Tyler Duckworth, a two-time winner of MTV's reality competition series The Challenge, has died at the age of 44. His mother, Joni, announced his passing on Facebook on Thursday.
Duckworth was reportedly found unresponsive in his bathroom on Tuesday. A source told The Sun that Duckworth had recently undergone surgery, though it is unclear if the procedure is related to his death. The exact cause of death has not yet been determined.
His death comes less than two weeks after he attended The Challenge Mania event in Minneapolis on July 31, where he shared photos with fellow cast members including Rachel Robinson, Brad Fiorenza, Tina Barta, and Mark Long. He expressed gratitude for the fans and the opportunity to represent his hometown.
Members of The Challenge community shared tributes following the news. Fiorenza posted on Instagram, expressing heartbreak and gratitude for their shared experiences on the show. "Tyler will be deeply missed by so many," he wrote. Paulie Calafiore also posted on Instagram, noting Duckworth's vibrant energy and sending prayers to his family and friends.
Duckworth first appeared on reality television in 2006 on MTV's The Real World: Key West, shortly after graduating from Tufts University. He went on to compete in six seasons of The Challenge, including The Duel, The Gauntlet III, Cutthroat, Rivals, All Stars 2, and All Stars 3. He secured victories on Cutthroat and Rivals.
After a 10-year hiatus, Duckworth returned for All Stars 2 in 2021. He was working as a teacher at a local middle school after relocating to North Dakota in recent years.
The Challenge has seen the loss of several contestants over the years, including Michelle Parma, Diem Brown, Ryan Knight, Dave Mirra, and Danny Dias.