Gustavo Oliva dies at 58 after sharing a final message of gratitude

Gustavo Oliva, a leading figure in padel, died on Monday, October 19, aged 58. Before his death, he posted a message on social media expressing gratitude for all he had experienced, ending with the words: “I can only say thank you.”

In the post, Oliva reflected on the approaching end of his life and said that, over the years, he had learned to see things in perspective. He described himself as fortunate to have lived a full and happy life, and said that this helped him face his departure with a peace he had never expected. He also thanked those closest to him: “My family loves me so much, and I have tried to surround myself with friends I feel very lucky to have.” He closed with a farewell to his family and friends.

His sporting journey began in tennis before he moved to padel and became one of the best players in his country. Oliva was married and had two daughters, aged 30 and 33.

His message also urged people to take medical check-ups and prevention seriously. He said he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer that had spread to his liver, spleen and numerous lymph nodes after his first symptoms appeared. “Following the recommended prevention, it surely would have been detected in time,” he wrote, urging people not to neglect medical checks.

Tributes also reflected the place he held in Catalan padel. The Catalan Federation recalled that he had played on the Catalan circuit and for the Catalan team, coached and become a leading figure in the sport.

Fernando Belasteguín mentioned the meal they had not managed to share: “We’ll have it when we meet again, because we will.” Carolina Navarro wrote that Oliva’s words brought her peace and, above all, the sense that he had lived a happy life. His daughters paid tribute to him as “the best father in the world” and “the most admirable person.”

Oliva had chosen to end his message with a final farewell to his family and friends, leaving words of gratitude and an appeal to take prevention seriously.