Shocking and sad news today out of the world of MTV and reality television:
Ashley Sawyer, a subject on the series Catfish who became a viewer favorite after her episode aired in 2013, died in Alabama over last weekend.
She was only 23 years old.
No cause of death has been revealed or determined.
“MTV is deeply saddened to learn that Ashley Sawyer has passed away,” the cable network said in a statement.
“Our condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends.”
Sawyer stood out back in Season 2 because both she and her online crush, Michael Fortunato, admitted at the time that they had been catfishing each other.
That is, each had been sending the other false images that purported to be of themselves.
Still, at the conclusion of the installment, both also admitted they still felt a romantic connection.
Sawyer, a native of Georgia, told viewers that she was planning to visit Fortunato in New Jersey a second time.
One month after the episode first aired, Fortunato died of a pulmonary embolism at age 26.
In a recent catch-up special of the docuseries, Sawyer explained that she was staying in a sober-living facility after struggling with substance abuse.
According to MTV, she had since completed the program… gotten a job… and started living in her own apartment in Alabama.
Sawyer’s sister, meanwhile, confirmed to MTV that she had finished a treatment program and was living alone at the time of her passing.
Catfish host Max Joseph Tweeted his sadness at Ashley’s passing on Monday night.
“Shocked and saddened by the death of Ashley Sawyer,” he wrote. “So sweet and kind.”
We join Joseph in sending our condolences to Sawyer’s friends, family members and loved ones.
She joins a long list of famous faces we have already lost this year. May she – and they – rest in peace.
