An overwhelming number reality TV stars have tragically passed away in recent years, for a wide variety of reasons.
Some of the names below are from well known reality series and practically household names. Some are less known.
All of them are gone from this world, but will never be forgotten. Remember their stories and pay your respects below.
May they all rest in peace…
Angie Douthit
Teen Mom OG star Mackenzie McKee’s mother, Angie Douthit, passed away on December 9, 2019 after a lengthy journey with cancer. The news was revealed on Douthit’s Instagram the following day. “On Monday, December 9 at 11:37pm, Angie finished her race,†the caption read. “Her last days were spent lovingly surrounded by family and friends as they prayed, sang, and shared funny Angie stories.”
Mary Duggar
The grandmother from Counting On died on June 9 at the age of 73. “She is greatly loved and will be missed so very much!†the Duggar family said in a statement on Facebook. “She lived a tremendous life as a follower of Christ, a wife, a devoted mother, a loving mother-in-law, and a much-loved grandmother. Proverbs 31:10-31 describes the virtuous woman, indeed she personified these beautiful verses with her life. We deeply appreciate your prayers for our family and all who loved Mary during this time.â€Â
Beth Chapman
Beth Chapman was the long-time, belooved wife of Duane Chapman and was often by his side on both Dog the Bounty Hunter and Dog and Beth: On the Hunt. She lost her brave battle against throat cancer in June 2019. Shew as 59 years old.
Mike Thalassitis
Mike Thalassitis, who appeared on U.K. reality show Love Island, was found dead on March 16, 2019, in his Essex, London home. He was just 26 years. According to USA Today, reports suggest that he took his own life, as police said that his death was “not being treated as suspicious.”
Haley Smith
The American Idol alum died at age 26 in August ofo 2019 following a motorcycle incident. The singer was pronounced dead at the scene at Medway Road in Millinocket, Maine.
Daniel Wright
The Biggest Loser contestant from seasons 7 and 8 died at the age of 30 on May 26, 2019, nearly two years after being diagnosed with leukemia.
Alexis Eddy
Alexis Eddy passed away at the very young age of 23 in Janury 2020. The star appeared on Season 6 of MTV’s Are You The One and spent many years battling a substance abuse problem. She was found by authorities after someone called the police to say a woman had suffered a cardiac arrest.
Elsa Patton
Best known as “Mama Elsa†on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Miami, she died in May 2019. The Havana, Cuba-born Patton was the mother of longtime Miami publicist Marysol Patton, who was a cast member of the series from 2011 to 2013.
Billy Smith and Joe Smith
The My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding twins died in a suspected joint suicide on December 28, 2019. The former reality TV stars appeared on the British reality show in 2013.
Lyric McHenry
McHenry starred for the only season of EJNYC and died at the age of 26. Of a drug overdose. While pregnant. Her death came as a total shock to those who knew her well.
Jael Strauss
Jael Strauss came in sixth on America’s Next Top Model Season 8. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2018 and was gone just two months later. At the age of 34.
James “L.B.†Bonner
At the very young age of 30, this My 600-Lb. Life star was found dead on August 2, 2018. A coroner’s report later confirmed his cause of death was suicide. Tragic stuff.
Michael Johns
The American Idol finalist died suddenly in August 204. According to reports, Johns had twisted his ankle and had gone to see a doctor because of the excessive swelling. The following day, the reality TV star was found dead by a friend. Reports indicate that Johns had died from a blood clot, which developed in his sprained ankle.
Brandon Rogers
A beloved contestant on America’s Got Talent, Rogers passed away mere weeks before his episode was scheduled to air in June of 2017. The singer was so talented, Boyz II Men actually had him perform on stage with them in January of 2016 prior to his death.
Bernie McGee
The Seeking Sister Wife star passed away at the age of 41 after suffering a heart attack and heat stroke while riding his bicycle on June 15, 2019. “Our hearts go out to the McGee family following the loss of husband and father Bernie McGee,” TLC said in a statement. McGee and wife Paige Mcgee, whose polyamorous relationship was documented on the show, shared four kids.
Chris March
The Project Runway season 4 star died after suffering a heart attack on September 5, 2019. He was 56 years old and was previously placed in a medically induced coma after he fell and hit his head at his home in June of 2017. After several weeks he woke up to learn that he was paralyzed from the knees down in both legs, as well as his right arm.
