'Larger than life': Phoenix yoga teacher Marcus Freiberger mourned by LGBTQ+ community
Since the news of his death became public, it has become clear what a beloved figure Marcus Freiberger had been to family, friends and those in the LGBTQ+ community.
The 45-year-old Phoenix yoga instructor, who was missing for more than a month, was found dead on March 19.
His disappearance and death have impacted those who knew the man, whom many described as "larger than life."
"It is with a heavy heart that I share the tragic news that Marcus is no longer with us. Losing him feels like losing a part of ourselves and I know this will be just as difficult for you," his sister Tina Hall wrote on Facebook. "We thank all of you for the love and support you have given Marcus and our family."
Family and friends were initially alerted to his disappearance when his beloved dog, Thomas, was left abandoned in his apartment, something they say Marcus would never have done.
A missing person's report was filed on March 14. Family and friends' worst fears were confirmed when police responded to reports of a possible dead body at a rock quarry near 15th Avenue and Broadway Road.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office identified the body as Freiberger's, police said.
"He was taken in a very bad way. You're never too old or too big to let them know where you're going or what you're doing. We might have found out a lot quicker about what happened," Forrest Kruger, owner of Melrose Yoga, said.
Freiburger was a popular teacher at Melrose Yoga and was in the midst of rebuilding his life. He posted on Instagram in December 2024 about his journey to becoming a yoga instructor.
"My life had been flip turned upside down over the last year and a half, without this journey I have no idea if I would be around anymore," Freiburger said in the post. "I don't say that lightly, I say that with all seriousness. This journey is forcing me to go inward to find my answers, my peace, and to heal."
Freiberger began working at Melrose Yoga at the end of the summer in 2024 while he was getting his teacher certificate and practice teaching hours, Kruger said.
"He was really enthusiastic and had a really great path ahead of him. He had some problems in the past, but he had really overcome those and was spreading his wings and doing really well," Kruger said. "What a great yoga teacher; even some of the teachers here were taking his classes."
Kruger also remarked on Freiberger's kindness.
"If he saw you struggling or suffering, he'd sit down and join you just to make sure you weren't alone. He just wanted to alleviate suffering in the world and be part of the community," Kruger said. "We're really devastated his journey was cut short."
The yoga studio is a place that serves the Melrose LGBTQ+ community, offering "a safe space to connect, heal, grow, and thrive," according to their Facebook page.
That was Freiberger, too, friends said — a safe space for others.
"He was always there to help someone else. He would say, 'Take a breath,' and everything is going to be OK and calm you down," friend Will Bjerke said.
Bjerke recalled meeting him for the first time at the Bunkhouse, a popular bar for the LGBTQ+ community, especially for gay men.
Freiberger came up to Bjerke and said, 'Oh, you're a ginger.'"
Bjerke responded, "You might smell like Cinnamon Toast Crunch when you hug me."
"My favorite cereal!" Freiberger joked back.
"He was so nice; he would never get crazy. He would always have a good time with his friends. He was just a sweet, nice guy," Bjerke said. "He was a sweet, gentle giant."
I just found out that Marcus, my ex from many years ago, has passed away. He went missing, and today, he was found. I'm...
Posted by Scott Jacqmein on Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Scott Jacqmein, an ex of Freiberger, wrote a tribute on Facebook, remembering him fondly.
"I just found out that Marcus, my ex from many years ago, has passed away. He went missing, and today, he was found. I'm still a little numb," Jacqmein said in the post. "We were together for about three years—years filled with bright spots and big splats, laughter and heartbreak. He broke my heart, and I'm sure I broke his too. But there was love there. And time. And memories."
Jacqmein said Freiberger was known to be larger than life, with a magnetic personality that brought their community and friend group together. Though they parted ways as a couple, Jacqmein said they had continued to cheer each other on through social media over the years.
He said he had celebrated Freiberger's successes and triumphs, his new pathway to becoming a yoga instructor and the community he had created along the way.
"He knew how to draw a crowd, just from his place of being. He went through a lot of hard times, and he seemed to triumph through them, and it's sad for his story to end this way," Jacqmein said.
The beloved yoga instructor's disappearance has certainly rippled through the LGBTQ+ community that he served.
"The whole gay community is devastated, and it's going to get louder because we want to know why this happened," Kruger said.
What we know: Marcus Freiberger, beloved missing Phoenix yoga teacher, found dead
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Marcus Freiburger's journey was cut short, yoga studio owner says
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