Canadian model and Guinness World Record holder Rick Genest, known to the world under the pseudonym Zombie Boy, was found dead in his home in Canada. Presumably, the man committed suicide.

What was Rick Genest known for and what details about his death have become clear at this point, says Medialeaks.

In the Canadian city of Montreal on August 1, Genest, also known as Zombie Boy. Police reported his death, CBC writes.

Information about the death of Zombie Boy was confirmed on Twitter by his friend, singer Lady Gaga.

Who is Zombie Boy

Rick Genest, also known by his stage name Zombie Boy, is a 32-year-old model from Canada. He became famous for his extravagant appearance: his body is covered from head to toe with numerous tattoos, thanks to which the man looks like a skeleton. Genest was twice included in the Guinness Book of Records - as the owner of the largest number of tattoos depicting insects (176), and drawings on the body in the form of bones (139).

Rick himself noted that he began getting his tattoos at the age of 16, after he managed to defeat a brain tumor. In 2010, his Facebook page became very popular and the guy was noticed by fashion designer Nicolas Formichetti, who works closely with Lady Gaga. In 2011, Rick began participating in clothing shows, and then starred in Lady Gaga’s Born This Way video, where the singer wears makeup similar to Zombie Boy’s tattoos.

Participation in the video provided Zombie Boy with final fame. In addition to participating in fashion shows, he posed for magazines such as GQ, Vanity Fair and Vogue, appeared in television shows (for example, “Austria's Next Top Model”) and even appeared together with Keanu Reeves in the film “47 Ronin”, released in 2013.

Before his death, Rick Genest worked with Rob Zombie's former guitarist Mike Riggs on his new album, notes Et Canada. Judging by Genest's latest Instagram posts, he also participated in Home Depot's Orange Door charity project, which helped young homeless people.

What is known about the death of Zombie Boy

Rick Genest was found dead in his home in Montreal, in the Plateau Mont-Royal area, on Wednesday, August 1. According to the police version cited by Cba, he committed suicide. Other publications, however, note that there is no official information about the cause of the model’s death yet.

Zombie Boy did not live six days before his birthday - on August 7 he would have turned 33 years old. On August 2, a post appeared on Zombie Boy’s Instagram and Facebook with an image of a ring of light in the darkness, which he accompanied with a poem of his own composition. Rick most likely set the publication on a self-timer before committing suicide.

He wrote the poem Well about Damballa. We are talking about a mystical entity from the voodoo religion, revered as the creator of all living things.

"Oh, Damballah.

We howl at the stars suspended from above

Our souls fall into a stone well,

Like a fire laid between two destinies,

Of the most boring stories.

Every breath cuts ice, as if the flesh is suspended

Before the old narrow gates of death,

Where is the bold and brazen last ritual?

Fulfills our desire for madness.

Deep underground

We kissed our prayers

So harsh and cold

On metal shells.

Freed by moonlight."

Addition, expansion (@zombieboyofficial) 2 Sep 2018 about 8:37 PDT

After announcing the death of Zombie Boy, Lady Gaga urged subscribers to be more attentive to their mental health and, if necessary, ask for help.

The Dulcedo management modeling agency, with which Zombie Boy collaborated, also posted on Facebook on August 3 that it was mourning Rick Genest, writes Globalnews. However, in the comments under the post asking whether Genest committed suicide, company representatives noted that “at this moment they can neither confirm nor deny the information, there are no witnesses yet, and we need to wait for information from investigators.”

Rick Genest is a man with unique tattoos who was included in the Guinness Book of Records. Canadian "Zombie Boy", actor, model, born in 1985. He is known for his scary tattoos on his body.

Perhaps not all people have heard the name Rick Genest, but if you show a photo of this young man, many will recognize him. His appearance is so specific and original that once you see it, you won’t be able to forget it.

Photo of Zombie Boy: Rick Genest

His entire body is covered with tattoos, but this is not what attracts attention. With the help of his tattoo artists, he was able to create amazing designs on the body that are difficult to find anywhere else. These are not the notorious hieroglyphs, abstract drawings, words, philosophical symbols, that is, what has already become commonplace. On the contrary, Rick took a different path, turning the body into a real anatomical theater, where almost every centimeter of area is occupied by the image of bones, tendons, muscle fibers, and ligaments. He did not forget about applying decorative decorations and even frightening drawings in the form of beetles.