Phil Harris
He was a Discovery Channel star and the captain of the crab-fishing vessel Cornelia Marie — and he died on February 9, 2010, of an intracranial hemorrhage resulting from complications of a massive stroke he had suffered in late January. He was 53 years old.
Christina Grimmie
Christina Grimmie was a singer who first began gaining popularity from YouTube. She later worked as a backup singer for Selena Gomez, and in 2014, she appeared as a contestant on The Voice. In 2016, she performed in Orlando, and whhen she was signing autographs outside afterwards, she was shot by a seriously unstable fan, who then shot himself. She was only 22 years old.
Lisa Fleming
After appearing on season 6 of My 600-Lb. Life, Lisa Fleming died at the age of 50 on August 23, 2018. Her death was related to her life-long struggle with her figure and her weight.
Justin Tennison
Also a Deadly Catch star. He was was found dead in an Alaska hotel room on February 22, 2011. An autopsy revealed that the 33-year-old star had died due to untreated complications related to sleep apnea.
Gia Allemand
Gia Allemand was a contestant on The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love, as well as Bachelor Pad. In 2013, after getting into an argument with her boyfriend, she attempted suicide. After a couple of days in the hospital, doctors declared her brain dead, and she was taken off life support. She was only 29 years old.
Eric Hill
Hill passed away on April 23, 2014, after a paragliding accident in Utah. His death preceded the airing of his season of The Bachelorette, as he was one of the men vying for Andi Dorfman’s affection.
Big Ang
Legendary Angela “Big Ang” Raiola rose to fame after appearing on Mob Wives — she also had two spin-offs, Big Ang and Miami Monkeys. In 2015, doctors discovered a cancerous tumor in her throat, and although it was successfully removed, her cancer returned several months later. It had also spread to her lungs and brain. A few months after that in February of 2016, she passed away. She was 55.
Mindy McCready
Mindy McCready was a country singer best known for her song “Guys Do It All the Time.” Unfortunately, she was also known for her chaotic personal life after making a particularly heartbreaking appearance in a season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. She struggled with substance abuse and mental illness, and she attempted suicide at least twice before fatally shooting herself on her front porch in 2013. She was 37 years old.
Corey Haim
Cory Haim was a beloved child actor in the 80s, known for movies like The Lost Boys, Lucas, and License to Drive. Later, he broke onto the reality TV scene with a show called The Two Coreys — the other Corey, of course, being Corey Feldman. He battled addiction for most of his life, but when he died in 2010, the cause was listed as pneumonia. He was 38 years old.
Lisa Marie Naegle
Lisa Marie Naegle was a woman who appeared on Bridalplasty, a short-lived reality show in which women competed in various wedding-related games in order to earn various plastic surgery procedures. In 2016, six years after appearing on the show, she was murdered by her lover — he beat her with a hammer and buried her in a shallow grave in his backyard. She was 36.
Valerie Fairman
Valerie Fairman appeared on 16 and Pregnant, but instead of going on to appear on Teen Mom 2 like some of the other girls from her season, she fell hard into addiction. She’d been arrested numerous times over the years, including a 2015 arrest for prostitution, and her mother had full custody of her daughter, Nevaeh. In 2016, she was at a friend’s house when she was found unresponsive in the bathroom. Later, it was revealed that she died of an overdose, with multiple drugs found in her system. She was only 23 years old.
Anna Nicole Smith
Anna Nicole Smith was an American icon, let’s be real. She first achieved fame as a model, posing for Playboy and clothing companies like Guess. She also tried out acting for a while, but what many people may remember her for best was as a reality star — The Anna Nicole Show was honestly amazing. Unfortunately, she had a problem with abusing prescription medication, and that’s what led to her death. In 2007, she took a deadly combination of pills, including sleeping pills and four different kinds of benzos. She was 39.
Shain Gandee
Shain Gandee starred in MTV’s Buckwild. The series was like Jersey Shore meets Jackass. Gandee, his uncle, David Dwight Gandee and his friend, Donald Robert Myers, died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning when the car they were driving in got submerged in mud. He was 21 years old.
Diem Brown
Diem Brown appeared on several seasons of the MTV reality show, The Challenge. In her very first season, all the way back in 2005, she told her castmates that she’d been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was in remission for several years, and in between filming appearances on The Challenge, she worked as a journalist. Her cancer returned in 2012, and again in 2014, when she was filming. She collapsed on set and was rushed to a hospital. She passed away three months later at the age of 34.
