Former Big Brother contestant Amber Siyavus has died. She was 46.
According to online records viewed by Us from the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner in Nevada, Siyavus died on Friday, October 9. Her cause of death is listed as pending. (TMZ was first to report the news.)
“Rest in Peace Amber,” host Julie Chen Moonves wrote via Instagram on Monday, October 12. “Hard to believe but I know you are back in our eternal home with our Creator. Thank you for your heart and honesty. We will remember you with love ❤️.”
Siyavus appeared on Big Brother season 8 in 2007 and was introduced as a cocktail waitress from Las Vegas.
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Cameras rolled as Siyavus began the game as a loyal member of the Late Night Crew alliance, growing especially close to Jameka Cameron and Dustin Erikstrup.
During week eight of the show, Siyavus was evicted and became the third member of the jury.
“I think I was evicted because, honestly, nobody wants to be sitting next to me in the final two,” she told host Chen Moonves, 56, at the time of her eviction. “I have really good relationships with everyone. I think they were nervous that had I stayed, the numbers would have stayed on me. … They felt I was a threat. I understand, it’s a game. It sucks. It is what it is.”
While appearing as a contestant on the CBS reality show, Siyavus earned the nickname “Whamber” by some contestants because of her frequent crying. One houseguest who was particularly critical of the Nevada resident was “Evel Dick” Donato, who went on to win the season.
In her exit interview, Siyavus expressed her hope that a good person would win the season.
When asked how to differentiate between a good and bad person in the Big Brother house, Siyavus tried to explain.
“Based on how people play the game — if they’re honest, if they lie, if they go around making deals, telling people things that aren’t the truth, calling people out, just being rude, just nasty, negative energy they send out in the house,” she said. “You can tell a good person from a bad person in that way.”
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This isn’t the first time Siyavus’ family has experienced a difficult loss.
In January 2018, Siyavus’s 18-year-old daughter, Lexi Tomcavage, died in Ohio.
At the time, the Stark County Coroner’s Office confirmed to Fox News that Tomcavage’s death was being investigated as a suicide. The coroner’s office also told the publication that four other teenagers from Tomcavage’s high school had died in the past six months from suspected suicide.
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