Her obituary said she will be remembered for her “quick wit” and “constant sense of humor.”
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Hayley McNeff.
Hayley McNeff/Instagram
“She had a gift for making those around her laugh and feel welcomed,” the obituary read. “Her energy and determination was a constant in her life and she always accomplished what she set out to achieve. She treasured her friendships and nurtured strong, lasting relationships with those who knew her best. Hayley will be deeply missed by her parents, siblings, extended family, and friends.”