Xavier Dolino Memorial page

This page is dedicated to Xavier Dolino, who passed away with Leukaemia at the age of 37. He was a Senior Fitness4x4 Trainer and an inspirational Health Pioneer.  This page has been set up to honour Xavier in a unique way.

In the last three years, Xavier was hit with Leukemia three times, and three times told he would probably not survive. With massive personal resolve and commitment to fighting the illness with fitness & good nutrition, rather than with drugs, he defied the odds and recovered to full health twice. Not merely surviving the illness, but returning to world-class competition and to a truly inspiring and contagious level of fitness and vitality. The third time it struck his body was not able to withstand it.

However, in his last days in the hospital, he continued to motivate and teach those around him. That was Xavier. He kept lifting his dumbbells and training in the best way he knew, no matter what life threw at him. And to his dying day, he continued to create energy, in defiance of what the disease was trying to do to him. It is this spirit and this commitment to physical vitality that we want to honour on this page.

A short video clip has been put together by Fitness4x4. It features photos & video of Xavier from our recent archive and has been put together over the song ‘Monagri’, which was a favourite song of Xavier’s, written by his friend and fitness colleague Rajko Radovic.

If you knew Xavier the video will remind you of his passion for life, for fitness, for teaching, for his friends and for having a positive impact on the health of everyone he encountered. If you didn’t know Xavier, hopefully, you will still get a sense of the very same thing.

His mentor and friend Dragan Radovic has invited everyone who knew Xavier (or would simply like to honour him) to perform 100 continuous lifts of any dumbbell. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing – take 5 minutes from your schedule to do these 100 lifts. To take a minute’s silence to remember the man…then take 5 minutes of physical action to honour what the man stood for. It is absolutely what he would have wanted.

If you would like to be part of this commemoration or share your story of Xavier, please send us your own personal comment and we will add it to this page.

87 responses to “Xavier Dolino Memorial page”

  1. Edel Naughton avatar
    Edel Naughton

    I did 100 lifts last night in your honor, to say my goodbyes and appreciate what my body can do. I will always remember your willingness to introduce the Hour of Power to those around you, and I feel it has in some ways helped shape my life to what it is today.

    Edel – Canada

  2. Indira Ward avatar
    Indira Ward

    I did not know Xavier for a long time,but in that period of 2 years he managed to capture a place in my heart for the rest of my life-as a trainer that passed on the passion to 4×4 and Hour of Power,as a friend,as little brother that I always wanted to have.Even after he left Ireland I always felt his presence while lifting,and now I will lift in his honour every time I am in the gym.He inspired many of us and was taking no prisoners during the classes -will never forget his beautiful eyes pearcing through everybody in the class !He was great company, genuine and careing guy!
    Rest in peace brother!

  3. Christian Ferrari avatar
    Christian Ferrari

    Non smetto un solo minuto di pensare alla nostra splendida amicizia , che dura da ormai 17 anni , tante cose abbiamo fatto assieme , ci siamo divertiti , ora vivrò nel tuo ricordo e servirò per raccontare alcune centinaia , delle migliaia di cose che hai fatto , che non hai fatto o potuto fare e tante cose che hai solo pensato , sarò il tuo portavoce solo di fatti e avvenimenti , accaduti solamente a te , o a noi assieme !
    Tuo amico per sempre Christian

  4. Fitness4x4 avatar
    Fitness4x4

    When people die nice things are said about them – in some cases that is justifiable in some not. As far as Fitness4x4 training method I feel nobody was as dedicated and loyal. Xavier inspired me with his enthusiasm and energy, his beleiving that one day many more people would be involved. Just days before he died we were planning to go to our camp and make more plans but it was not to be. It was a great loss for me and for all of us – Hour of Power people.

  5. Scott Hutton avatar
    Scott Hutton

    What a guy! The World is a poorer place without him. I trained with Xavier for about 2 years – it was never enjoyable but we all knew it was working. When he beat Leukaemia for the first time, he amazed me. He read everything on the subject and devised a diet to help in every possible way. He knew the chemotherapy was poisoning his body so did everything possible to counter the effects by eating well. His hospital room resembled a cross between a pharmacy and a fruit & veg stall.

    I also remember when he was trying to invent some form of submarine! His passion knew no bounds!

    Xavier, I will always remember you with a smile. You touched many lives and we are all the better for it!

    Work like you don’t need money,
    Love like you’ve never been hurt
    Dance like no-one’s watching and
    Live like its heaven on Earth.

    Scott, Dubai.

    PS – am off to the gym to do my 100 lifts.

    1. Paul Maloney avatar
      Paul Maloney

      nicely put scott

  6. Chiara De Gregorio avatar
    Chiara De Gregorio

    Amore mio… anche io mi unisco scrivendo qualcosa di te… mi hai sempre raccontato qualcosa di tutte queste persone che ora hanno scritto qui sotto… I’m happy you passed your last year always with me… you gave me a lot of smiles and you gave me all your love……… You’ve been my man, my friend….. and I’m very PROUD to be your woman ’till the end. You loved me so much……. and you showed me every single day. I’ve done my 100 lifts for you. I love you and I’ll love you FOREVER. I’ll be your woman eternally…….. goodbye my love.
    Chiara and Xavier

    1. Matilda Radovic avatar
      Matilda Radovic

      Dear Chiara
      I’m so sorry that you lost Xavier after such a short time together. I know it can’t have been easy when he became ill again but I just wanted to tell you that Xavier was so happy that he had you in his life. He talked about you all the time when he came to the Dragan Challenge in Birmingham last May and I have to tell you that we all noticed how he had changed because he had someone special in his life. He was much calmer and at peace with life and he exuded happiness, which can only have been because of you. He wouldn’t want you to be sad, he would want you to continue ‘lifting’ ….. so maybe we will meet one day at the retreat in Montenegro. Be strong! Be brave!

      1. Chiara De Gregorio avatar
        Chiara De Gregorio

        Thank you very much Matilda… I know that I was very important for him, and I was one of the reasons beacuse he wanted survive. He always told me that next spring he wanted to build a family with me but he also told me that was so tired to fight this illness…. last 2 months have been truly hard for us. I think that see The One you love, the man of your life suffering in that way is too cruel… and despite everithing he always had his BIG SMILE on his face. I’m happy to read your words. That is a confirm of his love for me. I’m always been PROUD of him and I told him very often. Now he miss me so much… my room is full of his objects… but I’ll try to be strong and brave like he wants. This morning I’ve done the 100 lifts for him and I know he was watching me proud!!!!! Thank you for everything, I’ll keep him always here with me…..

  7. Saul Taylor avatar
    Saul Taylor

    100 lifts completed in memory of Xavier. Te Aroha nui from Saul in Aotearoa New Zealand x

  8. Kiran Shashi Kaushal avatar
    Kiran Shashi Kaushal

    Didn’t know Xavier very well but had the pleasure of meeting him and having a few laughs at this years Body Power and also getting a few fun pics with him too. He was definitly a fighter and a strong heart! Lived by his beliefs and chose to spread the word to as many people as he could! A loss definitely felt by all who knew him. May you be surrounded by the most peace, love and contentment as you continue on the next part of your journey through Life.

  9. Ian Reilly avatar
    Ian Reilly

    Xavier, you were a gentleman, rest in peace.

  10. Tony Sesto avatar
    Tony Sesto

    I completed 100 lifts in your honour and dedicated tonights Hour Of Power class to you. I have to say that the energy was amazing; you were in the hall with each and every participant. R.I.P You will always be remembered for your strength and amazing courage.