“The Challenge” star Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio has broken his silence following the loss of his longtime friend, former roommate and championship partner Tyler Duckworth.
Devenanzio, 44, shared an emotional tribute to Duckworth on Instagram on August 16, five days after Duckworth was found at his Grand Forks, North Dakota, home. He was 44.
The reality star posted a video of himself playing Zach Bryan’s “Pink Skies” on acoustic guitar alongside a montage documenting his friendship with Duckworth over the past 20 years.
“You were more than a friend. More than a roommate. You were the brother I never had,” Devenanzio wrote. “Rest easy, Tyler. You’ll always be family ❤️.”
Devenanzio ended his tribute with “147:3,” a reference to Psalm 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Johnny Bananas & Tyler Duckworth’s Friendship Started on ‘The Real World’
Devenanzio and Duckworth met in 2006 when MTV cast them as roommates on season 17 of “The Real World,” titled “The Real World: Key West.”
The season marked both men’s reality television debuts and also featured Paula Meronek, Janelle Casanave, Svetlana Shusterman, Zach Mann and Jose Tapia.
Their relationship eventually extended well beyond “The Real World.”
Later in 2006, Devenanzio and Duckworth joined “The Challenge: The Duel,” beginning a competitive history that would continue for years. They later appeared together on “The Gauntlet III” and “Cutthroat.”
The two didn’t always find themselves on the same side, but their history ultimately made them a fitting team for “The Challenge: Rivals” in 2011. The season paired players who had previously clashed with each other.
Devenanzio and Duckworth put their differences aside and won the season together.
Tyler Duckworth Won 2 Seasons of ‘The Challenge’
Duckworth competed on six seasons of “The Challenge” during his reality television career: “The Duel,” “The Gauntlet III,” “Cutthroat,” “Rivals,” “All Stars 2” and “All Stars 3.”
He won “Cutthroat” before teaming with Devenanzio for his second consecutive championship on “Rivals.”
Duckworth then spent nearly a decade away from the competition before returning for “All Stars 2.”
He explained to Entertainment Weekly in 2021 that winning another championship wasn’t his primary motivation for returning.
“I won two in a row and won against pretty stacked casts, but that was 11 years ago,” Duckworth said. “And this sounds really sappy, but when you’ve already won, especially two in a row, for me it was more about: I just want to compete. I want to see if I still have it, if I can jump off crazy-high things or if I can do puzzles.”
Duckworth returned once more for “All Stars 3” in 2022, which became his final appearance in the franchise.
Tyler Duckworth’s Mother Confirmed His Loss
Devenanzio’s tribute came days after Duckworth’s mother, Joni, confirmed her son’s death on August 13.
The Grand Forks Police Department told People that authorities found Duckworth at his apartment on August 11 after responding to an unusual call from his downstairs neighbors.
According to police, the neighbors reported water coming through their ceiling.
Officers entered Duckworth’s apartment and traced the water to his bathtub, where they found him. Police said they could not immediately determine how long he had been there, though someone had reportedly seen him the previous day.
Authorities said there were no apparent signs of foul play. Duckworth’s cause of death had not been determined at the time of the initial reports.
