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Remembering Tyler Duckworth & More Stars of The Challenge Who Died

Watch: ‘The Challenge’ Winner Tyler Duckworth Dead at 44

The death of Tyler Duckworth sent a jolt through the bonded-forever family of contestants who aced The Challenge.

“Absolutely heartbroken to hear about Tyler,” Brad Fiorenza—who teamed with his then-wife Toni Hall, Duckworth and Dunbar Merrill to win the MTV competition’s 20th season, The Challenge: Cutthroat, in 2010—posted on Instagram Aug. 13. “We shared something special being part of The Challenge family. I’ll always be grateful for the memories we shared…Tyler will be deeply missed by so many. May his amazing soul live on in the lives he’s touched.”

In paying tribute, Fiorenza shared a photo of himself with Duckworth and fellow alums Mark Long, Rachel Robinson, Tina Barta and Paulie Calafiore from a recent Challenge Mania podcast event. Duckworth shared the same pic Aug. 2, his final Instagram post.

The 44-year-old’s mother, Joni Duckworth, shared on Facebook Aug. 13 that her son died “earlier this week,” and the cause wasn’t yet known. The Grand Forks Police Department told E! News that Duckworth was found dead in a bathroom of his North Dakota home after they were called to do a welfare check.

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The Challenge Winner Tyler Duckworth Dead at 44

Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio—who appeared on The Real World: Key West with Duckworth in 2006 and teamed with him to win 2011’s The Challenge: Rivals—wrote on X, “When it rains it pours” with a heartbreak emoji.

Calafiore replied to the post, “Legends never die.”

Tyler Duckworth/Instagram

Devenanzio—who’s competing on the show’s currently unfolding 42nd season, also dubbed The Challenge: Cutthroats—said recently that “this sense of mortality has crept in” that he didn’t think about when he was younger.

“It’s like, throw myself off a building, jump in front of a semi-truck, go on spring break for six weeks, and none of that used to have any effect on me,” the 44-year-old told People in an interview published Aug. 13. “Now I show up, and I have to set my schedule like, “Okay, what days can I work out so I’m not sore if there’s a challenge coming up?'”

But even though the 25-time Challenge contestant says he hesitates “every single time” he’s asked to come back, it remains “a really fun ride.”

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One that has taken on a whole new meaning this season in the wake of Duckworth’s death.

“I thought they lost my number because I won two Challenges in a row and then never heard from them again,” Duckworth, who taught middle school and high school after his first reality TV run, told Entertainment Weekly in 2021 when he returned for The Challenge: All Stars 2. “It felt like I was being punished for doing so well. I love the opportunity to jump off buildings, to bungee jump, to eat crazy things—so absolutely. Sign me up for whatever. I’m down for all of it.”

Read on to remember more MTV show alums, including stars of The Challenge who have died since the series premiered in 1998:

Tyler Duckworth/Instagram

Tyler DuckworthPart of two winning Challenge teams—on Cutthroat in 2010 and Rivals in 2011—Duckworth reunited with fellow franchise alums at a Challenge Mania podcast event just weeks before his mother announced Aug. 13, 2026 that her son had passed away.The 44-year-old was found dead at his North Dakota home, where police were responding to a request for a welfare check, according to the Grand Forks Police Department.While he went on to work as a teacher, Duckworth told Entertainment Weekly in 2021 when he competed on The Challenge: All Stars 2, “I gave it my all. I don’t know if this might be my last rodeo, so I’m going to give you guys a motherf—ing show.”

Carley Margolis/FilmMagic

Danny DiasThe Road Rules: Extreme and The Gauntlet 2 alum was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment in June 2017.The New York Medical Examiner’s office later told E! News that the cause of his death was natural and there were no lethal drugs in him at the time, but that Dias had complications with chronic substance abuse.

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Christopher ”Big Black” BoykinKnown for his larger-than-life personality and inseparable bond with professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek, the Rob & Big star died from a heart attack at 45 years old in May 2017. Members of his MTV family paid tribute to the former bodyguard, remembering his unique sense of humor and family-first ideals.

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Clay AdlerThe Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County star, 27, succumbed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound while on a desert trip with friends in March 2017. After the reality series end in 2007, Adler—who aspired to work in the entertainment industry—went on to book television roles on Make It Or Break It and The Fish Tank.

