“The Challenge” winner Tyler Duckworth has died at just 44 years old, stunning fans less than two weeks after he made a surprise appearance at an event celebrating the long-running MTV franchise.
Duckworth, who first found fame on “The Real World: Key West” before becoming a two-time “Challenge” champion, was found dead inside his home on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
His mother, Joni Duckworth, confirmed the devastating news on Facebook Thursday.
“My son, Tyler, passed away earlier this week,” she wrote. “Cause of death has yet to be determined. I will post on Facebook about services as soon as his dad and I figure it out.”
According to the Grand Forks Police Department, officers were called to Duckworth’s residence at around 11:45 a.m. Tuesday after neighbors living below him reported water leaking through their ceiling.
When officers entered the home, Duckworth was found dead in his bathroom.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing, but there are currently no signs of foul play or anything suggesting his death was suspicious.
His official cause of death will remain undetermined until an autopsy is completed. Authorities said toxicology testing will also be performed, with those results potentially taking 10 to 12 weeks.
Police have not determined exactly how long Duckworth had been dead, although they said he had reportedly been seen the previous day.
The shocking news comes just days after Duckworth appeared happy and energetic while reconnecting with his MTV family.
On July 31, he attended a Challenge Mania event in Minneapolis alongside fellow franchise favorites Rachel Robinson, Brad Fiorenza, Tina Barta and Mark Long.
Duckworth later shared photos from the gathering on Instagram and appeared thrilled to be back among fans and former castmates.
“@challengemaniapodcast always knows how to bring the BEST of the BEST together,” he wrote.
Duckworth said he was proud to represent his hometown of Minneapolis and thanked longtime viewers for continuing to support the franchise.
“The fans are what keep us coming out!” he wrote. “Hearing your stories of courage, inspiration & joy that you’ve got being a fan of the franchise is humbling each and every time.”
He ended the post by joking that the group had created the perfect cast photo for a fictional season of “The Real World: Minneapolis.”
“Thank you Minneapolis!” he added. “It was REAL!!”
Challenge Mania co-host Scott Yager said Duckworth’s appearance had been a welcomed surprise that the pair arranged only days before the event.
“We are incredibly blessed to have spent some time with him just a few days ago in Minneapolis at Challenge Mania on July 31,” Yager said.
“Like he did every day, he put a smile on everyone’s face and lit up the room with his infectious energy and incredible stories.”
Yager added that Duckworth was deeply loved by the “Challenge” community and would be missed by fans around the world.
“He was truly one of a kind,” he said.
Fellow “Challenge” veteran Derrick Kosinski also remembered Duckworth as an unforgettable competitor and an even better person.
The two shared a room while filming “All Stars 2,” and Kosinski said Duckworth was “an amazing human being” and “such a bright light and incredible joy to be around.”
Kosinski also reminded fans just how fierce Duckworth could be when it came time to compete.
Duckworth defeated Kosinski during an elimination on “Cutthroat,” shortly after Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio was eliminated during the infamous “Bananas Backpack” challenge.
Duckworth then went head-to-head with legendary competitor Chris “CT” Tamburello for roughly 40 minutes.
“He doesn’t get his flowers often enough for that,” Kosinski said.
Duckworth ultimately won “Cutthroat” and followed it up by winning “Rivals” alongside Johnny Bananas.
His MTV journey began in 2006 when he joined the cast of “The Real World: Key West” shortly after graduating from Tufts University.
Known in part for his strong swimming skills and competitive personality, Duckworth later appeared on six seasons of “The Challenge”: “The Duel,” “The Gauntlet III,” “Cutthroat,” “Rivals,” “All Stars 2” and “All Stars 3.”
He stepped away from the franchise for years before returning for “All Stars 2.”
In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Duckworth explained that after already becoming a two-time champion, he no longer felt he had anything left to prove.
“I won two in a row and won against pretty stacked casts, but that was 11 years ago,” he said.
Instead, he wanted to find out whether he could still handle the wild competitions that made the franchise famous.
“I just want to compete,” Duckworth said at the time. “I want to see if I still have it, if I can jump off crazy-high things or if I can do puzzles.”
Away from reality television, Duckworth revealed that he had built an entirely different career as a middle school and high school teacher.
His sudden death has now left longtime viewers and former castmates mourning one of the franchise’s most memorable champions as authorities work to determine what happened in his final hours.
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