Two-time Survivor contestant Keith Nale has died at the age of 62, his family has confirmed.
Nale’s distraught son, Wes Nale, he told Entertainment Tonight his father died Tuesday afternoon.
“He has been battling cancer for several months and we discovered about it in January,” he added.
His brother, Kevin Nale, added that their dad’s life was taken “way too soon”.
Keith, who was from Louisiana, was a contestant on two seasons of Survivor in 2015.
He appeared in two versions of the show, including “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” and “Survivor: Cambodia”, which aired that 12 months.
Wes appeared in “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” along together with his dad.
Tributes poured in after the sad news of Keith’s passing, along together with his former Survivor: San Juan del Sur co-star Kelley Wentworth tweeting“Keith – a person with the purest heart who brought humor when it was needed most.
“I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to fulfill Keith and share memories on the beaches of Nicaragua and Cambodia.”
“My heart goes out to the entire Nale family. It’s a devastating loss,” she added.
“My condolences to Big D, Wes, Austin and all the Nale family,” fellow Keith collaborator Jeremy Collins he wrote. “Keith will miss you, but your legacy will live to tell the tale. Rest in power my brother firefighter/survivor.”
Keith notably made it to the final 4 of the series before being eliminated just at some point before the Final Tribal Council on his first run.
He has grow to be a definite fan favorite, prompting his rebellious return in Survivor: Cambodia.
Ultimately, Keith was sent home a second time when Wentworth won immunity, but he spoke highly of the series after his departure.
Speech to UpRoxx in 2014, a former firefighter shared what it’s prefer to compete in your 50s.
“They were impressed because I used to be 53,” he said of his firefighter buddies. “Now I admit it is not 93, but it surely’s not 23 either.”
“They were all behind me, great group of guys. They wanted me to win it and, you recognize, bring it home to Louisiana. But that just didn’t occur.”