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Valerie FairmanAt only 23, the 16 and Pregnant alum was found dead of a presumed overdose in 2016. Fairman’s years-long struggle with substance abuse was documented on her season, and in 2015 she was arrested on charges of prostitution. Valerie is survived by her 7-year-old daughter, Naveah.

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Ryan DunnRyan Dunn, a stunt performer who plied his trade on Jackass and Viva La Bam, died in a 2011 car accident. He was 34.Dubbed by friends as the “Random Hero,” Hollywood mourned Dunn’s sudden passing. Co-star Bam Margera told E! News at the time, “He was my best f–king friend in the world. It’s been five days now and I can’t stop crying man.”

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Diem BrownDiem Brown was 34 when she died of colon cancer in November 2014.The entertainment reporter and Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat and The Duel alum had previously survived ovarian cancer, which she was diagnosed with at 23.Former co-stars paid tribute to her after her death with an emotional MTV special, We Heart Diem, which highlighted her passion for life and dance.“Diem was such an important person in the Challenge universe,” her Fresh Meat partner Derrick Kosinski told E! News ahead of his appearance on The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras in 2024, “and to see our queen just looking over us, it’s just a beautiful thing to have.”

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Frankie AbernathyThe Real World: San Diego alum died at 25 in June 2007. She had long suffered from cystic fibrosis.Her appearance on the MTV series raised awareness about the chronic lung disease, though she memorably left mid-season because, as she put it, “I guess I’m just a little too punk rock for this.”

Pedro ZamoraPedro Zamora being part of the cast of The Real World: San Francisco in 1994 marked a pivotal moment in HIV/AIDS awareness and LGBTQ+ representation in pop culture and beyond.The 22-year-old died from complications of AIDS on Nov. 11, 1994, hours after the season finale aired.

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Ryan KnightThe 28-year-old star of The Real World: New Orleans and The Challenge was found dead from an accidental overdose at a residence in Wisconsin on Thanksgiving in 2014, two weeks after close friend Diem Brown’s passing.Knight’s girlfriend and fellow Real World alum Jemmye Carroll penned an open letter paying tribute to her “soulmate.”

Sean SasserFans of The Real World will remember Sasser from his relationship with Pedro Zamora and their televised commitment ceremony on the series. He kept Zamora’s legacy alive by continuing to bring awareness to AIDS up until losing his fight against mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lungs, in 2013 at the age of 44.

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Shain GandeeA castmember of Buckwild, the 21-year-old and two others were found dead from accidental poisonous carbon monoxide fumes filling their in 2013. In the wake of Gandee’s unexpected death, who MTV described as “sociable and loyal,” the network cancelled the series, which followed young adults living in rural West Virginia.

Michelle ParmaThe Dallas Cowboys cheerleader turned flight attendant, who appeared on Road Rules: Europe (a.k.a. season three) in 1997 and then competed on Extreme Challenge in 2001, died in a car crash along with her cousin Mandie Parma in October 2002. She was 27.”Michelle had a spirit about her that just pulled you in,” MTV producers Jonathan Murray and Mary-Ellis Bunim said in a statement at the time. “She was one of the nicest, most genuine people to ever be on one of our reality shows. We will all miss her terribly.”

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Sam SarpongSam Sarpong, who co-hosted Yo Momma with Wilmer Valderrama died by suicide at the age of 40 in 2015.”Sam did it all, believed in dreaming bigger than anyone around him,” Valderrama said in tribute. “We made memories together that will last us forever, thank you for sharing your talent with me and the world…”

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Erik RonerThe extreme sports star and frequent figure on Nitro Circus died at age 39 in 2015 after suffering injuries sustained in a freak skydiving accident. His close friends remembered Roner’s zest for adventure, sharing, “It’s about doing what we love and inspiring other people, and that’s what Erik was about. In Erik’s mind, living any other way was a waste.”

Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Image

Joey KovarThe Real World: Hollywood star left behind a young son and daughter after overdosing on opiates in 2012 at 29-years-old. More than 1,000 people gathered to mourn Joey’s passing at a funeral in Illinois, where family and friends remembered him as a “loving father.”

Kandice HutchinsonIn 2008, the Double Shot at Love contestant was killed in a car accident shortly after production wrapped on the dating competition. Producers did not edit Hutchinson out of any scenes, and dedicated an episode to her in her honor.

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