Tyler Duckworth honored at private funeral in North Dakota
Reality TV star Tyler Duckworth was laid to rest in a private ceremony at a Grand Forks church, attended by co-star Johnny Devenanzio and other friends.
Tyler Duckworth, 44, a longtime participant on the reality series "The Challenge," was buried Saturday after a private service at Augustana Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The ceremony was attended by fellow cast member Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio, who posted photos of the event on Instagram, and former "Real Housewives of New Jersey" cameo actor Greg Bennett-Cesarini.
Devenanzio, who spoke from the pulpit, expressed his condolences, saying, "Lights will guide you home" and adding that Duckworth was deeply loved and will be remembered forever. He also wrote, "You were more than a friend. More than a roommate. You were the brother I never had," in a separate tribute posted after Duckworth’s death.
Bennett-Cesarini recalled meeting Duckworth in 2007 and described him as "the smartest person in a room" and a lasting presence in his life.
Duckworth’s mother, Joni, confirmed his death on social media, noting that the cause had not been disclosed. Police reports said he was found unresponsive near a door after an apparent water leak in his home, but the exact circumstances remain under investigation. The reality star had recently undergone surgery and made his final public appearance at a Challenge Mania event in Minneapolis on July 31.