Discovery TV star 'Dakota' Fred Hurt, a firm favorite in "Gold Rush," has died at age 80 after a battle with cancer.
The news was confirmed in a statement by his family posted Tuesday to his Facebook page.
" 'Dakota' Fred Hurt passed away this morning surrounded by family. He fought courageously in his battle against cancer. Hurt touched many lives and was loved and supported by many," the message read.
His family went on to urge anyone wanting to make a donation on Hurt's behalf to consider making a contribution towards the Mike Rowe Works Foundation in his honor.
"Having worked in skilled labor for the majority of his career, Fred was passionate about teaching others these valuable skills," the family noted.
In a tribute shared on the series' Instagram page, Hurt's colleagues remembered him as someone who had a "joy for life and adventure."
"The Gold Rush family is deeply saddened to learn of Fred Hurt's passing," the tribute read. "His joy for life and adventure was contagious. We share our heartfelt condolences with his family, friends, and all who loved him."
In March, a press release announced that Hurt had been diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. The release also stated that he had recently taken on the role as co-owner of Thrill of the Hunt Entertainment LLC, a film production company, and that he was planning to work on several film projects while continuing his work in gold mining.
The release added that Hurt remained in good spirits and that a "range of options for possible treatment" was being developed.
"I've lived a full 80 years of an interesting life," Hurt said in a statement at the time. "If I emerge from this dark diagnosis, I'll have another adventure to share with you folks."
Hurt became a familiar face on television after appearing on several spinoffs of the hit series "Gold Rush," including "Gold Rush: South America" and "Gold Rush: The Legend of Porcupine Creek." In 2018, he landed his own spinoff alongside his son Dustin, "Gold Rush: White Water." The series aired its season finale in June.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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