Reality TV Star Ben Rathbun has passed away

Reality star death has been confirmed

Celebrity death hoaxes are cruel but very real. This is why it's important to check multiple sources before you believe or spread the news of someone's demise. According to The Express, The Sun, and The Daily Mail, reality TV personality Ben Rathbun passed away at the age of 55. He was best known for appearing on the fifth season of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days in 2022.

Rathburn died on May 19, 2025, after a battle with stage four stomach cancer. He received the diagnosis late in 2024 but was too weak to undergo chemotherapy. The reality series celebrity died peacefully at his home in Greencastle, Indiana, surrounded by his wife, Mahogany Roca, and other family members.

Stomach Cancer Statistics

My grandmother was diagnosed with stomach cancer when she was in her. The doctor said there was nothing that could be done, but asked if we wanted to pray. The three of us joined hands and prayed, and the following tests showed the cancer was gone. My grandma lived seven more years and died from heart failure. This, however, is not everyone's story.

Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy can play a role in survival, but there are other factors to consider. The stage of the cancer makes a difference. Earlier detection significantly improves the outcome.

The tumor's location also plays a role. Cancer in the lower stomach may have better outcomes than tumors in the upper stomach or near the esophagus.

Type and grade of tumor: Certain histological types (like intestinal-type adenocarcinomas) have better prognoses than others (like diffuse-type or signet-ring cell carcinoma).

Geographical location also matters. Survival rates for stomach cancer tend to be higher in countries like Japan and South Korea, where routine screening and earlier diagnosis occur.

Ben Rathburn's journey

When Ben Rathburn joined the reality show, he was a 52-year-old father of four from Michigan who became involved in an online relationship with Mahogany, a 22-year-old woman from Peru. Their 30-year age difference led to much skepticism among 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days viewers.

Some suspected that Rathburn was being "catfished" due to his age and the nature of his online relationship with Mahogany. Still, the couple met in person and, in 2022, confirmed their engagement via a YouTube video. They appeared together on the spinoff series 90 Day Diaries in 2024, where they revealed they were married and provided updates on their relationship.

Rathbun experienced some hard times

Ben Rathburn admitted that he was out of work for six months and endured financial difficulties, with bills mounting while trying to travel to Peru. During his time on the reality series, he had been the executive director of the Michigan Lupus Foundation.

He launched his fitness coaching business, "Starting Today Fitness," which offered personalized health guidance and motivational content. In March 2022, Ben was arrested for violating probation related to a 2020 charge of operating while ability impaired (OWAI).

His defense was that a homeless couple had drugged him before the incident, which led to his arrest and subsequent termination from the Michigan Lupus Foundation. He took full responsibility based on his released statement indicating he drove 14 hours and turned himself in. He spent one night in jail.

Reality TV is here to stay

Older adults grew up in a world where celebrities were popular in movies and telewvision seris for their acting, dabncing or singing abilities. Reality TV was not a thing but today it is making regular people withotu specific gifts and talents household names.

Rumors that the couple was no longer together appear to be dispelled by the fact that Mahogony was by her spouse's bedside when he passed awayCondolences and prayes are being extended to the loved ones and fans of Ben Rathbun.