He did not ignore his face, also making it a testing ground. Perhaps his calling card is the image of the brain, flawlessly applied to the skull.

First steps in transformation

He himself finds it difficult to say exactly when he felt the desire to transform his body; it happened so early. According to some sources, he got his first tattoo at the age of 15, according to other sources at the age of 16 (and he was born in 1985). He had dreamed of doing this before, but restrained himself out of respect for his parents, so as not to shock them too much. And having embarked on the road of independence and growing up, he set off along his chosen path.

Immediately after graduating from school, the young man left his parents' home; he had his own goals in life. Perhaps his worldview was influenced by a rather difficult childhood, where he had to undergo a complex operation to remove a brain tumor.

Yes, life is too short, and it can end at any moment, even at a young age, so you should live it the way you want: brightly and even somewhat crazy. Another feature of the young man’s tattoos is that they are created with amazing anatomical accuracy and are located in accordance with the structure of the human body.

Rick was lucky in that he collaborated with talented craftsmen who put their souls into their bodies and helped him create sketches, discussing every inch. In addition to anatomical accuracy, it was decided to shock the public in order to show not only the body, but also some physiological, putrefactive processes that occur in organic tissue during the process of decomposition.

Bottom line: People are shocked when they see Rick looking like a living but decaying corpse.

Way to success

In many ways, the young man’s fame was facilitated by the Internet and the active development of social networks. The flamboyant guy began conquering the world wide web by posting his photos on numerous popular social networks, in particular on Facebook. This calculation was justified, and a year later statistics showed that more than one and a half million people came to his Facebook page.

Among them were not just onlookers and thrill-seekers who lacked the courage to conduct similar experiments with their bodies, but also people of art and fashion who began to invite Zombie Combat into their projects. For example, an invitation came from the famous designer Nicolas Formichetti; in this way he wanted to attract attention to his fashion shows. This calculation was justified; people happily accepted Zombie Fight as a fashion model.

This was followed by even more interesting offers, for example, to star in a video for a famous singer who performed one of her most famous hits, “Born this way.” Especially for filming, the singer was also painted with similar images on Rick’s skin. This is how, step by step, this ordinary Canadian teenager began to turn into a real celebrity.

Still far from ideal

If you look at the Zombie Fight at a quick glance, it seems that the patterns are very complex: they are intertwined, partially overlap each other, some of them are symmetrical or asymmetrical. In general, the feeling is as if you have to look at the rotting corpse of a person without skin. However, Zombie Boy himself knows every millimeter of skin, every curve, shape. He says that it is still a long way from being fully compliant with the ideal, so he has developed a whole plan of action, implying that the modifications are not over yet.

If you go to the official website, you can see information where he talks in detail about choosing his path, about the process of applying tattoos, and he does not hide the amount of investment. He spent about $17,000 on the transformation.

Zombie fight phenomenon

It is not surprising that the stunning success and increased attention to the person became the reason that people began to actively experiment with their bodies. Interest in tattoos of similar themes has increased. However, no one has yet decided to make such radical changes. The guy has more than 50,000 followers on Twitter, and on Facebook the number of followers is also in the tens of thousands. There are even 65 groups dedicated to him.

Already in 2011, specialists from the Guinness Book of Records drew attention to him, adding his name to their pages. He is noted as the person with the most insect images on his body. When counting, it turned out that 178 different types of beetles were depicted on the skin of the Zombie Boy.

Filmmakers and other artists still continue to show interest in the guy, inviting him to their films. True, giving small roles and using it, rather, as an opportunity to emphasize the special surroundings of their cinematic works.

It is not known for certain how much the outrageous man earns, since his name really thunders all over the world. However, it is known that he does not at all strive to possess material values ​​and prefers to live a modest life. And in general, information often flashes in the press that Zombie Boy is not very interested in material values, he lives by his own rules, where the main place is not money, but the opportunity to transform himself and, using such an unusual way, send a message to the world about your worldview.

Cause of death

The death of Rick Genest became known on August 3, 2018. He was found dead in his home in Montreal, Canada. Death occurred on August 1, its cause was suicide.

The relevance and reliability of information is important to us. If you find an error or inaccuracy, please let us know. Highlight the error and press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Enter .


