Survivor contestant Keith Nale dies aged 62
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Two-time Survivor contestant Keith Nale has passed away at 62 years old.
The star appeared in both the San Juan del Sur and Cambodia series of the show and charmed the nation with his humor and high spirit.
The underdog fan-favourite died on Tuesday (18 April) in Shreveport, Louisiana.
During his stint on Survivor: San Juan del Sur back in 2014, Nale successfully made it to the final four due to his impressive skills in the Immunity Challenges.
The star returned to the show a year later for Survivor: Cambodia where he tried out a whole new method of collaboration, strategising among the other contestants.
While he was eliminated just a matter of days before the Final Tribal Council, it's clear Nale touched many of our hearts.
Nale's son Wes confirmed the sad news to Entertainment Tonight yesterday, saying: "He passed away this afternoon. He'd been battling cancer for the past few months and we found out about it in January."
The beloved contestant's brother Kevin added: "A life taken way too soon!
"It happed so quickly. Cancer ate him up. He Passed this afternoon at his home in Shreveport, Louisiana."
The tributes to the late reality TV star have since flooded in on social media.
Fellow Survivor star and winner of Survivor: Cambodia, Jeremy Collins, tweeted: "My condolences to the Big D, Wes, Austin and entire Nale family. You will be missed Keith but your legacy will live on. Rest in power my firefighter/Survivor brother."
Kelly Wentworth, who also appeared on the show, uploaded a clip of herself and Nale and captioned the tweet: "Keith - a man with the purest heart, who brought humor into moments where it was needed most.
"I’m grateful I had the opportunity to meet Keith & share memories together on the beaches of Nicaragua & Cambodia. My heart is with the entire Nale family. This is a devastating loss."
And the words of condolences didn't stop there, with Survivor Hall of Famer Jonny Fairplay writing: "Rest in Peace Keith Nale You made me laugh so many times. You will be so missed."
"Survivor needed Keith Nale," penned another Twitter user, "someone who was wholeheartedly himself, whether it be getting spooked by idols, taking up a side hustle driving 'to-to's' or reminding us the fun of cruises.
"RIP to a character who gave us 75 days of entertainment. My heart goes out to Dana & Wes."
Rest in peace, Keith Nale.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact American Cancer Society’s support line on 1-800-227-2345 or alternatively, you can visit their livechat through their website Monday-Friday 7AM - 6:30PM
Topics: Film & TV, Celebrity, Film and TV