Simone Battle
Simone Battle got her start on The X Factor USA in 2011, and was later part of a girl group called G.R.L. In 2014, her boyfriend found her dead in her home — she’d killed herself. Her rep later claimed that she’d been depressed because of money issues. She was 25.
Ryan Dunn
Ryan Dunn was known for being part of the original Jackass cast, appearing on the show, all three movies, and spin-offs like Viva La Bam and Bam’s Unholy Union. In 2011, he crashed his car into a tree, killing himself and a passenger, his friend Zach Hartwell. It was later discovered that he’d been driving between 132 to 140 miles per hour, and that his blood alcohol level was over twice the legal limit. He was 34 years old.
Caleb Bankston
Caleb Bankston appeared on Survivor: Blood Vs. Water in 2013, along with fiancé Colton Cumbie. Back in the real world, he worked as a train engineer, and a year after his appearance on survivor, he died in an accident at work — one train derailed while he was working and crushed him against another. He was 26.
Eric Hill
Eric Hill appeared on the tenth season of The Bachelorette. After filming his time with Andi Dorfman, he went paragliding in Utah, and his parachute collapsed, resulting in serious injury. He spent three days in the hospital in critical condition before he passed away. He was 32.
Joey Kovar
Joey Kovar appeared on The Real World, and later he appeared on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew to receive treatment for his addiction to alcohol, ecstasy, cocaine, meth, and steroids. Three years after that, he died from an opiod overdose. He was 29.
Russell Armstrong
Russell Armstrong was a cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills — he was married to Taylor Armstrong. In 2011, she filed for divorce, and shortly after that, they were both sued for 1.5 million dollars after Russell’s company allegedly misappropriated funds. A month later, he hung himself. He was 47.
Mark Balelo
Mark Balelo made appearances in several episodes of the show Storage Wars, where he purchased storage units to put items in his auction house. In 2013, he was arrested for a drug-related offense, and when he was released, he was so upset that he called his fiancée and asked her to stay with him because he was afraid of what he might do to himself. She did, and when he seemed to be feeling better, she went home. One of his employees found his body the next morning — he’d killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning. He was 40.
Jenni Rivera
Jenni Rivera was a singer known for work in Mexican music genres, and also for reality shows like Chiquis & Raq-C and I Love Jenni. She was also a coach on La Voz… México, a singing competition show based on The Voice. In 2012, she boarded a small jet at Monterrey International Airport along with five passengers and two crew. At some point, air traffic controllers lost contact with with the plane, and later that day, the wreckage was found. There were no survivors. She was 43.
Mitchell Guist
Mitchell Guist starred on Swamp People, along with his brother, Glenn. In 2012, he was moving items onto his boat when he had a heart attack. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at his local hospital. He was 47.
Lex McAllister
Lex McAllister appeared on Season 14 of The Bachelorette. In 2016, someone called 911 from her home, telling the operator that Lex had taken “a lot of pills” in a suicide attempt. When paramedics arrived, she was stable, but things got worse when she arrived at the hospital. She’d been placed on life support, and her family then made the decision to take her off of it. She was 31.
Herman Echevarria
Herman Echevarria appeared on The Real Housewives of Miami as Alexia Echevarria’s husband. He was found dead in a hotel room in 2016, and although we don’t know his exact cause of death, we do know that he died of natural causes, and police did reveal that Alexia had told the he suffered from some kind of medical issue. He was 61.
Paulie Giganti
Paulie Giganti was a chef who competed on the 16th season of Hell’s Kitchen. He was found dead in his home in 2017, and his death was ruled as an “accidental death by drug intoxication.” He was 36.
Clay Adler
Clay Adler starred on Newport Beach: The Real Orange County, a short-lived MTV reality show that aired in 2007. In 2017, he was shooting a gun with some friends in the desert when he purposely shot himself in the head. He passed away in a hospital the next day. He was 27.
Ashley McNeely
Ashley McNeely was a contestant on Tila Tequila’s dating show, A Shot at Love. In 2017, he was found dead in his home, and although the cause of death was never announced, it was revealed that police found “drug paraphernalia, prescription medication and other believed to be illegal substances” near his body. He was 35.