One of the most famous freaks and perhaps the most famous tattooed guy in the fashion world, Rick Genes, better known as Zombie Boy, was found dead after falling from a height at his home in Canada. His death is still surrounded by speculation, the official cause has not yet been announced, but Lady Gaga, with whom Zombie Boy collaborated 7 years ago, was one of the first to react to his death in her official public pages.

32-year-old Rick Genest was famous throughout the world as Zombie Boy because of his tattoos, which completely covered his body from head to toe. He has been featured in commercials for Dermablend cosmetics, in Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" video, in the film 47 Ronin alongside Keanu Reeves, and on the runway at numerous fashion shows.


Rick Genest's name has been included in the Guinness Book of Records twice. Once as the person with the most bone tattoos on his body - there were as many as 139 of them at the time of recording the record, and the second time - as the person with the most insect tattoos - 176.


Rick's family believes his death was a tragic accident - he may have lost his balance on the balcony while smoking. Moreover, the police could not find any suicide note. Police say the most likely cause of his death is suicide. One way or another, on August 1, 2018, a 32-year-old guy fell from the 4th floor and did not survive the fall.


"The suicide of my friend Rick Genest, Zombie Boy, has left me devastated," Lady Gaga tweeted. "We need to work harder to make sure people's mental health issues are no longer a stigma. If you're feeling down, call your family or friends. We must save each other."

Lady Gaga's posts are explained by the fact that Rick Genest suffered from mental disorders. Although no one specifies what exactly bothered Zombie Boy, it was not a new fact for the people he spent a lot of time with.


Eight years ago, Zombie Boy was discovered by Nicola Formichetti, Lady Gaga's stylist and creative director of the French fashion house MUGLER. Rick, who began getting his tattoos at the age of 16, by that time already stood out from the people around him. The reason for this was a strong experience - at the age of 15 he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and he had to spend six months waiting for a brain operation, which could have the most disastrous consequences for a teenager.


His goal was to create tattoos that imitated the inside of a person - so on Rick's skull you could see a tattoo of the brain, his face imitated a bare skull, and almost all the bones were drawn across his body.


Despite his provocative appearance, or perhaps because of it, Zombie Boy was invited several times to fashion shows as models in Paris and New York. In addition, he has appeared in many famous magazines, including GQ, Vanity Fair and Vogue Hommes.

All his life he was afraid of death. And he sang about her all his life. He didn’t really like publicity, was reluctant to give interviews, but did everything possible to stand out from the crowd and not be like anyone else.

Our article will tell you about Rick Genest. Zombie Boy, as he called himself, was an extraordinary person who managed to become famous throughout the world. They treated him differently: some with admiration, some with indignation. But both of them could not help but agree that this guy is truly original and individual.

"Addicted to Death"

Even in his youth, he began to think about death. And this is no accident: she was really very close. The fact is that Zombie Guy, Rick Genest, had every reason to believe that he would not even reach adulthood. The terrible diagnosis of a “brain tumor” forced him to grow up early. But timely treatment bore fruit: the operation was successful, the guy fully recovered from the disease and was completely healthy physically.

However, such things rarely pass without a trace. The diagnosis, which the doctors managed to overcome, left an indelible mark on Rick’s soul. The tumor was removed, but his life was no longer the same. He was never able to get rid of the feeling of dependence on death.

It was then that he came up with the pseudonym Zombie Boy, which after a while thundered throughout the world. It was then that he began to make tattoos, which made him famous. It was from then on that he called himself a living zombie - one who continues to live, having defeated death.

Rick was born in Chateauguay (Quebec, Canada) on August 7, 1985. As a child, he was practically no different from his peers. Everything changed when he turned 16, and for the first time he found himself in a tattoo artist’s office...

Tattooed man

It is unlikely that Genest thought long about the tattoo designs when choosing a theme. It was obvious to him.

The guy applied one tattoo after another to his body, making himself more and more like a zombie. On his back and chest, on his arms and legs, and even on his face, the back of his head and his neck, there are realistic images of bones with the remains of decaying flesh and insects crawling on them.

Here, by the way, it is worth noting the incredible professionalism of the craftsmen who managed to perfectly realize Rick’s idea. The tattoos look incredibly stylish and expensive, the image turned out to be solid and complete. The finishing touches, the icing on the cake, were the (relatively few) punctures.

