17 of Your Favorite Reality TV Stars Who Died Tragically

Audiences just can’t get enough of reality TV, even when they know it isn’t exactly real. There’s something about watching people in their perceived real life living and making mistakes like the rest of us that is hard to look away from. But sometimes things go horribly wrong during filming or later after the shows have aired, and sometimes those people are revealed to be not just flawed but dangers to themselves. That’s when things become all too real. Here are some examples of when tragedy struck reality TV stars who were dying for fame.

1. Julien Hug

Julien Hug was a contestant on The Bachelorette before he ended up taking his own life in 2010. His body was found in a California desert, and he had left a suicide note explaining his reasoning. “I’m sorry to have to do this to you. I love you both tremendously. You two are the best parents. I’ve suffered from severe depression for years. I feel awful and don’t know how to cope. If life’s not enjoyable, why stick around?” The reality franchise has quite the track record. Eric Hill was another Bachelorette contestant who passed away when he had a hang gliding accident, Gia Allemand and Lex McCallister from Jake Pavelka’s season of The Bachelor both committed suicide, and Erin Storm died in a plane crash.