Married At First Sight star Ryan De Nino has died at the age of 40 after passing away suddenly in New Jersey, according to a family source.
An insider told celebrity news outlet TMZ that family members will not be releasing further details surrounding the cause of his death.
De Nino appeared on the second season of the A&E reality television series Married At First Sight in 2015, where relationship experts match single participants who meet for the first time at the altar. During the show, he was paired with Jessica Castro.
Earlier this week on Tuesday, De Nino's sister Melissa shared an emotional tribute to her brother on Facebook alongside nostalgic family photographs.
"Ryan was so d**n funny and witty. He was fiercely loyal to those he loved. He had a huge heart, always," she wrote.
"I can't explain what it's like to lose a sibling. Someone who's been there from the beginning and shares the same memories. No matter what we were going through, I loved him immensely. Life as I know it will never be the same."
Statements and television background
Daily Mail reached out to a representative for basic cable network A&E for comment regarding De Nino's passing, but has not yet received a response.
Following news of his death, Castro broke her silence by issuing a statement regarding her ex-husband's passing.
"I have not had contact with Ryan in years so I have/had no idea what his life entailed," Castro said in a statement to Page Six on Friday.
"However, I do send my sincerest condolences to his family during this very difficult time. I can not imagine what they are going through. May he rest peacefully."
Relationship history and legal dispute
De Nino and Castro originally agreed to say "I do" when meeting for the first time at the altar on Married At First Sight. The couple chose to remain together on Decision Day, the finale episode where couples decide whether to stay married or get divorced. However, the reality stars subsequently divorced after season two ended.
During her time on the series, Castro spoke about her personal views on marriage, stating: "I come from a family of long successful marriages. The word divorce just doesn't fall into my lifestyle."
In 2015, Castro filed for a restraining order against De Nino after alleging that he had threatened both her and her family, according to a report by People magazine.
De Nino later addressed the legal action on his Instagram account, sharing that Castro had filed for an order of protection against him. He claimed that the protection order had left him both "in awe" and "disgusted."
The former couple later appeared together on a reunion special episode that aired in June 2015. During the broadcast, Castro alleged that De Nino had cheated on her on Valentine's Day during their rocky relationship.
"A week prior to that, we had a blow-up because he told me that he was gonna be busy. So, I didn't see him," Castro explained on the reunion show. "A few weeks later, I find a Valentine's Day card from another female at his apartment."
De Nino denied the cheating allegations during the episode, stating that he could not "control people from sending me cards."
De Nino maintained an Instagram presence with over 40,000 followers, though his final post on the platform was made in June 2022.
Castro also remains active on social media, posting regularly to her nearly 100,000 Instagram followers. She is the mother of a five-year-old son named Sergio Jr.
