Season 7 Biggest Loser star Damien Gurganious has died suddenly at age 38, the Daily Mail reports.
According to the news site, Gurganious died Nov. 24 because of a brain bleed caused by a rare autoimmune disorder called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
“As most of you know, I never post on social media. So, it is highly ironic and deeply sad that my first true post is to inform you of the tragic loss of my beloved husband, Damien Gurganious,” his wife, Nicole, confirmed to fans on Facebook. “Damien suffered from the sudden onset of a rare autoimmune disorder, Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), which caused inoperable bleeding in his brain. Damien passed away on Monday, November 24, 2014.”
He had celebrated his birthday just a week before his sudden death.
Damien Gurganious and Nicole Brewer, then only engaged, appeared on the TV show in an attempt to shed the excess pounds for their wedding. As the Daily Mail notes, they were among the third group to be eliminated that season, but still got married the week of their dismissal … but not before losing almost 300 pounds combined.
In addition to his wife, Gurganious leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter, Giselle.
The family has started an online funding site, called the Damien Gurganious Family Fund, to help ease the family’s financial burden.
Read more at the Daily Mail.