Very sad news today out of the reality television world:
Dan Kay, a contestant on Survivor: Gabon back in the fall of 2008, died suddently on December 31.
He was 40 years old.
The sad news has gone public as a result of a newly-printed obituary from the Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory.
Kay worked as a lawyer; hailed from Brookline, New Hampshire; and was born in 1976. He earned a bachelor’s degree from UMass-Amherst and also law degree from Syracuse University.
The cause of death is unknown at this time, as the obituary says only that he “died unexpectedly” on the final day of 2016.
It notes that Kay’s “desire to be challenged and his quest for adventure lead to his participation on the reality show, Survivor.”
Kay was the eighth person voted out of Survivor: Gabon.
During his run on the beloved CBS reality show, he described himself as an “athletic kid growing up,” and his obituary lists his hobbies as “running, skiing, listening to music, and attending Crossway Christian Church.”
In response to this tragic turn of events, Survivor host Jeff Probst Tweeted the following statement:
“I just heard the very sad news about the sudden loss of Dan Kay of Survivor: Gabon. The Survivor family sends our love to Dan’s family.”
After he was voted out, Kay told Andy Dehnart of Reality Blurred that it would be “a little bit shallow if I said [Survivor] changed my life,” but added:
“I think it made me appreciate the simplicity of life and what you need.””
Kay is the fourth Survivor cast member to pass away, following the deaths of Jenn Lyon, B.B. Anderson, and Caleb Bankston.
He is survived by his two young children, Reese Elizabeth and Jackson “Jax” Russell-Reid, as well as his girlfriend, Jennifer DePietro, mother, Jean-Ann, and sister, Andrea
.
“More than anything, Dan cherished the time he spent with his two young children, Reese Elizabeth Kay and Jackson “Jax” Russell-Reid Kay,” the obituary reads.
“Those who knew Dan best, would agree he was a child at heart.”
A memorial will be held Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at the Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory in Manchester, New Hampshire.
The obituary says that “memorial donations may be made to Crossway Christian Church, 503 Main Dunstable Rd., Nashua, NH 03062, or a charity of your choice.”
Here is a video of Dan introducing himself to Survivor viewers prior to taking part in Survivor: Gabon…
May he rest in peace.