Zombie Guy evoked different feelings in those who looked at his photo. There were also outright haters. But it’s unlikely that he was upset by other people’s opinions, otherwise he would not have carried out such experiments with his own appearance at all.

But there were also many who admired Rick’s crazy photos with all their hearts. He was not like everyone else - and this was very attractive to ordinary people. They wanted to look at him from all sides, to find logic in the drawings on his body. But he also didn’t look like a madman acting on impulse. High-quality execution of the idea, harmonious compositions and the result brought to its logical conclusion - all this distinguished him favorably among other fans of tattoos with skulls and crossbones. According to professionals, Zombie Boy's tattoo is a real work of art, one of the most outstanding works in the world.

One of those who admired the dark aesthetics of Rick's tattoos was Nicola Formichetti, a stylist, producer and good friend of Lady Gaga. He was the first to realize that Zombie Boy could become a real breakthrough in show business.

First serious work

Lady Gaga's video for the song Born This Way was the first serious work in Rick Genest's creative career.

Zombie Boy appeared in the frame in a stylish black suit. He doesn't dance, doesn't sing, barely moves and doesn't even smile - but his eyes are glued to the screen. Lady Gaga herself contributed to the triumph by copying his style. The singer was dressed in a similar trouser suit (feminine cut, of course), and her face was decorated with tattoos drawn by the make-up artist - exactly the same as Rick's.

It is worth noting that filming the video was not only the first step on the path to fame, but also the first brick in the foundation of a strong, sincere friendship that connected Genest and Lady Gaga until the very end.

Zombies in show business

Collaboration with the outrageous singer is just one of Formichetti’s projects. He is also the creative director of the fashion house Mugler. Nikola, as a creative, brave person, who loves everything unusual, decided to bring Zombie Boy to the podium.

Rick first appeared as a model at the Mugler youth collection show in 2011. Since then, he began to be invited to such shows both as a guest and as a model. Offers poured in one after another: the bored elite needed “fresh blood”, Rick really caught the right wave.

By that time, the world had long been crazy about zombies: the number of fans of films, computer games, and thematic festivals was growing by leaps and bounds. Rick was able to bring to life what others could only dream of. He really was what others imagined themselves to be when looking at their gadget screens.

Thanks to his tattoos, Rick Genest also got into the Guinness Book of Records, in two categories at once. He is the person whose body bears the largest number of insects (176) and bones (139).

Unusual projects with the participation of Zombie Guy

Rick Genest has never advertised the details of his private life. He had many friends, but there is no evidence of serious relationships with women.

Gossips went on a tirade after his provocative photo shoot with Andrej Pejic, a bisexual model for the Brazilian brand Auslander. It was rumored that the young people were involved in a romantic relationship. But filming was only part of the game - two shockers and hooligans simply decided to join forces to once again shock the public.

And the photos, it’s worth noting, turned out to be very cool: bright Pejic, with his clear eyes and chiseled beauty, and the usual gloomy Zombie Guy Rick Genest. Incredible contrast. Great idea and masterly execution.

Another interesting project is participation in the DERMABLEND cosmetics promotion. Many of those who saw the video, from top-notch marketing specialists to ordinary beauty bloggers, believe that this is the best advertisement for a cosmetic product.

Rick, as usual, is stingy with emotions. But the very fact of his participation in such filming reveals the potential of the advertised product. This video also gives us the opportunity to imagine what Zombie Boy would look like if he didn’t have tattoos.

What is known about Rick's death?

On August 1, 2018, just a week short of his 33rd birthday, Rick Genest committed suicide. Shortly before this, he posted a short poem of his own composition online.

The cause of Rick Genest's death is known to him alone. According to friends, he was a kind and open person who was not at all spoiled by fabulous fees. He had no debts or problems with loved ones, he did not envy anyone and did not suffer from unrequited love.

Psychologists believe that the cause of Rick Genest’s death was old problems that took root in his youth and made themselves felt until the end of his life. Rick was probably just tired. He perceived life as one of his creative projects, and more than once joked about what would happen to him after death. By the way, he was often asked if he was going to bequeath his skin to the anatomical museum, but he invariably answered that after his death, like everyone else, he would encounter worms.

Rick's Legacy

No matter what the haters say, it's impossible not to acknowledge the fact that Rick did something remarkable. He had no end to creative proposals; collectible dolls and costumes are created in his image, which means that there are thousands of times more of those who like his dark beauty.