Christopher Boykin
Christopher Boykin worked as a bodyguard for Rob Dyrdek, but he later got his own show with Rob called Rob & Big in 2006. He quit the show after the third season to start a family, but in 2011, he began appearing on another show of Rob’s, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. He’d been dealing with heart problems for a while when he was hospitalized in 2017. While in the hospital, he had a heart attack, and doctors were unable to revive him. He was 45 years old.
Michael Nance
Michael Nance was a contestant on the eighth season of The Bachelorette. On the show, he admitted to Emily Maynard that he’d been addicted to prescription painkillers. Five years later, in 2017, he was found unresponsive, and when he arrived at a hospital, he was pronounced dead. His autopsy revealed that he’d done cocaine, heroin, and two different kinds of prescription medication, and the mixture was what caused his death. He was 31.
Danny Dias
We first saw Danny Dias when he appeared on MTV’s Road Rules in 2004, then he went on to appear on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet 2. After his stint on reality TV, he became an activist — he co-founded generationCURE, a charity that funds research for a cure for AIDS. In 2017, he was found dead in his apartment, and though he had two fresh cuts on his forearm, the cause of death was later revealed to be chronic substance abuse. He was 34.
Joel Taylor
Joel Taylor starred on the Discovery Channel show Storm Chasers — he was a driver and a meteorologist for the team. The show was canceled in 2012, and six years later, he was found dead on a cruise ship. His autopsy found that he’d taken a lethal mix of drugs, including ketamine, ecstasy, and a sleeping pill. He was 38.
Rodney King
Rodney King made the news in 1991 when he was brutally beaten by police during an arrest. When the officers responsible for the beating were tried, three were acquited and one got off easy, and people were so upset, it kicked off the LA riots. Years later, in 2008, he appeared on a season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. He did well for a while, but in 2012, he was found at the bottom of his swimming pool. His autopsy revealed that he had alcohol and cocaine in his system and that, combined with a heart condition, made him “unable to save himself.” He was 47.
Sophie Gradon
Sophie Gradon was a model and socialite who also appeared on the British dating show, Love Island, in 2016. In June of 2018, she was found dead in her home, and although a cause of death wasn’t immediately apparent, many presume she committed suicide. She was 32.
Annabelle Neilson
Annabelle Neilson was a former model who starred on the Bravo show Ladies of London. She was also once the muse of late designer Alexander McQueen. She was found dead in July of 2018, and although she’d previously struggled with a heroin addiction and mental illness, her family later announced that she’d had a heart attack. She was 49.
Carlos Lopez
Carlos Lopez starred on Operation Repo, and he also made appearances on shows like iCarly and CSI: Cyber. Aside from his acting and reality career, he spent over three years in the military. In June of 2018, he was found dead by his roommate — he’d shot himself in the head. He was 35.
Neal Boyd
Neal Boyd was an opera singer who went on to win America’s Got Talent in 2008. As his prize, he won a million dollars and a show in Las Vegas, and on top of that, he got a record deal. He passed away ten years after his big win, in June of 2018, of heart and kidney failure and liver disease. He was 42.
Blake Painter
Blake Painter appeared as a captain on Deadliest Catch for two seasons. In May of 2018, he was found dead in his home, and although an official cause of death hasn’t been announced, drugs were found near his body, including heroin, meth, and an assortment of pills. He was 38.
Anthony Riley
Anthony Riley appeared on the eighth season of The Voice, but he decided to leave the show midway through the competition to check himself into rehab for substance abuse. In 2015, shortly after his season aired, he was found dead in his apartment of an apparent suicide. He was 28.
Mychael Knight
Mychael Knight appeared on the third season of Project Runway, as well as the third season of Project Runway: All Stars, and in 2007, he began his own fashion label. He passed away unexpectedly in 2017, and his cause of death still isn’t known. He’d been open about his struggle with severe IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) in the months before his death, but since IBS isn’t fatal, a popular theory is that he was actually battling a different, more serious intestinal condition like Crohn’s disease. He was 39.
Damien Gurganious
Damien Gurganious was on The Biggest Loser: Couples with his wife, Nicole Brewer, in 2009. In 2014, he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease, ITP, that causes a low platelet count, which causes easy bleeding. He was receiving treatment in a hospital, but he passed away after the disease caused bleeding in his brain. He was 38.
Nicholas “Duffy” Fudge
May Nicholas Fidge rest in peace. The Wicked Tuna crew member was only 28 years old at the time of his passing.