Ralph Kiser Cause of Death Tragic: ‘Survivor: Redemption Island’ Star Dead at 56
Ralph Kiser, a former "Survivor: Redemption Island" contestant, died. He was only 56.
A "Survivor" fan named Michael Allbright shared the unfortunate news to the franchise community in a Facebook post, Meanwhile, Kiser's family also confirmed the heartbreaking news to The Sun, saying that the reality star died on Wednesday morning, around 3:15 a.m.
Both of them revealed that Ralph Kiser's cause of death was due to heart attack.
"His brother Gilbert messaged me this morning to let the Survivor community know. Ralph was on Redemption Island, was one of the key players from Zapatera, found an idol, targeted Russell Hantz, wasn't mesmerized by Boston Rob like many on Redemption Island, and even voted for Phillip Sheppard to win the game," Allbright said.
Meanwhile, Kiser's nephew, George, said that his uncle's passing left friends and family members shocked. He recalled how hard working man and a good hunter Kiser was.
Following the release of the tragic news, "Survivor" fans expressed their heartbreaks online as they paid tribute to the late star.
Ralph Kiser's "Survivor" Journey Remembered
Joining the "Survivor" franchise was not easy for Kiser as he applied several times before finally landing a spot on "Survivor: Redemption Island."
At that time, he wrote in his bio that he wanted to be part of the show for years and knew that he would get his chance one day. He pushed himself to make it there to become a hometown hero for the folks in Lebanon, Virginia.
"I'm a mountain man. I know plants, trees, and what most of their uses are. I can also build anything; start a fire anywhere and make people believe anything I say I will be the king at camp because I can build shelter, cook, find food and be the leader," he went on.
Kiser and his six-person team had the edge in the early part of the game. However, their tribe was outnumbered following the merge.
He ended up in eighth place and second-to-last man standing from the Zapateras. Although he did not win, he told PEOPLE during his exit interview that he had no regrets at all.
Per Kiser, appearing in "Survivor" was the time of his life. He saw it as a dream come true as he wanted to play a game on television.
He was 44 years old when he joined the franchise, becoming the oldest member to win a duel on "Survivor: Redemption Island."