He was a strange man. But everything he undertook, he did with high quality and with maximum dedication.

Not long ago, the world of show business was shocked by the news that Zombie Boy died: the cause of death was suicide. The outrageous model was found in her apartment in Montreal. As evil tongues prophesied, the tattoos led him straight to a meeting with the devil himself.

Zombie Boy found dead in his Montreal apartment, cause of death

According to information from various sources, it is known that model, actor and artist Rick Genest died on August 1, 2018. Presumably, the cause of his death was suicide. However, there is still no official confirmation of this information. The dead body of Zombie Boy was found in his apartment, which is located in Canada, in the city of Montreal. He was supposed to celebrate his 33rd birthday on August 7th.

The first person to express words of respect to Rick Genest was his close friend Stefani Germanotta. She is also known as the popular pop singer Lady Gaga. She was one of the first to speak publicly about his death. Her words tried to convey to the public that the death of an idol of millions should not lead fans to ruin their lives. She encourages everyone to work more on the psychological component of their lives and prevent similar incidents in the future. Anyone who feels unwell should inform loved ones or contact support.


Psychotherapist: For Zombie Boy, every tattoo was a “dose”

Rick Genest gained popularity in 2011 after starring in Lady Gaga's video for the song "Born This Way", then participated in many designer shows. Upon learning of the incident, Lady Gaga wrote on Twitter that she was “more than devastated” by the news.

“We need to do more to change the culture, bring mental health to the forefront and eliminate the stigma that we can't talk about it. If you are suffering, call a friend or family today. We must save each other,” Lady Gaga wrote.

Rick Genest entered the Guinness Book of Records as the person with the most tattoos of insects and bones. At least 90% of his body was covered with ink drawings.

Genest got his first tattoo after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor at age 15. According to a Canadian radio station, his nickname arose at that time.

Associate Professor at the Institute of Psychology and Education of the Kazan Federal University, Candidate of Psychological Sciences, psychotherapist Ramil Garifullin, on Sputnik radio, expressed his opinion about what was behind Rick Genest’s decision to cover almost his entire body with tattoos.

“The correct thing to say here is not that tattoos lead to some psychological conditions. On the contrary, initially there is already a certain psychological state - depression, emptiness, some kind of loss of meaning and values. In a word - suffering. And in this case, people are looking for various mechanisms in order to somehow “get attached” to life, to organize life affirmation. At the same time, a tattoo is not just a drawing, it is, first of all, the process of applying it, in which there is overcoming, a test. And after this, a person acquires a certain uplift of spirit for a while, and the problems of depression and emptiness that he previously had seem to disappear,” said Ramil Garifullin.

He believes that Rick Genest's main problem was that he suffered from addiction, that is, he was attached to certain values, without which he could no longer live.

“We must admit that this personality was most likely additive, that is, it was easily attached to various values, without which she would have depression. Such values ​​can be not only drugs and alcohol, tattoos can also be such values. Therefore, addiction, like dependence, is often the reason why a person draws himself, not because he just wants to set a record, but because he has a limited body area, and attacks of the need to receive a dose of experience in the process of drawing happen more and more often , so, of course, he (Rick Genest - ed.) was all painted. That is, tattoos and their application are often a product of this addiction,” the psychotherapist noted.

Rick Genest suffered from mental illness

When the guy was 15 years old, he underwent serious surgery to remove a brain tumor. As his biographers note, after that Rick’s worldview changed, he began to “flirt with death.”

At the age of 16, Zombie Boy began covering his body with tattoos. In total, he had 139 bone tattoos and 176 insect tattoos. For this, the guy was included in the Guinness Book of Records.

Even before he appeared on magazine covers, Rick attracted attention with his unusual appearance. People simply asked on the streets for permission to take pictures with him for money.

One day a guy approached him and offered to take a photo for the international magazine Dress to Kill. It was then that Italian designer Nicolas Formichetti, creative director of MUGLER and fashion director of Lady Gaga, drew attention to him.

Zombie Boy starred in Lady Gaga's video for "Born This Way," which received a Best Female Artist nomination at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.

There was Zombie Boy in Ukraine, in particular, in Donetsk, where he came as a DJ to a party in one of the city’s nightclubs. During his visit, he complained about communication difficulties caused by the fact that so few people were fluent in English.