Danny Dias (c. 1983 – June 4, 2017) was an American activist and reality television personality. Dias starred on season 13 of MTV's Road Rules, in 2004. In 2005, he competed on season 11 of Real World/Road Rules Challenge. He later co-founded an AIDS research charity.
Early life and career
Dias was born and raised in Linden, New Jersey, where he attended Linden High School. He majored in music education at Westminster Choir College, a music conservatory affiliated with Rider University in Princeton, which he attended from 2001 to 2003, and then continued his undergraduate education at Seton Hall University. Dias, who was openly gay, was cast in season 13 of MTV's Road Rules while he was still attending college. Road Rules: X-Treme, which was filmed in an RV in Argentina and Chile, aired in 2004. The season cast included Dias, as well as Derrick Kosinski, Jodi Weatherton, Ibis Nieves, Kina Dean, and Patrick Maloney. However, Dias was voted out in Episode 6 as a punishment for losing a mission and was replaced by Nick Haggart.
Dias returned to MTV for Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet 2, his Challenge debut, which aired from 2005 to 2006. He was eliminated from the competition by Alton Williams from The Real World Las Vegas after four episodes.
Following his time on Road Rules, Dias studied acting and worked in finance. He also become an AIDS activist and co-founded the research charity, Generation Cure.
Death
Dias was found unconscious at his Flushing Avenue apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on June 4, 2017, at the age of 34. Friends had reportedly not reached him for two days. He was pronounced dead by authorities at approximately 5 p.m., though a cause of death was initially unknown.
References
- ^ Evans, Greg (2017-06-07). "Danny Dias Dies: Former MTV 'Road Rules" Cast Member Was 34". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
- ^ Corinthios, Aurelie (2017-06-07). "MTV Road Rules and The Challenge Star Danny Dias Dies at 34". People. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
- ^ Lindsay, Kathryn (2017-06-07). "MTV Reality Star Danny Dias Was Found Dead In His Home". Refinery29. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
- ^ "Danny Dias Dead: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. 2017-06-07. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
- ^ Gacser, Ava. "Road: Living on the edge", Home News Tribune, July 4, 2004. Accessed December 25, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "I had a bit of a rough childhood, and I think that kind of 3 MTV out at 10 MTV viewers will find adds to my character," Dias says, referring to life growing up in Linden with his single mother. As a Linden High School student, he played flute in the marching band and sang in the choir. After a two-year stint at Westminster Choir College and some time at Seton Hall University, he's a few semesters shy of graduating college."
- Culliton, Kathleen (June 8, 2017). "MTV's 'Road Rules' Star Danny Dias Found Dead In Bushwick, Police Say". Bushwick, NY Patch. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
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- 1980s births
- 2017 deaths
- Road Rules cast members
- American HIV/AIDS activists
- LGBTQ people from New Jersey
- LGBTQ people from New York (state)
- Linden High School (New Jersey) alumni
- People from Linden, New Jersey
- People from Bushwick, Brooklyn
- Seton Hall University alumni
- Westminster Choir College alumni
- Participants in American reality television series
- 21st-century American LGBTQ people