The Challenge star Tyler Duckworth has died at age 44 after police found him unresponsive in his North Dakota apartment bathtub on Tuesday.
His mother, Joni, announced on Facebook on Thursday that he had passed away earlier in the week of a cause that had yet to be determined. Authorities in rural North Dakota discovered his body at around 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday inside his apartment in Grand Forks.
The Grand Forks Police Department arrived at the residence after a downstairs neighbor reported water seeping through the ceiling, according to People. Upon entering the apartment, officers identified Duckworth's bathtub as the source of the leak. A maintenance worker had reportedly found Duckworth dead in the overflowing tub after the neighbor alerted management to the leakage, per TMZ. The Daily Mail has contacted the Grand Forks Police Department for comment.
Police indicated that Duckworth had been seen the day before his death, though it remains unclear how long he had been deceased prior to being discovered. A source told The Sun that Duckworth had recently undergone surgery, although there was no indication whether the medical procedure was connected to his death.
Officers stated that there appeared to be no indication of foul play or a suspicious death. However, police noted that the official cause of death remains pending the results of an autopsy. Authorities added that a toxicology report will also be compiled, which could take up to 12 weeks to complete.
Recent appearance at Minneapolis event
Duckworth's death comes less than two weeks after he attended a Challenge Mania event in Minneapolis on July 31. Following the appearance, he posted images on Instagram showing himself alongside fellow franchise alumni including Brad Fiorenza, Tina Barta, Rachel Robinson, and Mark Long.
In his Instagram caption, Duckworth raved that the podcast organizers always know how to bring the best of the best together, adding that he was proud to represent his hometown of Minneapolis alongside other challenge legends.
"The fans are what keep us coming out! Hearing your stories of courage, inspiration & joy that you’ve got being a fan of the franchise is humbling each and every time," Duckworth wrote. He added: "Also, pretty sure we nailed the cast photo for the lost season of The Real World: Minneapolis!! Thank you Minneapolis! Thank you @scottofyager. It was REAL!!"
Reality television career and background
Born in Atlanta and raised in Minneapolis, Duckworth attended Tufts University in Massachusetts, where he studied comparative religion and competed on the university's men's swim team. Shortly after graduating from college, he made his reality television debut in 2006 on MTV's The Real World: Key West.
Later in 2006, Duckworth joined The Challenge, a reality competition series where contestants test their physical and mental endurance through rigorous physical tasks. Over his career, he competed on six seasons of the show. He emerged as the champion on the Cutthroat season in 2010 and won again on the Rivals season in 2011. His television resume also includes appearances on The Duel, The Gauntlet III, All Stars 2, and All Stars 3.
After a decade-long hiatus during which he led a private life working as a schoolteacher, Duckworth made his return to the franchise on All Stars 2 in 2021. Prior to the premiere, he expressed excitement about returning to television.
"I’m so happy to be back now," Duckworth said while promoting All Stars 2. "And I'm giving you guys a show this season, don't you worry." He added in comments to Entertainment Weekly: "I gave it my all. I don't know if this might be my last rodeo, so I'm going to give you guys a motherf***ing show."
Reflections on representation and hiatus
As one of the few openly gay champions in the history of The Challenge, Duckworth explained that he felt a responsibility to represent gay viewers. "I take it very seriously that I’m going to represent the gay community, and there’s a lot of expectations because not only am I gay, but I can win these things and I’ve proven that I can," he told Entertainment Weekly. "But at the same time, there’s a lot of pressure. Like RuPaul says, “Don’t f*** it up.” If I f*** it up, it’s like I’m ruining it for the gay community."
Duckworth also revealed that his ten-year absence from the show was not entirely his choice, explaining that he was never called back after winning two consecutive seasons. "It was actually too hard for me to watch because it kind of broke my heart that I never got invited back," he admitted. "But sometimes you just have to let things go." Having previously lived in West Hollywood, Duckworth relocated back to the Midwest in recent years, working as a schoolteacher in North Dakota.
Tributes from fellow Challenge stars
News of Duckworth's passing prompted emotional tributes from his former co-stars, several of whom had spent time with him at the Minneapolis fan event weeks earlier. Brad Fiorenza wrote on Instagram that he was absolutely heartbroken to hear about Tyler, adding that they shared something special as part of The Challenge family.
"I’ll always be grateful for the memories we shared; especially at this last event just a couple weeks ago," Fiorenza wrote. "Tyler will be deeply missed by so many. May his amazing soul live on in the lives he’s touched. RIP my dear friend." Co-star Rachel Robinson also honored Duckworth in an Instagram Stories post, writing: "May your memory be a blessing for us all. We love you @TheMightyDuckworth."
