'Survivor' alum Dan Kay dies at 40

Dan Kay, a contestant on "Survivor: Gabon," died unexpectedly on Saturday. He was 40.

Longtime "Survivor" host Jeff Probst shared the news via Twitter on Tuesday, writing: "I just heard the very sad news about the sudden loss of Dan Kay of Survivor: Gabon. The Survivor family sends our love to Dan's family."

Kay, of Brookline, New Hampshire, appeared on the 17th season of the hit CBS reality competition, which was won by high school physics teacher Robert "Bob" Crowley in December 2008.

According to his obituary on Legacy.com, Kay played football at Walpole High School in Massachusetts before attending UMass-Amherst. He went on to get a law degree from Syracuse University and became an attorney, working as a Supervisory Contracting Officer as a civilian for the U.S. Air Force at Hanscom Air Force Base.

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"In his free time, he enjoyed running, skiing, listening to music, and attending Crossway Christian Church. Dan had a smile that could light up a room. His desire to be challenged and his quest for adventure lead to his participation on the reality show, 'Survivor,'" the obit said. "He also successfully skied Tuckerman's Ravine and completed his first half marathon."

Kay is survived by his two young children, Reese Elizabeth and Jackson "Jax" Russell-Reid, as well as his girlfriend, mother and sister.

A funeral is to be held in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Saturday. The family requests that memorial donations may be made to Crossway Christian Church, 503 Main Dunstable Rd., Nashua, NH 03062, or a charity of your choice.

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Read original story 'Survivor' Alum Dan Kay Dies at 40 At TheWrap