'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Plenty of reality TV stars who made delightful appearances on the small screen died tragically young, either from accidents, illness, or suicide. Each of their deaths left a void not just in their families and associates' hearts, but also in the lives of the fans who witnessed them live their lives.
Reality TV isn't as theatrical as written entertainment but can be just as tragic. Steve Irwin, also known as The Crocodile Hunter, repeatedly placed himself in danger only to be brutally murdered by a generally benign species, a stingray. Christina Grimme, known for her confidence and aura on The Voice, died tragically at the hands of a man who was reportedly "an obsessed fan".
Here is a list of some of the reality TV stars who died far too young and under gruesome circumstances.
Steve Irwin and other reality TV stars who died, leaving fans heartbroken and shocked
1) Eric Hill, The Bachelorette
Eric Hill, a participant in season 10 of The Bachelorette, died in a fatal paragliding mishap in 2014. A contestant on Andi Dorfman's season of The Bachelorette, Hill was a traveler and adventure enthusiast who aspired to explore every nation in less than 1,200 days.
According to reports, the 32-year-old adventurer was paragliding at Point of the Mountain in Draper, Utah, when his parachute failed and flung him against the hillside. The Bachelorette contestant was in a coma for several days. Unfortunately, after a few days of struggle, he succumed to his wounds. Soon after, his grieving sister broke the news to the rest of the world.
Hill was eliminated from the show after a heated argument with Andi Dorfman which was a while before his fatal accident. Reportedly, Dorfman regretfully announced,
"I kicked him out. I can't believe that was my last conversation with him."
Hill's death put the ABC reality show's producers in an unpleasant predicament. The Bachelorette nearly decided not to run Eric's elimination, according to long-time host Chris Harrison, who recently parted ways with the show. In the end, the producers realized that not doing so would have proved disrespectful and improper.
2) Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter
Steve Irwin died at the age of 44 on September 4, 2006. Just before his death, he was working on a documentary tited Ocean's Deadliest in Batt Reef.
According to reports, production of the documentary was halted due to severe weather conditions and so Steve headed swimming to record a video for Bindi the Jungle Girl, a children's nature program he was making with his daughter, Bindi. During the course of shooting the video, Irwin encountered a short-tail stingray in depthless waters and trailed it in an effort to acquire a video of it. The stingray instantly sprang up and started stabbing the reality TV star aggressively using its stinger.
Irwin, an active environmentalist, was the presenter of a Discovery channel program called The Crocodile Hunter. He is one of the most well-known Australians of all time, and his hard work and commitment to nature had an influence across the world. Steve was helping to conserve the species way before people recognized him as the Australian Crocodile Hunter.
3) Christina Grimmie, The Voice
In a tragedy that occurred in a 2016 Florida meet and greet, a former The Voice contestant, Christina Grimme, died after being shot. According to reports, the killer was confirmed to be a 27-year-old man who shot himself dead right after shooting the 22-year-old reality TV star.
The reality TV star died as a result of the wounds sustained during the incident at The Plaza Live in Orlando. Before the attack occurred, she had just finished opening for the band Before You Exit and was proceeding with the meet and greet.
Grimmie's brother was praised as a hero by police who claimed he had attacked the culprit, who was holding two filled magazines and a huge knife along with two guns.
Several renowned personalities, celebrities, and friends of the deceased took to social media to share their deepest condolences.
Grimmie placed third in Season 6 of NBC's The Voice, which was broadcasted in 2014. The contestant had also performed Miley Cyrus' Wrecking Ball on the show and was quick to win hearts as part of the show. She was merely 19 years old and had picked Maroon 5 lead vocalist Adam Levine as her mentor.
4) Shain Gandee, Buckwild
Shain Gandee, MTV reality TV star, was discovered dead in a Ford Bronco in West Virginia at the age of 21 along with his uncles David Gandee and Donald Myers. According to state authorities, Gandee perished due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Shain was the star of Buckwild, a popular yet problematic reality TV program. Regional senator Joe Manchin had expressed his displeasure with the program, calling it a farce. The senator also stated that he was,
"Repulsed at this business venture, where some Americans are making money off of the poor decisions of our youth."
According to TMZ, Gandee earned very little income from the program. Ashley Gandee, the Buckwild star's cousin, informed TMZ that she was arranging an off-road trucking activity that costs $10 per car as a tribute to help the family financially.
Shain and his uncle were last seen at a bar in Sissonville at 3 a.m. on a Sunday, when they informed acquaintances about their travels. Their Bronco was discovered intact but drowned in a heavy muck around 30 hours later. It's suspected that smoke poured into the car's interior due to the muffler being immersed in mud.
5) Tyler Gwozdz, The Bachelorette
Another former contestant of ABC's The Bachelorette, Tyler Gwozdz, passed away at the age of 29 following an accidental overdose. Later, E! News revealed in a report that he died from an opioid (heroin) overdose as per the medical examiner's reports.
Reportedly, the Bachelor franchise's producers made a statement saying,
"We are heartbroken to hear the tragic news of Tyler's passing today. Our thoughts are with the Gwozdz family and his friends."
After making a brief appearance on the show's season 15 in 2019, fans' beloved Tyler G. unexpectedly quit the show. The reality TV later on offered an explanation to Refinery 29 saying on the abrupt end of his The Bachelorette journey,
"This was a decision that I came to with producers, and something that I've come to realize ... is the best decision that could've been made."
These deaths caught fans off guard as these reality TV contestants had impacted audiences either by inspiring them to view the world more profoundly or just offering a fun time to anyone who requires it.
